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

MONDAY 12TH JANUARY 2015

Timmy Time Programme 15: Timmy Finds Aliens, and other stories. Join Timmy and his friends for three fun adventures in this collection of classic Timmy Time episodes. Toddler Time is a screening for pre-school children and their parents/carers only. 11am, Cameo Cinema, Home Street. Tickets are £3 per child, accompanying adults & babies under 1 year free. Membership of Toddler Time is required – this is free: ask at the Box Office.

smART Craft: a weekly visual arts and crafts group, primarily for adults with complex or additional support needs. The group is led by a professional artist and a support worker. New members are always welcome, please come in and see us, or call the centre for more information. This term the group is working towards a fantastic exhibition! 1-3pm today and every Monday until 30th March 2015, WHALE Arts, 30 Westburn Grove. . £2 per session. Contact WHALE for more information: call 0131 458 3267 or email info@whalearts.co.uk.

Edinburgh Schools Performance Pipe Band Auditions: funding from Creative Scotland’s Youth Music Initiative has enabled Edinburgh City Council to start the Edinburgh Schools Performance Pipe Band. Pupils from Edinburgh’s schools who play pipes or drums are invited to audition. Weekly rehearsals will begin on 26th January 2015, with concerts on 25th March at the Queen’s Hall and on 13th June at the Assembly Hall on the Mound. Auditions will be held 5-7pm tonight at Drummond High School, 41 Bellevue Place. If you would like to audition, please email Frances.rive@edinburgh.gov.uk.

Pass It On Week Workshop: Pass It On Week is a Zero Waste Scotland re-use initiative dedicated to encouraging people to get involved in re-use activities of all shapes and sizes – swapping, sharing, repairing, upcycling or buying secondhand. This year’s Pass It On Week will take place in March; anyone can organise an event – schools, community groups, workplaces, individuals, universities, colleges, councils – and you can find out more about the resources, support and advice available to you, and get lots of ideas and inspiration, at this free workshop. There will also be presentations from a number of organisations that have undertaken innovative and effective re-use and repair work. 10am-2pm, Godfrey Thomson Hall (off Holyrood Road) University of Edinburgh. Free but registration is required: click here. For more information contact Kim Young on 01786 433960 or email kim.young@zerowastescotland.org.uk.

Sofi’s Cult Movie Nights: When Elvis Met Nixon. ‘A humourous, historically-embellished’ made-for-TV movie from 1997 to close Elvis’s Birthday Weekend. President Nixon meets with Elvis in an attempt to improve his image with ‘the kids’. 7.30-9.30pm, Sofi’s Bar, 65 Henderson Street. Free.

Broughton History Society: Elspeth Morrison: Hallmarking and the History of the Assay Office. 7pm, Drummond Community High School, Bellevue Place. Non-members welcome. For more information contact Richard Love at wordsandwalls@blueyonder.co.uk or call him on 0131 556 1488.

New Town & Broughton Community Council meeting. NTBCC represents the views of the local community in the New Town and Broughton areas: local residents are very welcome to attend meetings. 7.30pm, Drummond Room, Broughton St Mary’s Church, Bellevue Crescent. If you have an issue you wish to raise at the meeting, please use the email contact form on the NTBCC website to give the Community Council the details in advance.

For Crying Out Loud: screenings for carers (maximum 2 per infant) and their babies under 12 months – nappy-changing, bottle warming and buggy parking facilities available. Today: The Theory of Everything (12A), 11am, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £4.50/£3.50 per adult: online booking is not possible, so please call the Box Office on 0131 228 2688 or book in person.

Cafe Histoire: The Auld Alliance – une histoire des relations franco-ecossaises. ‘The oldest alliance in the world’ is how General De Gaulle described the alliance between France, Norway and Scotland in 1942. From 1295 to 1903 Franco-Scottish relations were based on this relationship, and the links between France and Scotland remain strong today. Patrick Landri (Librarian at the French Institute in Glasgow) talks about this enduring alliance. Please note that this talk will be given in French. 5.30-7pm, Institut francais d’Ecosse, 13 Randolph Crescent. £5 (members) £8 (non-members). For more information call 0131 225 5366 or email accueil@ifecosse.org.uk.

TUESDAY 13TH JANUARY 2015

The Very Hungry Caterpillar, a story sack made for Smilechildcare

Stitch ‘n’ Time: award-winning sewing and crafting class led by a professional textile craftswoman. The group focuses on projects that help the community while learning new skills and sharing a cuppa! All levels and abilities welcome. 1-3pm today and every Tuesday until 31st March 2015, WHALE Arts, 30 Westburn Grove. Contact WHALE for more information: call 0131 458 3267 or email info@whalearts.co.uk.

eBook Surgery: get help with downloading free eBooks, audiobooks and emagazines. 2-3.30pm, Central Library, George IV Bridge. Free: no appointment necessary.

