What’s On in Edinburgh this week - The Edinburgh Reporter

Well we all know what’s on in Scotland this week….but there’s plenty available to take your mind off it….

MONDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER 2014

All Quiet On The Western Front (1930): a film saga of German boys avidly signing up for World War I and then learning the truth of war. 6.30-8.30pm, St Brides Community Centre, Orwell Terrace. Free: shown as part of Gorgie War Memorial’s World War I Commemoration Events. For more details of other events see programme available from St Bride’s Centre.

Blackwell’s Edinburgh Book Group – lively, friendly book chatter for adults, no previous experience required! Currently reading Laurent Binet’s HHhH: next month The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud. 6pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. To join email your name and address to events.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk

Treasure Everywhere: draw, colour or design a piece of treasure to add to the arty archaeological frieze. For all ages. 12 noon-4pm (drop-in session) Grand Gallery Level 1, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street.

Dish The Dirt! Who or what is buried in the dig boxes? Sift, sort and solve the mystery. Suitable for ages 7-12 with an adult helper. 12.30, 2.30 or 3.30pm (45 minute sessions.) Limited places – sign up from 11.30am on the day in the Learning Centre on Level 4, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street.

Paul Durand-Ruel in London and New York: the National Gallery (London)’s curator of post-1800 paintings Christopher Riopelle looks at Durand-Ruel’s marketing strategies in two foreign cities, London, where he first met Monet and Pissarro and showed their works in 1871, and New York where from 1887 he maintained a highly successful gallery with a major impact on American collecting. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, National Gallery of Scotland, The Mound. Free and unticketed.

Crowd Sourcing: popular family drop-in workshops taking inspiration from the Where Do I End and You Begin exhibition. Kushana Bush’s paintings tell mysterious stories about groups and crowds: using paper and collage, make your own crowd scene and tell its story. Suitable for the whole family working together. 1.30-3.30pm, City Art Centre, 2 Market Street.

Create a Caricature: learn the art of caricature in this special workshop for families – come prepared with the images of some people you would like to caricature. 10.30am-12.30pm or 1.30-3.30pm, Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South. £5 per person – bookings must be made via the Usher Hall Box Office, in person, by phone or online.

Edible Gardening: Seasonal Advice: drop in to find out how to grow your own food and take a look around the productive garden with the Edible Gardening Project team. 1-3pm, Demonstration Garden, Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row. Free, no booking required. Also available at same times on Tuesday 16th September.

TUESDAY 16TH SEPTEMBER 2014

Old Mac’s Munchkins – new farm-themed playgroup. An hour of farm-themed storytelling, crafts, play and songs. For children 2+. 10am today and every Tuesday, Gorgie City Farm (meet at the red tractor), 51 Gorgie Road. £2 per child, no need to book. For more information call 0131 337 4202.

Scottish Country Dancing Taster Session: brush up your steps for St Andrew’s Night at this free session. All welcome regardless of experience level. 7.45pm, Central Hall, Tolcross, EH3 9BP. Organised by the Edinburgh branch of the Royal Scottish Country Dancing Society (www.rscds.org)

Demonstration of Traditional Oil Painting: The Portrait. Instructors from the Academy of Realist Art demonstrate the traditional layering process of oil painting as used by 19th century academies. 12 noon-4.30pm (drop-in session), Main Gallery Floor, National Gallery of Scotland, The Mound. Free and unticketed.

GENERATION: What’s It All About? Moira Jeffrey, art critic at The Scotsman, talks about capturing the past and present of contemporary art in Scotland in the books created for the GENERATION project. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, National Gallery of Scotland, The Mound. Free and unticketed.

American versus French Impressionism: a Debate. Richard R Brettell, Margaret McDermott Distinguished Chair of Art and Aesthetics, University of Texas at Dallas, and Richard Thomson, Professor of Fine Art, University of Edinburgh, will discuss the aesthetic and national differences between American and French modernism. 6-7.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, National Gallery of Scotland, The Mound. Free and unticketed.

The Future of Learning: Professor Sugatra Mitra, University of Newcastle, will talk through the origins of schooling to the dematerialisation of institutions as we know them. Sugatra will discuss the results of his 13 years of research, which show that children can organise their own learning, achieve educational objectives on their own and read by themselves – what’s more, with access to the internet they can learn anything by themselves. Sugatra will also talk about the implications of this research worldwide. 4.30-5.30pm, Lindsay Stewart Lecture Theatre, Napier University Craiglockhart Campus, Glenlockhart Road. Free but please email lectures@napier.ac.uk to register your interest.

WEDNESDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER 2014

Here and There: Claire from the Scottish Book Trust will lead a discussion about newcomers’ experience of Scotland in comparison to their home countries. An opportunity for migrants and local people to share stories and perhaps contribute to a book by the Scottish Book Trust! Also a chance to hand draw your own map of Edinburgh. This event is part of a regular newcomers’ conversation class run by The Welcoming. 2.15-4.15pm, St John’s Church Hall, Princes Street. All welcome: free.

Current Exchanges: Weavers Tour with curator Ben Divall. Tour around the balcony with Ben Divall, weavers from Dovecot and visiting weaver Sue Batten from Australian Tapestry Workshop. Learn more about the historic links and ongoing collaborative projects between both institutions and the techniques and processes involved in creating the tapestries currently on show from Melbourne and Edinburgh. 6-7pm, Dovecot Studios, Infirmary Street. Free but please book via eventbrite.

National Library of Scotland Guided Tour: tour of the building and introduction to the Library’s collections and history. 10.30-11.45am (approx), National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Numbers limited, booking essential. Book online or call 0131 623 3734. Please let NLS know of any special access requirements.

Reflect on the Referendum: Polwarth Church (a polling station on 18th September) is open all day today for those who wish to contemplate their decision. You can walk the church’s labyrinth, light a candle as an act of hope for the future or just sit quietly and think. 10am-6pm, Polwarth Church, 36-38 Polwarth Terrace.

Rushman and Tyman: Stop Thief! Rushman and Tyman’s Flaghall, one of the works in the Where Do I End and You Begin exhibition, is a space of potential multiple uses – a community hall, exhibition space or meeting place. As part of Stop Thief! visitors to the exhibition will experience live interventions in the gallery, further exploring the themes raised in this work. 1pm, City Art Centre, 2 Market Street. Free.

Being a Scientist in the UK Today: a lunchtime discussion. A panel of experts will consider what motivates scientists and what pressures they are under, what effects funding and publishing systems are having on the production of high quality, ethical scientific research, whether current methods for assessing the quality of science are working and whether competition in science is a good thing. 12.30-2pm, Informatics Forum, University of Edinburgh, 10 Crichton Street. Book via eventbrite. Free.

Three Female Surgeons: Chris Short will tell the story of three Edinburgh surgeons who refused to accept rejection at a time when women were not allowed to study medicine. Over the course of a century they paved the way for women to join the medical profession on equal terms with their male colleagues. The talk is presented in association with the Words and Deeds, Weapons and Wounding exhibition which is at Napier until 30th September 2014. 4pm, Level 5 LRC, Edinburgh Napier University Sighthill Campus, Sighthill Court. Free, but please RSVP to events@napier.ac.uk as places will be limited.

Lunchtime Concert: Will Pickvance – Piano Speak. 12.15pm, St Giles Cathedral, Royal Mile. Free.

Free The Technics Two: vinyl session, ‘Not only do we demand a revolution we can dance to, we want to dance to our own tunes.’ 4-7pm, Forest Cafe, 141 Lauriston Place. Free.

THURSDAY 18TH SEPTEMBER 2014

Moonhop – The Raverendum: live music, whisky, dancing and rare vinyl, featuring Moonhop DJs Whisky Stephen (& the FOUND team), live set from FOUND (Lomond Campbell and River of Slime) and poetry from Neu Reekie’s Michael Pedersen and Kevin Williamson. ‘Dance off the tension to the best record collection in Scotland.’ 8pm-12.30am, Demonstration Room, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. Tickets £5: book here. Over 18s only.

WHALE Street Arts: bringing arts to the streets of Wester Hailes. Beatboxing, Dance, Breakdance and Art: learning new skills and developing old ones. 5-5.30pm @ Harvesters Square, 5.30-6pm @ Dumbeg, 6-6.30pm @ Hailesland, 6.30-7pm @ Walkers, 7-7.30pm @ Westburn – all Wester Hailes. For more information call 0131 458 3267 or click here.

Easel Sketching in the Gallery: September. Drop-in sketching in the Gallery, led by artist Damian Callen. A different subject every month, sometimes with a live model. 2-4pm, Main Floor, National Gallery of Scotland, The Mound. Free and unticketed. Also available at same times on Friday 19th September.

