The Guid Crack Club: Tongue in Cheek. Join Jack Martin, Edinburgh’s famed teller of tales, conveyer of wise-cracking puppets, and pun-plucker, in this special Burns Guid Crack. ‘Guard your tatties and hold on to your haggis!’ Young adults welcome if accompanied. 7.30pm, Waverley Bar, 1 St Mary’s Street. Free: suggested donation £3 per person. No booking required.
Common Weal Edinburgh North and Leith Social Night: as the Common Weal’s first series of events comes to a close, this is an opportunity for all to come together to discuss how to take things forward, and to reach out to new people. Wine, food, music from Calum Carlyle and something very special from Drew Wright aka Wounded Knee. If you would like to perform a set, contact Common Weal. 7pm, Area C Coffee House, 239-241 Leith Walk.
After School Art Clubs: an opportunity for children to experiment with a range of materials and techniques to create cardboard constructions , masks, puppets, ceramic work, collages, painting and drawing. For primary and early secondary age children. 1.30-3pm, Craigmillar Community Arts, 55 Newcraighall Road. For more information and to book a place, call 0131 669 8432. £1 per session. Also runs 5-6.15pm on Wednesdays.
Gallus Crows: Midlothian-based acoustic Americana and folk group. 9pm, Captain’s Bar, South College Street.
Family History World War One Drop-In: do you have any diaries, letters, photos or medals from World War One? Or are you trying to find out more about your family’s wartime history? Why not come along, talk to the experts and get some one to one help? Please book by contacting the library; if today’s times are not convenient, email edwar@ed.ac.uk to make another appointment. 11am-1pm, Mezzanine Area, Central Library, George IV Bridge.
War Artists Series: Continuing Conflict – 1945 to the present. Freelance art historian Dr Patricia Andrew discusses the development of war-related art from the end of World War Two to the present day. She looks at both the official schemes for professional artists and the work of numerous unofficial and amateur artists. Also included are those who criticise war and its weapons, the peacetime mediators on war, and those looking back over the twentieth century, to commemorate and to warn. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.
Vive the (R)evolution: Poems in Translation. Jane Goldman and Kath Swarbrick examine the poetic dialogue between French surrealist Georges Hugnet and American writer Gertrude Stein, and offer their view on translation, distance, proximity and collaborative process. This performance will be in English and French. 7-8pm Institut francais d’Ecosse, 13 Randolph Crescent. £5 (£3 for members).
Heriot Watt University Lunchtime Music Hour: The History of Jazz Piano with the wonderfully charismatic Richard Michael. 12.30-1.30pm, Zero Degrees, Student Union, Heriot Watt University Edinburgh Campus, EH14 4AS. Free.
Sir Scallywag and the Golden Underpants: a free Scottish Chamber Orchestra workshop for children. When King Colin’s golden underpants go missing and the royal bottom is bared, it’s Sir Scallywag to the rescue! Brave and bold, courageous and true, he’s the perfect knight for the job – and what does it matter if he’s only six? Join the SCO team for an afternoon of music making: with the help of the workshop leader and SCO musicians, hear the story and learn the songs and actions featured in the SCO’s upcoming Family Concerts. Please note: all children must be accompanied by a parent or carer. There will be two workshops (1) 2-2.45pm for ages 5-9 years and (2) 3-3.45pm for ages 1-4 years. The workshops will be held at North Edinburgh Arts, 15a Pennywell Court, but booking – which is essential – must be made through the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, either online here, by calling 0131 478 8342 or emailing anna.hainsworth@sco.org.uk.
The Facility Project: Kalopsia launches this new textile ‘makerspace’, a place where textile creators, designers and producers can make, collaborate and innovate. Drinks and networking will be followed by speakers, a Q & A session, refreshments, more networking and music. 6-9pm, Kalopsia, LE2, Ocean Terminal, Ocean Drive. Free tickets can be booked via eventbrite. Kalopsia is a creative agency and textiles collective; formed in 2012, it now operates as a social enterprise.
Edge and Shore: Acts of Doing. Visual artist Helen Carnac and dance artist Laila Diallo present a new work exploring the edges and boundaries of making and working, performance and installation. Working within the gallery space at Dovecot, the artists reveal an ever-evolving work that brings together objects, images, film, writing and live making. The work offers an insight into the working process, which is highlighted from 2-4pm each day (not 2nd Feb) when the artists are in a focused period of activity in the space. Visitors are encouraged to return at regular intervals over the eight day period to observe the different states that a work might take in a process of live making. 10.30am-5.30pm Monday to Saturday (closed on Sundays) until 7th February 2015, , Dovecot Studios, Infirmary Street. There will be a free artists’ talk at 6pm on 3rd February and a workshop (£40/£30) on 2nd February 2015: see website for details and how to book.
Edinburgh College of Art Friday Lecture Series: Patrick Keiller. Filmmaker, writer and lecturer Patrick Keiller studied architecture at University College London and fine art at the Royal College of Art; his films include Robinson in Space (1997) and Robinson in Ruins (2010). This talk takes place the day after a screening of Patrick Keiller’s landmark film about the UK’s housing predicament The Dilapidated Dwelling (see Thursday’s listings). 11.30am, Main Lecture Theatre (E22), Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place. All welcome: free.
Crafty Friday: arts and crafts session for children aged 4+. 2pm, Blackhall Library, 56 Hillhouse Road. Free but please book your place by calling 0131 529 5595 or asking in the library.
Lunchtime Organ Concert: John Kitchen plays Samuel Wesley’s Voluntary in G Minor, Op 6 No 9,Voluntary in D, Op 6 No 8, and Nos 5,6 & 7 from Twelve Short Pieces, Mendelssohn’s Thema mit Variationen in D, and William Russell’s Voluntary No 12 in C minor/major. 1.10pm, Reid Concert Hall, University of Edinburgh, Bristo Square. Free and unticketed.