Dramarama: teen drama group. If you’re interested in acting, theatre or drama, if you want to build up your confidence, try new things or simply make new friends, this workshop’s for you! Try some fun drama games, explore the basics of drama, including mime, improvisation and working with scripts. For ages 12-16. 5.30-6.30pm today and every Tuesday, Corstorphine Library, 12 Kirk Loan. Free, but please book your space by calling the library on 0131 529 5506 – or drop into the library and speak to the staff.

Bookbug: rhymes and songs for young children and their parents/carers. 10.30-11am today and every Tuesday, Corstorphine Library, 12 Kirk Loan. Free. Also at same time on Saturdays.

Women for Independence: coffee, tea and chat with Jeane Freeman and Elaine C Smith. 7-9.30pm, Area C Coffeehouse, 239-241 Leith Walk.

The Speakeasy: guest host Fiona Herbert presents an evening of comedy, storytelling, spoken word and music, featuring some Speakeasy favourites and several new faces, including Alan Bissett, Wil Hodgson, Lach, Eva O’Connor, Loud Poets and Scott Gibson. For ages 16+. 8-10pm, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £7 and can be booked via the Centre’s website here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 556 9579.

Retro Gaming Night: still trying to crack your top time on Super Mario Bros? Still think the ZX Spectrum is the greatest computer ever? A geeky night of retro computer and console games! 6-11.45pm, The Counting House Bar, 36 West Nicolson Street. Free entry.

Old Chain Pier Pub Quiz: with prizes! 8pm, Old Chain Pier, 32 Trinity Cresent. £5 entry fee per team.

Edinburgh Vegan Book Group: monthly session organised by Edinburgh Vegan Meetup Group and Imogen Michel. 6pm, Henderson’s, 94 Hanover Street. For more information see the Edinburgh Vegan Meetup page here.

Morningside Heritage Association: Col Robert Watson speaks on The Role of the Royal Scots in World War One. 6.45 for 7.15pm, Morningside Parish Church Hall, Cluny Gardens/Braid Road. £3 for non-members; this will be deducted from the annual membership fee of £12 if you choose to join at the end of the meeting.

Emerging Artists Series: String Sound. Discover some new talent from a range of great young professional musicians at the start of their careers. String Sound are Marisa Manuel (violin), David Munn (cello) and Stewart Wilson (double bass). They combine their expertise and creativity to devise concerts that will excite, delight and ignite the imagination of listeners, young and old, with music from a wide range of genres, from Mozart to Madonna and Faure to Frank Sinatra. There will be an opportunity to meet the artists in the cafe bar at 11.45am, after the concert. 11am, Usher Hall, Lothian Road. Tickets £3/free to students and schools: book via Usher Hall Box Office, in person, by phone or online. The Emerging Artists Series is presented by the Usher Hall in partnership with Live Music Now! Scotland, a unique scheme founded in 1997 by Yehudi Menuhin to bring joy and the inspiration of live music to those who have limited access to it, and to support the professional development of musicians at the outset of their careers. Next week: Emma Versteeg (soprano) and Maryam Sherhan (piano).

Silver Screen Club: if you are 60+, join Picturehouse’s Silver Screen Club and enjoy weekly shows for just £5, which includes tea/coffee and biscuits. Membership is free – just ask for a Silver Screen membership card at the Box Office. Today – 1pm: Big Eyes, 12 noon and 3.30pm: Birdman, 12.15pm and 2.45pm: Foxcatcher, 3.30pm The Imitation Game. Cameo Cinema, Home Street. Book via website or call the Box Office on 0871 902 5723. (Under 60s are welcome to attend these screenings, but normal ticket prices will apply for them).

WEDNESDAY 14TH JANUARY 2015

Greyfriars Bobby’s Headstone Service and Reception: 11am-1pm, Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Place. Please contact the Kirk for exact times and details.

Undressing Beauty: Women, Dress and the Early Modern: dress historian Elisabeth Gernerd probes the function of dress and adornment on the painted canvas. Drawing on works in the NGS collection, she will discuss how the display of the dressed and undressed female body became cultural currency in the mediation of social status, reputation and the construction of femininity in the early modern period. 12.45-1.15pm, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.

Bookbug: rhymes and songs for young children and their parents/carers. 10.30-11am, Oxgangs Library, Oxgangs Road North. Free.

LGBT: Just for Men. A relaxed social opportunity for men to meet other GBT men in one of Edinburgh’s newest LGBT-friendly bars. For ages 18+. 6.30-8.30pm, Woodland Creatures, 260-262 Leith Walk. For more information contact admin@lgbthealth.org.uk.

