What’s On In Edinburgh this week

MONDAY 26TH JANUARY 2015

Cameo Toddler Time: Toot The Tiny Tug Boat (U). Life on the high seas is a whirl of fun and adventure when you’re a little boat with big ideas. Toot works and plays with his ocean-going friends in the busy waters of the harbour. Toddler Time screenings are short films for pre-school children and their parents/carers only. 11am, Cameo, 38 Home Street. Tickets cost £3 per child, accompanying adults free provided they join the Toddler Time Club (free – enquire at Box Office), and can be booked online or by calling the Box Office on 0871 902 5723.

We Are Made of Stardust: a student photography exhibition showcasing Edinburgh College’s recent show, which featured HND Year 2 Acting and Performing students. The 30 young trainee actors shared their personal tales of love, loss and life with the audience. Tracey Largue and Sara Thomson (HND Photography) took the photos of the show that feature in this exhibition, conveying the vibrancy, energy and emotion of the performance. 9am-5pm, Creative Exchange, 29 Constitution Street, until 30th January 2015.

Drumbrae Knitting and Crochet Club: 6-8pm today and every Monday, Cafe Area, Drumbrae Library Hub, 81 Drumbrae Drive. All welcome!

Adventure Film Festival: Programme Two. The 10th Adventure Film Festival features eleven of the world’s most exciting action and adventure documentary films. Programme Two includes ultrarunning on Namibia’s Fish River Canyon Trail, a bid to climb and snowboard Himalayan peak Shangri La, deep canyoning in Switzerland, and life in an uninhabited bay on Norway’s remote north-east coast. 5.45pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Ticket prices vary: booking can be made online here or by calling the Filmhouse box office on 0131 228 2688. The third and concluding programme will be shown at 6pm on 2nd February. ‘A diverse and inspiring look at how modern-day pioneers of exploration and adventure are pushing the boundaries of what we thought possible’.

The Edinburgh Philosophy and Psychology Group: January meeting. Discussions are non-academic and group members come from a range of backgrounds, ages and nationalities; the topic will be chosen by members voting in advance, but is currently likely to be Artificial Intelligence – can we expect to see The Matrix become reality? Attendance is usually about 20 members and non-members are welcome. Please RSVP via the group’s website if you plan to attend. 8-9.30pm, The Links Hotel & Bar, 4 Alvanley Terrace. Free – and free sandwiches too.

South Queensferry Craft Club: 6.30-7.45pm tonight and the last Monday of every month, South Queensferry Library, 9 Shore Road. No booking required, just drop in. For more information call in at the library or email shirley.bell@edinburgh.gov.uk.

Burns Night at The Old Chain Pier: an evening of traditional live music, plus BBC Radio Scotland comedian Keara Murphy, who will present an exclusive live performance of her recent show The Secret Sex Life of Robert Burns; Keara will also address the haggis in her own inimitable style! The menu will feature some delicious haggis specials. 7pm, The Old Chain Pier, Trinity Crescent. Contact OCP to book: 0131 552 4960.

Leith Links Community Council: if you live in the Leith Links area, the Community Council will welcome you to its January meeting. 7pm, Persevere Room, Leith Community Centre, 12a Newkirkgate. Minutes of the previous meeting can be found on LLCC’s website. For more information email contact@leithlinkscc.org.uk.

Big Mouth Monday! Open stage; all kinds of performances welcome – music, comedy, spoken word, magic, theatre. Sign up at 7.30pm, show starts at 8pm, Henry’s Cellar Bar, 16a Morrison Street. ‘Exciting, unpredictable and wonderful performances welcome!’ This event is filmed.

Granton and District Community Council: this month’s meeting will discuss the city council cuts and the Granton harbour development, and will hear from Police Scotland. The agenda for this meeting and a report of the last one are on GDCC’s website here. All welcome. 7pm, Royston and Wardieburn Community Centre, 11 Pilton Drive North. Contact the secretary at grantonanddistrictcc@aol.com for more information.

The Cramond Association: Cramond resident Dr Sureshini Sanders will give an insight into the story told in her book The Land of Lost Content, which outlines life in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) before the onslaught of civil war – and the challenges of migrating to Scotland in the 1970s. 7.30pm, Kirk Hall, Cramond Kirk, Cramond Glebe Road. All welcome. For more information about the Cramond Association, see its website here.