Rudsambee: Rudsambee Company of Singers return to the National Portrait Gallery with their usual eclectic music after a very successful year. They will showcase repertoire from their recent award-winning trip to Ireland, such as Ieuan Wyn’s Cariad, as well as featuring music from further afield including a selection of 20th century Eastern European music and an arrangement of the Syrian folk song, Fog Elna Khel. 6-6.30pm, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free and unticketed.

The Drawing Room: an informal, artist-led, drawing session. Each session is developed by a contemporary artist and inspired by the GENERATION exhibition, reflecting concerns within the artist’s own work. All materials supplied, no experience necessary. This session’s artist is Ailie Rutherford. Part of GENERATION By Night. 5.30-6.45pm, The Royal Scottish Academy, The Mound. Free and unticketed.

Dilli, from the rear view mirror of the Sikh taxi driver: Radhika Govinda of the University of Edinburgh Centre for South Asian Studies, gives a paper reflecting on the narratives of Sikh taxi drivers in a metropolis which has the dubious distinction of being called ‘the rape capital of India’ even as urban development plans are afoot to turn it into a ‘world class city.’ 4-6pm, Doorway 1, Room 2.520, Sydney Smith Lecture Theatre, Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Teviot Place.

LGBT Learning Disability Project Social Circle: a monthly group for LGBT people who also identify as having a learning disability. This month: Dealing with Stress – find out about where stress comes from and ways to reduce it. Lifecare Centre, Cheyne Street, Stockbridge, EH4 1JB. Contact George for time and to find out about joining the group: email george@lgbthealth.org.uk or call 0131 652 3281. Please bring a carer or supporter if you need help to participate.

FRIDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER 2014

36 Years of Brain Feed: Edinburgh-based painter Brian Cheesewright exhibits a bold selection of pictures made over the last few years. ‘Cheesewright’s style had lurched, back-stepped and stumbled between the expressive, the gestural and the romantic, the cynical and the absurd.’ Opening 6-8pm tonight, then Wednesday-Friday 2-7pm, Saturdays 11am-2pm until 18th October 2014, Interview Room II, 38 Castle Terrace. Interview Room II is part of ForestCentre+

Freeze Frame Film Club: monthly classic film night in Leith. An informal evening of flickering images drawn from classic old favourites. Free popcorn and good company guaranteed. This month Harvey (1950), James Stewart in one of his finest performances. Doors open 6.30pm, film starts 8.30pm, Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street. Tickets £2.50 (children £2) payable at the door or in advance from the cafe. The cafe offers a special celluloid themed menu on film nights, served before the screening and costing £12.00 pp. Meals must be booked in advance on 0131 555 7100.

BBC Any Questions: the programme will be broadcast live from the Kirk – this is your chance to ask a question and influence the debate. 8pm (audience should arrive no later than 7.30pm), Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Place. Tickets are free and can be obtained along with question submission forms from the Kirk office (open 9am-4pm, Monday to Friday): alternatively email the Administrator at administrator@greyfriarskirk.com

Edinburgh Napier University Campus Tours: view the fantastic facilities and chat about university life with Napier’s Student Ambassadors. 2pm at each of Napier’s campuses: Sighthill, Craiglockhart and Merchiston. Booking required: register here to reserve your place.

Black Cube Collective Show: Black Cube is an independent artist-led collective based in Edinburgh which creates opportunities for emerging artists in Scotland and internationally. The show will include sculpture, installation, painting, video, photography, printmaking and ceramics, with works in all three galleries of St Margaret’s House. ‘A coherent exposition of upcoming artistic talent’ (The List on Black Cube’s recent exhibition at Cockenzie House.) Opening tonight 7-9pm, then 10am-6pm daily until Sunday 5th October 2014, St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road. Free.

SEEP II: Mirrors and Mires. Cachin Cachan Cachunga presents this exhibition event with visual art, film, performance, music and installation, particularly highlighting work from minority groups. BSL interpretation, film subtitling, audio description, Braille, large-print programmes and wheelchair access will all be available. All welcome. Opening today 7-10pm with live performance by Andra Simons,then 12 noon-6pm Saturday to Monday, 2-8pm Tuesday to Friday, until 29th September 2014, Patriothall Gallery, 1D Patriothall off Hamilton Place, Stockbridge.

Stockbridge Photography Collective Charity Exhibition: a showcase of the best images from this local group of photographers. Opening party 7-9.30pm tonight, then open to 25th September, Twenty-Eight Pop-Up, 28 St Stephen’s Street. Call 07552 730100 for more information.