Wiff Waff Wednesday: a monthly ping pong night for all ages, with music, plus food and drink available from the Drill Hall Arts Cafe. ‘Friendship first, competition second’. 6-10.30pm, Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 35 Dalmeny Street. Free entry: all very welcome. See event’s Facebook page for more information.

Aberdeenshire Farmhouse, ink wash, 1948: Alberto Morrocco OBE

Open Eye Gallery – New Exhibitions: Coastline: fourteen exhibitors, including Richard Demarco, Henry Kondracki and Frances Walker, celebrate the diverse range of British coastal scenery that acts as a source of inspiration for many artists; Shetland, an exhibition of new paintings by Ruth Brownlee exploring the visual drama and rugged environment of the islands that have been home to Ruth since 1998; Works on Paper, a showcase of intimate and personal drawings by Aberdeen-born Alberto Morrocco OBE (1917-1998), inspired by his personal life and surroundings. Morrocco spent most of his professional life as Head of Painting at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in Dundee, where he maintained a strong belief in conventional teaching methods, quality of line and meticulous draftsmanship. 10am-6pm Monday to Friday, 10am-4pm Saturdays until 11th February 2015 (Ruth Brownlee exhibition ends 9th February 2015), Open Eye Gallery, 34 Abercromby Place.

Let’s Talk About…Understanding Disease: Obesity – How Do Our Genes Contribute? The Queen’s Medical Research Institute Public Lecture Series looks at how genes and the environment contribute to obesity and how current research in Edinburgh on natural resistance to obesity hopes to lead to medicines that can prevent and treat it. Speakers: Dr Mandy Drake and Dr Nik Morton, University of Edinburgh/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science. 5.30-6.45pm (doors open 4.45pm), QMRI, Little France Crescent. Free tickets can be booked via eventbrite. This lecture series is sponsored by the Medical Research Council.

Common Crafts: come and discover common threads, common stitches and common stories in an evening that explores how crafts can quietly yet colourfully get a message across. For those with lots of experience, some experience or just curiosity – please bring any examples of things you’ve done or come across. 7-9.30pm, Area C Coffeehouse, 239-241 Leith Walk.

Lauriston Jesuit Centre Environmental Series 2015: Adrian Shaw, Climate Change Officer, Eco Congregation Scotland, will talk about Fracking. 7.30-9pm, Lauriston Jesuit Centre, 28 Lauriston Street. Contact the centre for more information – call 0131 477 5788 or email centre@lauriston.org.uk. All welcome: free.

Scottish Urban Myths and Ancient Legends: Grace Banks and Sheena Blackhall celebrate their new book with an evening of song and story. All welcome to attend, and even to contribute in some way – with music, song, story or poetry. 6-8pm, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Free and unticketed.

Gaelic Workshop: a very informal language class/workshop for total beginners. 2.30-3.30pm, Forest Cafe, 141 Lauriston Place. Free: all welcome.

Lunchtime Concert: Will Pickvance Piano Speak – piano improvisations and repartee. 12.15pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free.

WEA and Citadel Arts Group present When The War Came Home: a new play about World War One and its impact on Edinburgh.When The War Came Home gives voice to the part played by local people caught up in Zeppelin raids, working in munitions, and fighting on the Front. Historical figures include Edinburgh doctor Elsie Inglis, Sir George McRae who led the Hearts players into battle, Wilfred Owen teaching at Tynecastle High, and Chrystal Macmillan, who courageously opposed the war. 7-9pm, St Bride’s Centre, Orwell Terrace. Tickets cost £8/£6 and can be obtained from Fiona Tennick: call 01875 340717 or email ftennick@hotmail.com. Also at Tynecastle High School, 2 McLeod Street at same time on Friday 16th January 2015.

The Old Edinburgh Club Resurrecting a Lost Landscape: A Tour of Rothiemay’s Edinburgh in 1647. Speaker: Dr Aaron Allen. 7pm Augustine United Church, George IV Bridge. All welcome: free for members, £5 for non-members (membership £20 pa). Disabled access and induction loop available.

Zoo Arts Pop Up Session: Plastic Fantastic – Experimenting with Design. For ages 9-14 years. 4-5.30pm, Muirhouse Community Shop, Pennywell Road. Free. (Regular sessions at North Edinburgh Arts will resume on 21st January 2015).