Australia Day at Hemma! Playing Triple J’s Hottest 100 and dancing the nutdance! 11am-10pm, Hemma, 73 Holyrood Road.

Royal Observatory Edinburgh: What’s Up. Putting the science into stargazing, these monthly talks offer a guide to the night sky, plus a round-up of recent astronomical news and the science behind what you see in the sky. Please feel free to bring your questions. All talks are BSL-interpreted. 7.30-8.30pm, Lecture Theatre, Royal Observatory Edinburgh, Blackford Hill. . £3 (adults)/£1.50 (children and concessions), payable on the door. There is a map with directions – plus lots more information – on the ROE’s website.

TUESDAY 27TH JANUARY 2015

Emerging Artists Series: Cherrygrove.  Discover some new talent from a range of great young professional musicians at the outset of their careers. Cherrygrove is an exciting new folk ensemble that skilfully brings together thoughtful and sophisticated arrangements of many trad and classic songs. 11am, Usher Hall, Lothian Road. There will be the opportunity to meet the artists in the cafe bar at 11.45am. Tickets cost £3 (free to students and schools) and can be purchased online or by calling the box office on 0131 228 1155. The Emerging Artists series is presented by the Usher Hall in partnership with Live Music Now Scotland! Live Music Now is a unique scheme founded by Yehudi Menuhin in 1997.

Bookbug: songs and rhymes for very young children. 10.30-11am today and every Tuesday, Corstorphine Library, 12 Kirk Loan. Also at same time every Saturday.

Edinburgh Preview for StAnza 2015: short readings from several of this year’s StAnza poets, including Edinburgh’s makar Christine De Luca and Gaelic poet Peter Mackay, plus music from Edinburgh’s own Kirsty Law, who will be singing at the Festival Launch in March, and a round-up of some of the festival highlights. 6-7pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Tickets are free but must be booked by emailing info@stanzapoetry.org or calling 07900 207 429. For further information please contact Eleanor Livingstone via the same email address. StAnza is Scotland’s International Poetry Festival and will take place 4-8 March 2015.

Holocaust Memorial Day: The Story of Anne Frank. Storyteller Colin Mackay retells the story of the famous diarist and reflects on what her story means to us today: a moving session, for adults and children aged over 11 years, in the Storytelling Bothy. 12 noon-1pm, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43 High Street. Tickets cost £6/£4 and can be booked online or by calling the box office on 0131 556 9579.

Holocaust Memorial Day: Meet the Author – Elizabeth Wein, author of Rose Under Fire. Rose Justice is a young pilot with the Air Transport Auxiliary during the Second World War. On her way back from a semi-secret flight, Rose is captured and ends up in Ravensbruck, the notorious Nazi concentration camp for women. There she meets an unforgettable group of women, who must bond together to survive. 1pm, McDonald Road Library, 2 McDonald Road. To reserve a place please email ian.kirkby@edinburgh.gov.uk.

Holocaust Memorial Day: Schindler’s List (15). A special showing of Steven Spielberg’s acclaimed film, based on the true story of Oskar Schindler. 7pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be booked via the Filmhouse website.

Get Organised:The Best of Baroque. Popular lunchtime concerts with Edinburgh City organist John Kitchen. This week, music from Handel, Bach, Purcell, Walther, and the lesser-known Andre Campra. 1.10-1.50pm, Usher Hall, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £3 and can be purchased online or by calling the box office on 0131 228 1155.

Scottish Poetry Library Workshop: Jennifer Williams, poet and SPL programme manager, facilitates this writing workshop in which participants read, discuss and write poems. Please bring paper and a pencil or pen, or an electronic device that you use for writing. 6-8pm, Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close. Tickets cost £5/£4 and can be booked via eventbrite. For more information email jennifer.williams@spl.org.uk.

Edinburgh College Course Information Days: find out about courses starting in August – whether you want to get on the career ladder, learn new skills or continue with your studies, come and talk to staff across the curriculum. The College can offer all sorts of courses, from HND, HNC and associate degree programmes that lead on to university study, to Access courses to help you get back into education, community-based courses and industry-approved qualifications. 2-6.30pm, Edinburgh College Sighthill Campus, Bankhead Avenue. A second Information Day will take place at the College’s Milton Road campus on Thursday 29th January: each Information Day will cover the full range of courses offered at all campuses.