Twenty-Eight Private Viewing: come and see the current exhibition of Scottish design talent, from jewellery to accessories, prints to photography and bow ties to tea sets. Meet the designers, stay for a drink, and tonight get 15% off all purchases. 7-9.30pm, Twenty-Eight Pop-Up, 28 St Stephen’s Street. Call 0131 225 3692 for more information.

Flora’s International Day: a celebration of the cultural diversity within Flora Stevenson Primary School. Children will receive a passport which will be stamped when they visit some of the nationalities represented at Flora’s: an opportunity to learn about diverse cultures, taste international food and speak to some of the World Families of Flora’s. 12.30-2.30pm, Flora Stevenson Primary School, Comely Bank. Free and open to all.

SATURDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER 2014

Colony of Artists: a varied collection of work on display in the artisan community of Abbeyhill Colonies. Over 30 artists in 20 venues open their homes to show painting, drawing, photography, mixed media, music and much more. 1-5pm, Abbeyhill Colonies, junction of Easter Road and London Road: for more information see website here. Arrival by bus or on foot is recommended. Also open at same times on Sunday 21st September.

Free Family Cinema: see your favourite films for free! Choc ices and juice available in the interval for 50p. This week: Wall-E, next week Horton Hears a Who. Best for children aged 10 or under: all children must be accompanied by an adult. 10.30am-12.30pm (includes interval), St Brides Centre, Orwell Terrace, Dalry.

Art Root Open Studios: want a day out in sunny East Lothian? This year’s Art Root is the most ambitious to date and includes not only lots of open studios but also group exhibitions and a range of bookable workshops and events. Come and visit the talented artists and makers who live in this beautiful corner of Scotland – it’s only a few short miles from the city! Venues in North Berwick, Dunbar, Direlton, Pencaitland, East Linton, West Barns, Whitekirk and stops in between. Plenty of great cafes and tea shops in the area. Full details and PDF brochure here. A great day out guaranteed – even if the sun isn’t…..Also on Sunday 21st September.

Harvest Festival at the Botanics: a celebration of the vegetable growing year for all ages. Discover the delights of growing your own vegetables with the Edible Gardening Project team: community garden produce show, fun activities, edible gardening advice, information about harvesting, cooking and storing crops, seasonal recipes, tasters and more. 1-4pm, John Hope Gateway and throughout the Garden, Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row. Free, no booking required. Also available at same times on Sunday 21st September.

Polwarth Nearly New Sale: children’s clothes, toys, nursery equipment, maternity wear, high chairs, pushchairs and much more! Over 5,000 items for sale. 11am-1pm, Polwarth Church, 36-38 Polwarth Terrace. Raising funds for The Edinburgh Sick Kids Hospital and Polwarth Church. Donations most welcome: see website for more information.

Bookbug: free, fun and friendly sessions for babies, toddlers, pre-schoolers and their families to enjoy together. Songs, stories and rhymes, and a chance to meet other families in your area. 10.30am today and every Saturday, Fountainbridge Library, 137 Dundee Street.

GENERATION tours at Modern One: free, discussion-led tours of the GENERATION exhibition, focusing on key themes and artists. 11-11.45am or 1-1.45pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE, Belford Road. No booking required.

Portrait Gallery Architecture Tours: monthly architecture tours of the magnificent Arts & Crafts building designed by Sir Robert Rowand Anderson. 2-2.45pm, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free but booking essential as places are limited: call 0131 624 6560.

Alter Egos: popular family drop-in workshops taking inspiration from the Where Do I End and You Begin exhibition. Create a new identity for yourself using disguises made out of paper, inspired by Mary Sibande’s character Sophie. Suitable for the whole family working together. 1.30-3.30pm, City Art Centre, 2 Market Street.

Allan Burnett: The Story of Scotland. Allan Burnett is famous for making history exciting for all ages. He will talk about his new book, The Story of Scotland inspired by the Great Tapestry of Scotland, a humorous yet informative book for readers aged 8-12, at 11am, Far from the Madding Crowd, 20 High Street, Linlithgow. ‘A trip through time and a whole lot of adventures along the way: expect props!’ Contact shop for more details.

Green Worlds: No Strangers Exhibition talk. Celebrate the Harvest Festival and the last weekend of the no strangers exhibition with Flora Inches and Ian Edwards (RBGE) on a tour through the glasshouses. Discover plants that provide essential nourishment, nutritional and spiritual, to indigenous people around the world. 11.30am – 12.30pm, meet at the Palmhouse, Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row. Free, no booking required, but you must buy a ticket to enter the Glasshouses: £5/£4. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Stockfest 2014: a week long celebration of community events in Stockbridge starts today. Ceilidhs, walks, market, music, art….the full programme is available here.