THURSDAY 15TH JANUARY 2015

North Edinburgh Arts Theatre Project: 1d Tenement Opera. A story based on the lives of people who lived in an Edinburgh tenement over two centuries: the tenement eventually became part of Edinburgh Corporation’s Slum Clearance Programme, some of the tenements were sold for just 1d, and in 1959 one of the last tenements collapsed and a little boy was killed. This was known as the Penny Tenement Collapse; local people told stories of being in the bath and the end of the room falling away, others spoke of desperately trying to save their babies and children as floorboards started to slope away from under them. The 1d Tenement Opera has been devised with the people of North Edinburgh (some of whose families were living in the city centre before the Slum Clearance Programme) working with various artists and director Stephanie Knight. 7pm, North Edinburgh Arts, 15a Pennywell Court. Free: donations very welcome. Please contact the Box Office to reserve your tickets: call 0131 315 2151 or email admin@northedinburgharts.co.uk. Also at same time on Friday 16th and Saturday 17th January 2015.

Easel Sketching in the Gallery – January: sketching in the gallery, led by artist Damian Callan. A different subject each month, sometimes with a model. All materials supplied. 2-4pm, Scottish National Gallery (main gallery floor), The Mound. Free: no booking required. Also at same times on Friday 16th January.

Mayfield Salisbury Thursday Club: this week Kathleen Hendry talks about A Trip to Turkey. 2-4pm, Upper Hall, Mayfield Salisbury Parish Church, 18 West Mayfield. All most welcome: 50p per session, £3 annual membership (you do not have to be a member to come along). For more information call Florence Smith on 0131 663 1234.

Story time: 9.30-10.30am today and every Thursday (and Friday!), Edinburgh Bookshop, 219 Bruntsfield Place.

Big Scream: screenings exclusively for parents/carers and their babies under 12 months. Low lights are left on in the auditorium and nappy-changing facilities are available. This week: The Imitation Game (12A). 10.30am, Cameo Cinema, Home Street. Membership of the Big Scream Club is required for each adult: this costs £5 and lasts until your baby’s 1st birthday; members then pay Picturehouse members’ rates for tickets (no ticket required for your baby). Book via website or call the Box Office on 0871 902 5723. ‘A great way to meet other new parents’.

eBook Surgery: find out how to borrow eBooks, emagazines and audiobooks for free, with some one-to-one guidance on how to get the most from your device. 2-5pm, Leith Library, 28-30 Ferry Road. To book a 30-minute slot, speak to a member of staff or call the library on 0131 529 5517.

LGBT Learning Disabilities: Social Circle. Social Circle is a monthly group for LGBT people who also identify as having a learning difficulty or disability. The theme for this session is ‘starting new relationships’. 2-4pm, Lifecare Centre, Cheyne Street. Booking essential: please contact george@lgbthealth.org.uk to find out about joining the group.

Away Game: some of Scotland’s most exciting writers come together to raise money for food banks. Gordon Johnstone (of Glasgow-based The Grind) and Craig Allan (Falkirk-based [Untitled]) present an evening of music and poetry; writers include Dickson Telfer (Refrigerator Cake), Gordon Legge, Bethany Ruth Anderson, Samuel Best, Cee Smith, Karyn Dougan, Paul Tonner, Elyse Jamieson and StAnza International Digital Slam and Tartan Treasures 2014 winner Stephen Watt. All acts are donating their time free, and all of the proceeds will go to Edinburgh food banks. The Grind showcases fiction and visual art from people in Scotland and the Scottish diaspora. [Untitled] is an artist-led publication that aims to shine a light on visual art and writing around Falkirk. 7-11pm, Anatomy Lecture Theatre, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. Tickets cost £5 (minimum donation) and can be booked via Brown Paper Tickets here. This event has been classified 12A.

An Evening with Tariq Ali: Tariq Ali is an English-Pakistani writer, journalist and filmmaker, member of the editorial committee of the New Left Review and Sin Permiso, and regular contributor to The Guardian, CounterPunch and The London Review of Books. 7-9pm, Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 35 Dalmeny Street. Tickets cost £4 (£2 low income/unwaged) and can be booked via eventbrite. This event is organised by Common Weal North Edinburgh & Leith.

In the Footsteps of George Forrest: a chance to hear first-hand details of the Friends of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh’s recent botanical tour of China’s Yunnan province under the skilled leadership of RBGE’s alpine plants expert John Mitchell. 7.30-8.30pm, Lecture Theatre, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, 20a Inverleith Row. £6 (members £5): no advance booking required.

Cafe Voices: the Tides of Fortune and Change. With New Year comes the reawakening of the light, as we emerge from our winter dreams with the seeds of new ideas for life’s adventures. Join David Campbell to celebrate how those dreams may turn out, through story, music and song. The Centre’s monthly storytelling session, with an open-floor section for storytellers to tell their own tales, in the relaxed surroundings of the Storytelling Court. 7-9pm, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. £5 per person: tickets can be booked via the Centre’s website here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 556 9579.