Cafe Ceilidh: Celebrating Robert Burns. Join Linten Adie and friends from the Scots Music Group for a free afternoon of songs and music in the Storytelling Court. 2-4pm, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43 High Street. No booking required – just come along.

Edinburgh College of Art Friday Lecture Series – on a Tuesday! With a practice spanning over forty years, Susan Hiller is considered one of the influential artists of her generation. She talks to Dr Louise Milne (ECA) about her work, the subject of a major retrospective at Tate Britain in 2011. 5.30-7pm, Main Lecture Theatre (E22), Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place. All welcome: free.

The Edinburgh Quartet: a lunchtime concert featuring Stravinsky’s Three Pieces for String Quartet and Mendelssohn’s Quartet Op 44 No 2. 1.10pm, Reid Concert Hall, University of Edinburgh, Bristo Square. Free and unticketed.

WEDNESDAY 28TH JANUARY 2015

Holocaust Memorial Day Edinburgh: a programme of readings and music by the pupils of Boroughmuir School, with speakers Ela Weissberger, survivor of the Terezin ghetto, Hasan Hasanovic, Bosnian survivor, and Irena Winfield, who will give testimony of her family’s experience of the 1915 Armenian genocide and later conflicts in Armenia. There will be a buffet reception for all those in attendance (donations welcome). 6.45pm, Boroughmuir High School, 26 Viewforth. To reserve your place please email sakina@eifa.org.uk.

Scotland’s Gem: the Diverse Social Circles of Jane, Duchess of Gordon: Jane Maxwell, Duchess of Gordon, was a vivacious figure among the nobility in eighteenth century Britain. Although relatively unknown now, the Scottish duchess had a broad social network which ranged from Highland labourers to British and French royalty. Art historian Heather Carroll will explore the portraits of Jane’s friends and family to assess her role as a political hostess, patron of the arts and staunch Scot. 12.45-1.30pm, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free and unticketed.

Chatterbooks: a monthly reading group for ages 8-9. Come and talk about what you’re reading and why you do – or don’t! – like it; there’ll also be a craft or game to accompany the chat. There are currently four spaces available, so if you are interested come into the library and talk to a member of staff. 3.45-4.45pm, Morningside Library, 184 Morningside Road.

LGBT Icebreakers. Are you new to Edinburgh? Want to meet new people? Just coming out? Icebreakers is an informal, fun and friendly social group for LGBT people and those questioning their sexuality or gender identity. For those aged 18+. 7.30-9.30pm, The Regent, 2 Montrose Terrace. Email admin@lgbthealth.org.uk for more information.

Morningside Justice and Peace Group: Martin Petty, Chairman of Harlaw Hydro Ltd, Balerno, will talk about Community Energy – Here in Edinburgh. The talk will be followed by a Q & A session and discussion. 10.30-11.30am, The Open Door, 420 Morningside Road. All welcome: £1 per person. For more information contact b.darcy20@gmail.com.

Sheena McDonald in conversation with Olivia Giles. In 2001 Olivia Giles’ life was changed forever when meningitis left her a quadruple amputee; she gave up a successful legal career to focus her energy on helping people in sub-Saharan Africa. Broadcaster and journalist Sheena McDonald understands better than most the life-changing effects of illness or accident: in 1999 she suffered a life-threatening head injury when she was knocked down by a van. Join Sheena and Olivia in conversation, when they will discuss Olivia’s work in Africa and the BIG Dinner campaign.  7pm, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43 High Street. Tickets cost £7 and can be booked online here or by calling the box office on 0131 556 9579.

 

Edinburgh University Theatre Company Presents The Real Inspector Hound: an original comedy by Tom Stoppard. 7.30pm tonight and Thursday 29th January, Bedlam Theatre, 11b Bristo Place. Tickets cost £5/£4.50/£4 and are available from the theatre.

LGBT Age (50+): Lang May Yer Lum Reek. All those aged 50+ who would like to meet up with others are welcome to attend these events, which take place in Edinburgh and Glasgow. This month: an alternative to the usual Burns Night – ‘Bring your stories, your songs and your best funny turns/As we raise a toast to the Bard, Rabbie Burns!’ 2-4pm, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street. Booking is preferred: please contact Lynda Peachy on 0141 271 2330 or email lynda@lgbthealth.org.uk.

