GENERATION DJ Set: A La Fu. A La Fu has performed at Glastonbury, Brixton Academy, Trans Musicales, Pukkelpop and NYC’s Knitting Factory. He will be offering an improvised response to the GENERATION art works before playing tracks that engage with the Scottish art and music scene of the last 25 years. 6pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE, Belford Road. Free and unticketed. Part of GENERATION By Night. ‘Inspired by the turntable and anything slightly off kilter.’
Drama @ WHALE: Whale’s Without A Cause drama group are looking for new members who would like to be involved in devising a show to be performed at the WHALE Arts End of Year Christmas Party – no previous experience needed! 7-9pm today and every Thursday until 11th December 2014, WHALE Arts, 30 Westburn Grove. Free.
Wordplay: Transportable Words. Creative gallery-based writing session inspired by the GENERATION exhibition. This session will journey through multiple artists’ works to examine varying approaches to creating a sense of place and map a journey that can act as a basis for a fictional text. Materials will be supplied to create a ‘mood board’ map in the style of Lucy McKenzie’s Quodlibets. 5.30-6.45pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE, Belford Road. Free but places must be booked by calling 0131 624 6410 or emailing education@nationalgalleries.org. Part of GENERATION By Night.
Graham Fagen: Artist’s Talk. Fagen discusses the inspiration behind his 1998 installation Peek-a-Jobby, now re-staged in the gallery as part of GENERATION. 5.30pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE, Belford Road. Free and unticketed.
Bobby Niven: Artist’s Talk. Niven discusses the aims of The Bothy Project before exploring the design and construction of the most recent bothy, on-site at Modern ONE until 31st October 2014. 6.30pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE, Belford Road. Free and unticketed.
Let’s Dance! Relaxed, informal social dancing sessions with tuition from an expert. This term the group will continue to learn ceilidh dancing: come and enjoy the Scottish whirls! 7-8.30pm today and every Thursday until 11th December 2014, WHALE Arts, 30 Westburn Grove. £2 per session.
Portrait Gallery Insights: Citizens of the World. Senior Curator Linda Lax takes a detailed look at the Citizens of the World display, which explores the worlds of Enlightenment men David Hume and Allan Ramsay. 5.30-6pm, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free but places are limited and must be booked by calling 0131 624 6560.
The Drawing Room: an informal artist-led drawing session. Each session is developed by a contemporary artist and is inspired by the GENERATION exhibition; concerns in the artist’s own work are also reflected. All materials supplied: no experience necessary. 5.30-6.45pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE, Belford Road. Free and unticketed. Part of GENERATION By Night.
Aidan Moffat: The Lavender Blue Dress. The former Arab Strap singer/songwriter signs copies of his new novel – the story, told in rhyme, of Mabel, a little girl who wants nothing more than a beautiful dress to wear to the Christmas ball. 12.30pm, Waterstones West End, Princes Street.
University of Edinburgh Careers Fair: More Than Profit. The third day of the Careers Fair will offer the chance to meet with an alternative range of organisations. Students and graduates of any university are welcome to come and meet charities, not-for-profit organisations, social enterprises, social service organisations, international development and environmental organisations, who can tell you about paid and voluntary work and give tips on how to get into both. 1-4pm, Adam House, Chambers Street. Free: no pre-registration necessary.
Stigma Free Arts Cafe…Inspiring Tales of Life: Bring your lunch to an inspiring and safe cafe space and enjoy poets, musicians, dancers, speakers and visual artists. All welcome. 12 noon-2pm, Augustine United Church, George IV Bridge. Also open on 16th, 23rd and 30th October 2014. Part of Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival.
The Intimate City: Violence, Gender and Ordinary Life in Delhi Slums. Ayona Datta, University of Leeds, uses the stories of the intimate lives of three slum women to argue for the expansion of the horizons of urban geography through the lens of intimacy. 4-6pm, Sydney Smith Lecture Theatre, University of Edinburgh Medical School, Teviot Place (Doorway One, Room 2.520.) More information from the Centre for South Asian Studies.
33 Artists in 3 Acts: Sarah Thornton launches her latest book, a follow-up to Seven Days in the Art World, a fly-on-the-wall account of art creation, curating, trading and collecting by the non-fiction writer and sociologist of art. 33 Artists in 3 Acts attempts to explore what it means to be an artist, and includes conversations with Ai Weiwei, Jeff Koons, Yayoi Kusama, Cindy Sherman, Andrea Fraser, Laurie Simmons and Caroll Dunham, and their daughters Lena and Grace. The launch will include an interview with Thornton by Professor Simon Frith, Tovey Professor at Reid School of Music. 6-8pm, Main Building, Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place. Free but booking essential via eventbrite.
Free Tai Chi: 10 minute sessions of this slow and gentle form of exercise with many health benefits. Starts today, 12.30-12.40pm, East Neighbourhood Centre and Craigmillar Library, 101 Niddrie Mains Road. Free.
A Day in the Life: an exciting visual exhibition of artworks made by people who attend groups and workshops with the Contact Point day service. 2-4pm, Contact Point, 101 High Riggs, Tollcross. Also open at same times on 16th and 23rd October 2014. Free, donations welcome. More information from Angie on 0845 140 7777. Part of Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival.
Moving Minds: Community-Led Dialogue. Gypsy/Travellers lead interactive awareness-raising workshops to dispel myths, promote dialogue, discuss new ways of ‘talking about mental health’ and reflect on the impact prejudice can have on mental health and wellbeing. 10am-1pm and 2-5pm, Conference Centre, Norton Park, 57 Albion Road. Free but booking required: contact emma-jane@mecopp.org.uk Part of Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival.
Connections: an exhibition of jewellery and pottery by young people from across West Lothian who have accessed mental health services. Working with jeweller Kirsty Muir, they have created artwork based around themes of power and empowerment. 2-4pm, Art Space, 2 The Howden Park Centre, Livingston. Free. Part of Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival.
What Adult Education Means to Me Workshops: these workshops will allow you to speak with the artists involved in the What Adult Education Means to Me exhibition currently showing at the St Bride’s Community Centre. You will be able to try out some of the techniques and approaches used in the creation of the exhibition work and will be encouraged to think about ways of expressing your own experiences and ideas about adult education. The project will be co-led by Outlook Project students and tutors. 3-4.30pm today, 16th October and 23rd October, St Bride’s Centre, Orwell Road. Free places can be booked by calling 0131 337 6215 and the workshops are open to both individuals and groups.
Big Scream: film screenings exclusively for parents and carers with a baby under one year old. A great way to meet other parents, and no need to worry about your baby causing a disturbance. Low lights are left on in the auditorium and baby changing facilities are available. Membership of Big Scream Club (free) is essential – ask at Box Office. This week The Boxtrolls. 10.30am, Cameo Cinema, 38 Home Street, Tollcross. Tickets are at Picturehouse members’ rate, no charge for babies, no-one admitted without a baby.
Caesura @ SPL: Experimental poetry wonder-night Caesura comes to the SPL. Heralded as ‘one of the most vital avant garde readings in Great Britain’ by poet SJ Fowler, Caesura is the live home for sound poetry, found poetry, text-based performance art and all manner of linguistic innovation. 6.30pm, Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate. Tickets £5/£4 bookable via eventbrite.