Ecumenical Friends of St Cuthbert’s: Walter Dunlop will speak on The History of St Andrew’s, Jerusalem. 12.30pm, St Cuthbert’s Parish Church Hall, 5 Lothian Road. All warmly welcomed. Bring your own packed lunch, tea and coffee provided. £1.50 per person. Organised by Edinburgh City Centre Churches TOGETHER.

Hector’s House Roller Disco: strap up and take in the sounds of the 70s and 80s, soundtracked by Gavin Miller and Hector’s residents. 9pm-3am, Studio 24, 24-26 Carlton Road. Numbers will be strictly limited so you are advised to get your tickets as soon as possible. £10/£8 includes hire of skates and wristguards, spectator tickets (which allow you to join the party but not skate) £5, available from Skiddle.com here (booking fees apply).

The Forth Valley Chorus Open Evening: Forth Valley Chorus has won the Women’s Barbershop UK National Championships five times – and it’s looking for new members. If you are a singer who likes performing, come along to the open evening and find out more; you’ll be made most welcome! 7.30-10pm, Bristo Baptist Church, Buckingham Terrace/Queensferry Road. The Chorus is a chapter of Sweet Adelines International. For more information, take a look at the Chorus’s website, where you can even hear its members sing! Rehearsals are held every Thursday evening at Bristo Baptist Church.

Craft Scotland Roadshow: hear about opportunities available to makers in 2015, and let Craft Scotland know how it can help you to take advantage of these opportunities. The session will begin with news about Craft Scotland’s projects and planned activities for the year ahead; after a tea break, small discussion groups will give input and feedback. 2-5pm, Gayfield Creative Spaces, 11 Gayfield Square. Free, but places are limited and should be booked via eventbrite. Further roadshows will take place in Glasgow, Dundee, Dumfries & Galloway and Inverness.

The Hourglass Factory: Lucy Ribchester launches her new novel, set in 1912 London as the suffragette movement reaches fever pitch. Broke Fleet Street tomboy Frankie George is sent to interview trapeze artist Ebony Diamond; finding herself fascinated by the tightly-laced acrobat, Frankie follows Ebony across London to a Mayfair corset shop that hides more than one dark secret. Then Ebony mysteriously disappears and Frankie is drawn into a world of tricks, society columnists, corset fetishists, suffragettes and circus freaks….from the newsrooms of Fleet Street to the drawing rooms of high society, the missing Ebony Diamond leads Frankie to the trail of a murderous villain with a plot more deadly than anyone could have imagined. 6pm, Waterstones West End, 128 Princes Street. Free tickets are available from the shop: for more information call 0131 226 2666.

FRIDAY 16TH JANUARY 2015

David Lemm: Debris and Phenomena. The first solo exhibition by David Lemm, presenting a new body of printed works produced at Edinburgh Printmakers and whilst on an artist’s residence on Eigg; the works continue and develop David’s practice of building layered compositions, printed onto found sea charts. Tonight David will give a talk about his latest works, and the themes and ideas he explores in the exhibition; the talk will be followed by an open preview. Talk: 6.30-7.30pm (free but tickets required: these can be booked via eventbrite), preview: 7.30-9pm, then 10am-6pm Tuesday to Saturday until 7th March 2015, Edinburgh Printmakers, 23 Union Street.

WEA and Citadel Arts Group present When The War Came Home: a new play about World War One and its impact on Edinburgh.When The War Came Home gives voice to the part played by local people caught up in Zeppelin raids, working in munitions, and fighting on the Front. Historical figures include Edinburgh doctor Elsie Inglis, Sir George McRae who led the Hearts players into battle, Wilfred Owen teaching at Tynecastle High, and Chrystal Macmillan, who courageously opposed the war. 7-9pm, Tynecastle High School, 2 McLeod Street. Tickets cost £8/£6 and can be obtained from Fiona Tennick: call 01875 340717 or email ftennick@hotmail.com.

Wendelien van Oldenborgh: Beauty and the Right to the Ugly. A cinematic experience set in Het Karregat, a multifunctional community centre in Eindhoven designed by Frank van Klingeren, who sought to propitiate communal forms of habitation. Wendelien van Oldenborgh examines the ambition – and failure – of utopian architecture. Wendelien is based in Rotterdam and has recently been awarded the prestigious Dr AH Heineken prize for art: she has exhibited widely. Open preview tonight 6-8pm, then 10am-4pm, Tuesday to Sunday until 29th March 2015, Collective Gallery, City Observatory and City Dome, 38 Calton Hill. Free.

Story time: 9.30-10.30am today and every Friday (and Thursday!), Edinburgh Bookshop, 219 Bruntsfield Place.

A Singing Practice by Gerard ter Borch: art historian Ola Wojtkiewitz considers the iconography in Gerard ter Borch’s A Singing Practice (1655) and will compare the National Gallery’s version with others, whilst discussing ter Borch’s style in the context of Dutch Baroque. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.