College of Naturopathic Medicine Winter Health Series: Recharge Your Resolution. Join CNM therapist Roisin Cooke as she provides tips on how to get back on track with your New Year resolutions, lose those Christmas pounds forever and eat well, live well and stay healthy in 2015. 6.30-8.30pm, Hendersons, 94 Hanover Street. Free tickets can be booked via eventbrite.

What is happening to the Russian economy? Towards the end of 2014 the Russian economy was plunged into crisis: at this event, organised jointly by the University of Edinburgh and the Scotland-Russia Forum, a panel of experts will discuss the reasons for the crisis. its likely outcome and its effects on Russia, her neighbours and the rest of the world. 6.30 (registration from 6)-7.45pm, Auditorium, University of Edinburgh Business School, 29 Buccleuch Place. All welcome: free, but registration required; book via website or contact Shona Black at events@business-school.ed.ac.uk/0131 651 5981. The event will be followed by a networking reception.

Edinburgh Gay Men’s Book Group: an inclusive group where you can meet new people and read and discuss interesting books. 7-9pm, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street. Group contact: info@gaybookgroup.co.uk.

Canongate Kirk Concert: Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. 1pm, Canongate Kirk, 153 Canongate. Free: retiring collection.

Bookbug: songs and rhymes for very young children. 10.30-11am, Oxgangs Library, 343 Oxgangs Road North.

Lunchtime Concert: Will Pickvance – Piano Speak. Piano requests and repartee at this popular event. 12.15pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free.

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. 5-6.15pm, Craigmillar Community Arts, 55 Newcraighall Road. For more information and to book a place, call 0131 669 8432. £1 per session. Also runs 1.30-3pm on Fridays.

THURSDAY 29TH JANUARY 2015

Cameo Big Scream: Paddington (PG). These screenings are exclusively for babies under one year old and their parents/carers: low lights are left on in the auditorium, and nappy-changing facilities are available. 10.30am, Cameo, 38 Home Street. Membership of the Big Scream Club is required (£5) and tickets are then at Picturehouse members’ prices (babies free).

Growing Underground: Forest’s Very Open Stage. This month featuring local band Bonavent. If you would like to book a slot, contact Forest or sign up in the cafe and ‘please make sure there is something of you in your performance’. These events fill up fast, but five slots are kept back for acts turning up on the night. Free tea, coffee or corkage up to £1.50 for performers. 7.30-11pm, Forest Cafe, Lauriston Place. Free entry.

Gate 55 at Sighthill Library: drop in for a tea or coffee and a chat. 11am-12 noon today and every Thursday, Sighthill Library, 55 Sighthill Road. All welcome!

Printmaking in the Vaguest Sense: an exhibition by Laura Jardine Paterson and Jordan Pilling. Open preview tonight 6-9pm, then 10am-6pm until 1st February 2015, Dundas Street Gallery, 6a Dundas Street.

Fundraising Auction of Things That Money Can’t Buy: ever wanted to take a trip in a vintage Bentley or have your family tree researched?  Come along to this auction in aid of the St John’s Development Fund – there will be refreshments and entertainment on a Burns Night theme, and the chance to bid for your chosen lot(s). 6pm, St John’s Church Hall, Princes Street.

Edinburgh University Theatre Company Presents The Real Inspector Hound: an original comedy by Tom Stoppard. 7.30pm, Bedlam Theatre, 11b Bristo Place. Tickets cost £5/£4.50/£4 and are available from the theatre.

An Evening with Deliciously Ella: healthy food blogger Ella Woodward will be speaking about her new cookbook, followed by an audience Q & A session. 6pm, Waterstones West End, 128 Princes Street. Tickets cost £5/£3 (Waterstones Card holders) and can be obtained from the store or booked online. For more information call 0131 226 2666.

Mayfield Salisbury Thursday Club: Rev Sarah Kilbey will talk about The Sounds of Silence: Coping with Deafness. 2pm, Mayfield Salisbury Church Upper Hall, 18 West Mayfield. All very welcome – for more information please contact Florence Smith on 0131 663 1234.

PRINT: MEDIA – Ars Brevis: Live and Let Die. Sophie Kromholz will deliver this lecture, examining the tension between infinity and the finite in printmaking, and questioning where the life of the print starts and where it finishes. Sophie is an art historian, creative explorer and communicator, currently completing her PhD at the University of Glasgow. PRINT: MEDIA is a series of lectures exploring the broad scope of print within the field of contemporary arts practice, with the aim of generating discussion around multimedia approaches to printmaking and expanded definitions of contemporary print. 6.30-7.30pm, Edinburgh Printmakers, 23 Union Street. Tickets cost £5 (or 2 for £8, free for EP members) and can be booked via eventbrite or by calling 0131 557 2479.