StockFlea Vintage & Craft Market: vintage goodies, bric-a-brac, crafts and more at Stockbridge’s very own outdoor flea market. 11am-4pm, Jubilee Gardens, Saunders Street.

StockDog: come along with your dogs of all shapes and sizes for a fun, activity-filled afternoon. Displays from vets, groomers and trainers, plus support from local stores, photo portraits with your dogs and fun StockCrufts competitions with prizes! 1-4pm, Pond-side, Inverleith Park, Arboretum Road.

Song Circle Drop-In Session: a dynamic and fun version of the Song Circle sessions which run on weekday mornings in the Skylark Cafe. Scottish songs, nursery rhymes, poetry and percussion fun for children aged 0-5 years. 10.30am, Skylark Cafe, 40 Hamilton Place. No booking required: first come, first served. £3.50 per head including tea, coffee and biscuits. More information on 0131 225 4444.

SEEP II: Tour for Visually-Impaired Visitors. A tour of Cachin Cachan Cachunga’s exhibition event, which includes visual art, film, performance, music and installation, particularly highlighting work from minority groups. BSL interpretation, film subtitling, audio description, Braille, large-print programmes and wheelchair access will all be available. 4pm, Patriothall Gallery, 1D Patriothall off Hamilton Place, Stockbridge. For more information see Patriothall website.

A Walk Through Stockbridge’s Sporting History: Scottish Blue Badge Guide Colin Imrie will lead a walk discovering Stockbridge’s sporting heritage. From bowling to boxing to rugby and rowing. Some steps and uneven ground on the route: wear comfortable shoes. 11am-1pm, meet at Portgower Place (beside the Raeburn House Hotel). Free: a collection will be taken for Alzheimer’s Scotland. More information: colinimrie@blueyonder.co.uk

Fun Flower Arranging: let your children’s creativity go wild with a colourful little flower arrangement. For 2-10 year olds. 10am-3pm, White Petal Company, 100a Raeburn Place, Stockbridge.

SUNDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER 2014

Edinburgh Canoe Marathon: a great opportunity for canoe and kayak marathon paddlers to race in the heart of Edinburgh. The race is over four courses and there should be a distance suitable for all paddlers. Event starts at Meggatland Bridge, EH14 1DD: use car par on north side of canal only. Registration opens at 9.30am: briefings for medium (12k), short (6k) and junior (under 12s) races start at 10.40am, briefing for long race (18k) starts at 9.50am. Entry fees: senior £4, junior £3 plus you must for insurance purposes be a member of the Scottish Canoe Association or the British Canoe Union to participate – day membership will be available for £5. Enter in advance by contacting mjames@rgare.com, or on the day. More information here.

Stockfest: St Stephen’s Street Traders’ Association Street Party: shopping events, live music, craft stalls, demonstrations, fun for all the family. 12 noon-5pm, St Stephen’s Street, Stockbridge.

GENERATION tours at the Academy Building: free, discussion-led tours of the GENERATION exhibition, focusing on key themes and artists. 11-11.45am or 1-1.45pm, The Royal Scottish Academy, The Mound. No booking required.

Bags of Art – September: cool and creative art for ages 7-12 with artists Tessa Asquith-Lamb and Louise Fraser. 2-4pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE, Belford Road. No booking required: free.

Hearing Impaired Tour – American Impressionism: a New Vision. Free tour with portable loops for the hearing impaired, with artist Tessa Asquith-Lamb. 11am-12 noon, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art TWO, Belford Road. To book a free place contact the Information Desk on 0131 624 6560.

Seeds of Time: follow crop diversity pioneer Cary Fowler in this film about his impassioned journey to re-invent a global food system that can ‘live forever.’ UK Premiere and bike powered screening! 7.30-9.15pm (doors open 7pm), Gateway Decking (outdoors), Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row. Tickets £6/£4 can be booked here. Part of the Take One Action Film Festival.

St Giles at Six: Voiceworks. Vocal solos, duets and ensemble items from composers including Mozart, Morricone and Sullivan. 6pm, St Giles Cathedral, Royal Mile. Free: retiring collection.

Autumn Lecture: Rev Dr Marjory MacLean talks about the Forces Chaplaincy. 7-8pm (refreshments served at 6.30pm), Church Halls, Morningside Parish Church, Cluny Gardens/Braid Road, Morningside. All welcome.