Create: make great arts and crafts using different techniques and materials. This term: mosaic, textiles, sculpture and more. For ages 7-14. 2.15-4pm today and every Friday until 27th February 2015, WHALE Arts, 30 Westburn Grove. Contact WHALE for more information: call 0131 458 3267 or email info@whalearts.co.uk. Free.

Edinburgh College of Art Friday Lecture Series: Mark McGowan. Please contact Edinburgh College of Art for details of time and venue. Free and open to all.

Kalopsia Collective: Space – a new exhibition of contemporary art, curated by Danny Lamb. Kalopsia, Ocean Terminal, Ocean Drive. 10am-6pm Monday to Saturday, 11am-5pm Sundays, until 7th February 2015. Kalopsia is a social enterprise.

Doorways to the Divine: curated by Basia Mindewicz, Doorways to the Divine features the work of six artists who are each exploring the idea of art as a spiritual path. Some of the works on show are inspired by the traditions of Christian or Buddhist iconography, others explore the possibility of directly channelling imagery from a universal spiritual source. By showing their work together, the artists aim to create a reflective, sacred space in which visitors may find a sense of sanctuary – and their own doorways to the divine. Open preview 7pm tonight, then 10am-6pm daily until 8th February 2014, Gallery 3, St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road. Free: all welcome.

Somewhere in this Song: an exhibition of new work by Alan McGowan.’Featuring richly-layered figure paintings and unfinished works, each portrait offers a fleeting glimpse of the intimacy the artist establishes with his models.’ Open preview 7pm tonight, then 10am-6pm daily until 8th February 2014, Gallery 1, St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road. Free: all welcome.

Food Co-Op: buy cheap, good quality food from Green City. The Scottish Wholefoods Collective Warehouse (t/a Green City) is a workers’ co-operative aiming to create a non-exploitative workplace that takes into consideration the interests of the workers, the environment and the community as a whole. They are committed to encouraging local producers and buy organic wherever possible. They do not sell any products tested on animals, and all of their stock is suitable for vegetarians. 3-6pm, Forest Cafe, 141 Lauriston Place.

Acme Dance Club: ‘five fabulous hours of music for dancers of all ages in the classic surroundings of The Counting House’. A diverse selection of musical genres, including jazz, pop, disco, country, latin and swing, plus tunes from film scores, TV programmes and advertisements. ‘Dress up or dress down, but be prepared to dance…’ 8pm-1am tonight and monthly, The Counting House Bar, 36 West Nicolson Street. £2 on the door.

Building Echoes: an exhibition analysing the relationship between architecture and art. Artists Alberto Condotta and Colin Lindsay will give their own vision of the meaning of architecture, also playing with the concepts of ‘body’ and ‘sculpture’. Opening tonight 6-8pm, then Wednesday to Friday 2-7pm, Saturdays 11am-2pm, Interview Room 11, 38 Castle Terrace. Alberto Condotta will give a talk at 4pm on 19th January 2015 and Colin Lindsay will give a talk at 6pm on 28th January 2015. Interview Room 11 is an artist-run gallery and project space: it is part of Forest Centre+.

Nitekirk: a monthly ministry aiming to create a welcoming sacred space for all. ‘A place of welcome, a space for stillness, a pause on your journey, an open door.’ This month with the Scottish Plainsong Choir. 8pm-11pm (drop-in), Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Place. More information here. Nitekirk is rooted in Greyfriars Kirk and supported by its local ecumenical partners: venues vary from month to month – see website.

SATURDAY 17TH JANUARY 2015

Morningside United Kids’ Club: two hours of stories, games and crafts. 10am-12 noon today and every Saturday, Morningside United Church, 15 Chamberlain Road. £3 per child. All welcome!

Winter Guided Walk: join a Garden Guide for a leisurely afternoon walk around the Garden. Discover stunning seasonal highlights and learn about the history of the Garden and its plants. For ages 14+. 2pm, John Hope Gateway reception, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, 20a Inverleith Row. £5 per person, no advance booking required. Also at same time on Sunday 18th January 2015.

Introduction to Permaculture: a two-day introductory taster course taught by James Chapman of social enterprise NonStuff Industries. The course will provide an opportunity to learn about the principles of permaculture – healthy and sustainable ways to provide for our needs for food, energy, shelter and community, and will be lively and thought-provoking, with outdoor and indoor activities. 9.30am-5pm each day, Hermitage Market Garden, Cafe and Golf Course, 11 Braids Hill Drive. Fees are on a sliding scale from £40 to £120 depending on income and resources, and you are invited to bring lunch to share. For more information and to book contact Tracey Hay on 07561 883097 or James Chapman on 07790 265883, or email courses@jameschapman.org.uk. The Hermitage is a social venture developed by Autism Ventures Scotland.