Rhubaba presents Patrick Keiller The Dilapidated Dwelling, a film examining the predicament of domestic space in advanced economies, the UK in particular. A fictional researcher (with the voice of Tilda Swinton) returns from a 20 year absence in the Arctic to find that, while the UK is still one of the world’s wealthiest economies, its houses, flats, etc are typically old, small, dilapidated, architecturally impoverished, energy-inefficient, and especially, extraordinarily expensive. The film asks why repeated attempts to modernise house production have not been more successful, and how the UK’s housing economy has become so ‘thoroughly dystopian’. The film will be followed by a Q & A session with the artist. 6pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be booked via the Filmhouse box office: prices vary.There will be an accompanying lecture by Patrick Keiller at 11.30am on 30th January at Edinburgh College of Art.

Edinburgh College Course Information Days: find out about courses starting in August – whether you want to get on the career ladder, learn new skills or continue with your studies, come and talk to staff across the curriculum. The College can offer all sorts of courses, from HND, HNC and associate degree programmes that lead on to university study, to Access courses to help you get back into education, community-based courses and industry-approved qualifications. 2-6.30pm, Edinburgh College Milton Road Campus, 24 Milton Road East. Another Information Day will take place at the College’s Sighthill campus on Tuesday 27th January: each Information Day will cover the full range of courses offered at all campuses.

Ecumenical Friends of St Cuthbert’s: Mary Moffett – Faith In Older People. Everyone is warmly welcome: bring your own packed lunch, tea and coffee provided. 12.30-2pm, St Cuthbert’s Parish Church, 5 Lothian Road. £1.50 per person, These events are organised by Edinburgh City Centre Churches TOGETHER.

North Edinburgh Grows: relief carving and letter cutting course. Come and learn a new technique with NE Grows Artist in Residence Natalie Taylor – this 5 week course of structured sessions will introduce you to the main elements of letter cutting into ‘dressed’ or sheet/wood planks. Simple starting techniques will introduce cutting into the wood, leading into carving shapes and letters in relief. (Please note this is not a 3-D carving class). No experience required, all tools and materials supplied – but please bring an old shirt or apron. Creche available at NE Arts: this must be booked in advance. 2-4pm today and 5th, 12th, 26th February and 5th March, CDT Department, Craigroyston Community High School 67 Pennywell Road. Free – £5 refundable deposit to be paid on booking. For more information and to book, contact North Edinburgh Arts, 15a Pennywell Court, tel: 0131 325 2151.

ECA Thursday History of Art Research Seminar Series 2015: The Life and The Life Writing. Chaired by Professor Alex Danchev (University of St Andrews) and followed by drinks in the Minto House Common Room. 5.15pm, Lecture Room 1, Minto House, University of Edinburgh, 20-22 Chambers Street. Free and open to all.

Scottish Book Trust New Writers’ Showcase: some of the hottest new writing talents in Scotland will perform their work live as the Scottish Book Trust celebrates its New Writer Awards. The awards identify and help to develop the authors of some of the most affecting, exciting and engaging new writing in Scotland; winners are selected from hundreds of entries by writers including Liz Lochhead, Doug Johnstone and Jenni Fagan. 7.30-9pm, The Jam House, 5 Queen Street. Tickets cost £2 + booking fee and can be booked via The Jam House website here.

FRIDAY 30TH JANUARY 2015

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.

SATURDAY 31ST JANUARY 2015

Shake Your Tale! MacRumba and Fandango’s Stories and Tangos! Travel around the world in story and dance with globetrotting dance sensation Carmen Fandango and Disco-Bothy storyteller Ruridh MacRumba, as they take you on a story-dance adventure to celebrate different countries and cultures. Edinburgh-based zumba instructor Frances Bavin and storyteller Fergus McNicol bring you a fully participative fun-filled family session, perfect for parents and children aged 6-10 years. 11am, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43 High Street. Tickets cost £6/£4 and can be booked online here or by calling the box office on 0131 556 9579.

National Gallery Highlights Tours: an introduction to and tour of the National Gallery’s permanent collection, focusing on key paintings. 2-2.45pm or 3-3.45pm, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.