Our Dynamic Earth – FREE entry! To celebrate its collaboration with the Heritage Lottery Fund, Dynamic earth is offering free entry today and tomorrow from 10am. It will not be possible to pre-book tickets for these days, and entrance may have to be limited to match the capacity of the building. 10am-4pm (last entry – though this may have to be brought forward if demand is high), Dynamic Earth, Holyrood Road. For more information call o131 550 7800 or click here. Also at same times on Sunday 18th January 2015.

HOPE Conference of Knowledge and Inspiration: Quran Explained. An opportunity for non-Muslims to find out more about Islam; general misconceptions and sensitive and controversial topics will be specifically addressed by eminent Muslim speakers. Talks, Q & A sessions, discussions, exhibitions, stalls, Arabic calligraphy artist, food stalls, networking. Main event: Islam, Not What You Think: 9.30am-4.30pm, (registration begins at 9am) Murrayfield Stadium, EH12 5PJ. Free for non-Muslims. This event will be followed by an evening dinner with speeches, for which tickets must be purchased – see website for more information.

Beyond the Veil: Stories of the Prophets. Monthly fun-filled event for children, with storytelling, crafts, art and refreshments. This month’s story is Adam: Peace Be Upon Him. 3-5pm or 6-8pm, President Suite Reception, Murrayfield Stadium, EH12 5PJ. £5 per child, or £3 per child for a family booking. For more information and to register contact beyondtheveil@hotmail.co.uk or call Nasim Asad on 0779 541 7030, giving full names of child, parent and child’s age.

Take a book, make a book: illustrator Alice Melvin will show you how to make your own mini-library of books. Learn different techniques and create your own books to be filled with stories and pictures. For children aged 6+; all children must be accompanied by an adult. 2-3.30pm, Central Children’s Library, George IV Bridge. Free but booking is required via eventbrite.

The Basic Elements of Design: a seminar by Dave Cohen. Dave Cohen is an esteemed and active potter, and a former lecturer in Ceramics at Edinburgh College of Art; he currently works from Tantallon Studios near North Berwick, where his work is on display in the gallery and garden. Dave will present a slide show focusing on how the elements of visual vocabulary were applied to his art over the past 53 years. 11am-1pm, ground floor meeting room G5, St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road. Free tickets can be booked via eventbrite.

LGBT: T Time Edinburgh. An informal monthly social gathering open to all transgender people and supporters. Come along for tea/coffee and a chat in a friendly, relaxed environment. An optional event runs alongside each T Time, involving a range of interests, information and activities: today Art Therapy – find out more about what art therapy involves, with an opportunity to use the art materials. 1-4pm (art therapy 2-3.30pm), LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street. For more information contact admin@lgbthealth.org.uk or jules@lgbthealth.org.uk, or call 0131 523 1104.

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. Free: no booking required.

Lunchtime Concert: The Darian Duo from Manchester play piano and violin. 12.15pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free

Portrait Gallery Architecture Tour: monthly architecture tour 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.

Bookbug: rhymes and songs for young children and their parents/carers. 10.30-11am today and every Saturday, Corstorphine Library, 12 Kirk Loan. Free.

Family Storytelling with Lari Don. Lari is a children’s writer based in Edinburgh: this event will be aimed at children aged 5+, but younger children are still welcome to come along. 10.30am Area C Coffeehouse, 239-241 Leith Walk. This event is organised by Common Weal North Edinburgh & Leith.

From the 1970s to 2014: Tanzania in pictures: a slide presentation on life in Tanzania 1976-79 and 2014. John Frank, Professor of Public Health at the University of Edinburgh, was a Canadian volunteer Medical Officer in Tanzania 1976-79, along with Eden Anderson, a volunteer teacher of African literature in English. Professor Frank recently revisited this beautiful country; he and Eden will share their very best pictures of the country, and of the wildlife and birds at two of East Africa’s most remote reserves, Selous and Ruaha. 8pm, St John’s Church Hall, Princes Street. £8/children £4, to include wine and soft drinks: tickets available in advance from the church office or on the door. In aid of the St John’s Development Fund.

Jolomo (John Lowrie Morrison): Isles of Jura, Iona and Colonsay. 11am-6pm Monday to Friday, 10.30am-4pm Saturdays, until 7th February 2015, Torrance Gallery, 36 Dundas Street.

Scandinavian Weekend at Joseph Pearce’s: Scandi food and music all weekend, plus today, 12 noon-4pm, pop-up shop from food and grocery store Nordic Affair. Joseph Pearce’s, 23 Elm Row. Events continue on Sunday 18th January.

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch! Every year half a million people take part in the Birdwatch weekend; you can carry out your contribution to this survey of bird life anywhere in the UK – you don’t need to have your own garden (see event website here), and if you would like to participate in the Botanics, you can meet the RSPB there today and tomorrow: 12.30-3.30pm, Real Life Science Studio, John Hope Gateway, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, 20a Inverleith Row.

FameLab: How do 3D glasses work? Why is wearing red an advantage in sport? How do cabbages keep warm in winter? These are some of the things you could learn at the Scottish final of FameLab UK. Witness the finest Scottish science communicators as they battle it out to win a place at the FameLab UK National Final. For ages 12+. 2.30-4.30pm, Auditorium, Level 1, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street. Free, but booking is required, either in person at the NMS Reception Desk, by calling 0300 123 6789 or via the website here (processing fees apply to phone and online bookings).

Toy Sale at Hemma: if your children have too many toys and want to sell them to earn some money, they can book a table, have a clear-out and learn some entrepreneurship! 3-5pm, Hemma, 73 Holyrood Road. For information and to book, email anna@bodabar.com.

Epiphany Carol Service by Candlelight sung by the Royal School of Church Music Scottish Voices Choir, director Frikki Walker. 4pm, Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Place. An optional light supper and ceilidh will follow: please contact Mirella Yandoll on 0131 225 1900 or administrator@greyfriarskirk.com if you would like to attend the supper and/or ceilidh, for which there is a suggested donation of £5 per person (children free). This service is part of Greyfriars Kirk’s Spark Festival, a year long celebration of worship and the arts, marking the 25th birthday of the Peter Collins organ and the 150th anniversary of the first pipe organ in the Kirk. For more information and a downloadable festival brochure, click here.

SUNDAY 18TH JANUARY 2015

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch! Every year half a million people take part in the Birdwatch weekend; you can carry out your contribution to this survey of bird life anywhere in the UK – you don’t need to have your own garden (see event website here), and if you would like to participate in the Botanics, you can meet the RSPB there today: 12.30-3.30pm, Real Life Science Studio, John Hope Gateway, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, 20a Inverleith Row.

Hearing Impaired Tour – Beauty by Design: Fashioning the Renaissance. A free tour of the exhibition, with portable loops, led by Tessa Asquith-Lamb. 11am-12 noon, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free: to book a place please call 0131 624 6560.

Our Dynamic Earth – FREE entry! To celebrate its collaboration with the Heritage Lottery Fund, Dynamic Earth is offering free entry today from 10am. It will not be possible to pre-book tickets, and entrance may have to be limited to match the capacity of the building. 10am-4pm (last entry – though this may have to be brought forward if demand is high), Dynamic Earth, Holyrood Road. For more information call o131 550 7800 or click here.

Filmhouse Junior: Tinkerbell and the Legend of the NeverBeast (U). A new animation, in which animal fairy Fawn befriends a huge and mysterious character known as the NeverBeast, but the elite Scout Fairies set out to capture the monster, fearing he will destroy their home. Fawn must trust her heart and rally the girls to save the NeverBeast. 11am, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets £4: book online or call the Box Office on 0131 228 2688.

Bags of Art: cool and creative fun for children aged 4-12 years, with artists Tessa Asquith-Lamb and Louise Fraser. 2-4pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE, Belford Road. Free: no booking required. Supported by the Friends of NGS.

Sunday Bunch Squash Night: a group of squash enthusiasts who meet regularly to play squash and racketball – just drop in and play squash with others on your level. 6.45-8pm, Abercorn Sports Club, Abercorn Crescent. £5 per person: no membership fees. All levels welcome.

Talking Trees: let the RBGE’s volunteer storytellers grow your imagination with tall tales from around the world. You can also visit the Little Free Library beside the Glasshouses and the Dell area in the John Hope Gateway. 2-2.45pm, John Hope Gateway reception, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, 20a Inverleith Row. Free: no booking required.

Scandinavian Weekend at Joseph Pearce’s: Scandi food and music all weekend, plus tonight from 7pm, tunes in Swedish and English from Christer Petterssonz Dans Band. Joseph Pearce’s, 23 Elm Row.

Annual World Day for Migrants and Refugees: a celebratory Mass will be led by Archbishop Leo Cushley. 3pm, St Mary’s RC Cathedral, York Place. All welcome: if you would like to attend the small reception afterwards, please email Miriam.mchardy@staned.org.uk.

St Giles’ At Six: The Kevock Choir. The programme will include Chilcott A Little Jazz Mass, Elgar Ave Verum, Bruckner Locus Iste arr. Burns, The Lord’s My Shepherd and Scottish Song, with light music arrangements The Wild Mountain Thyme, O Gin I were, Red Red Rose, Fields of Gold and Anthem (from Chess). Director: Graham Lovett. 6pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free: retiring collection.