St Bride’s Family Cinema: see your favourite films for free! Adventure. excitement, fun and laughs, with juice and choc ices available in the interval for 50p each. All welcome: children under 16 years must be accompanied by an adult. This week: Dumbo (U). 10.30am-12.30pm (includes interval), St Bride’s Centre, Orwell Terrace, Dalry.

St Peter’s Community Coffee Morning: speciality Ceylon teas, freshly-brewed coffee, home baking, Fair Trade stall and musical entertainment. 10am-12 noon, St Peter’s Church Hall, Lutton Place. Free entry. In aid of the church’s work with the homeless through The Bethany Trust.

Out of the Blue Flea Market: from vintage clothes, books and bric a brac to musical instruments, small furniture and antiques – rummage for treasures at over 45 stalls. Delicious coffee, cake and light lunches on sale at the Drill Hall Arts Cafe. 10am-3pm today and the last Saturday of every month, Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 35 Dalmeny Street, Leith.

Bookbug: songs and rhymes for very young children. 10.30-11am today and every Saturday, Corstorphine Library, 12 Kirk Loan. Also at same time every Tuesday.

Tutti Frutti: sister duo playing country and rock n roll. 9pm-12 midnight, Dalriada Bar on the Beach, 77 Promenade, Portobello.

Edinburgh Society of Musicians Concert Programme. George Todica (piano): Silvestri Scholarship Concert – Scriabin, Enesco, Chopin and Rachmaninov. 7.30pm (prompt), Edinburgh Society of Musicians, 3 Belford Road. Free.

Manga Workshop: Edinburgh League of Comics will help you to create your own characters and script a story. Take home your very own comic book! For ages 10+. 2-4pm, Kirkliston Library, 16 Station Road. To book your free place contact Nicola at the library by calling 0131 529 5510 or emailing kirkliston.library@edinburgh.gov.uk.

Scots Music Group Ceilidh with Bella McNab’s Dance Band. 7.30pm – dancing from 8pm to 12 midnight, St Bride’s Centre, Orwell Terrace, Dalry. Tickets cost £8/£6 in advance or £10/£8 on the door, and are available from St Bride’s Box Office on 0131 346 1405 or the Scots Music Group on 0131 555 7668.

Tim Loud/Depresstival: ‘gut-bustin’, foot-stompin’ acoustic blues/country/punk/rock’ from Leeds singer/songwriter Tim Loud and ‘caustic, witty and cathartic anti-folk’ from goth-tinged songstress/philosopher Depresstival. 7pm, Forest Cafe, Lauriston Place. Free entry, BYOB, small corkage charge.

What is the local economy for? What is happening to our community? Why so many supermarkets? And are they making life better? Organised by a group of local people who want to understand how the local economy works and who is driving these changes, this is the first in a series of day workshops asking ‘Who is the local economy for?’ Speakers: Alison Johnstone (Green Party MSP), Dan Gay, RIC Economy Group and Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty. 9.30am-2.30pm, Tollcross Community Centre, 117 Fountainbridge. All welcome: light lunch provided and creche available (call 07949 230245 to book creche). Supported by ALP and Tolcross Community Association.

SUNDAY 1ST FEBRUARY 2015

Art Maker – February. Join the Art Maker Club and make your own masterpieces with artists Tessa Asquith-Lamb and Louise Fraser. For ages 4-12 years. 2-4pm (drop-in), Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed. Supported by the Friends of the National Galleries of Scotland.

Edinburgh School of Music Showcase: ESM Director Kira Easson presents some of her top music students in a monthly showcase of their burgeoning vocal and instrumental talents. 3-5.30pm, The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street. £3 cash on the door only.

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 Inverleith Row. £5 per person; no advance booking required.

Filmhouse Junior: The Spongebob Squarepants Movie (U). Spongebob and his starfish sidekick Patrick embark on a road trip through a murky underwater world to recover the crown of King Neptune. (NB this replaces the advertised film Into the Woods which will be shown on 15 March instead). 11am, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £4 per person, big or small, and can be booked via the Filmhouse box office.

Sofidelity: singer songwriter club in Sofi’s back room. 6-8pm, Sofi’s Bar, Henderson Street.

St Giles At Six. An organ recital by Paul Bowen (Bradford Cathedral): JS Bach, Dubois, Howells and Mathias. 6pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free: retiring collection.