MONDAY 9TH FEBRUARY 2015
Edinburgh College of Art: Illustrating the last great voyage of discovery. Illustration students recently took a creative journey across Antarctica in an exciting collaboration with the National Library of Scotland; they were tasked with responding to the story of Shackleton’s Endurance Expedition, and each created an illustrated map of the journey. They were also asked to create an artefact that illustrated an element of the narrative. This exhibition displays the results of this project, results which vary from personal and poignant accounts of the harsh experience to a ‘scratch and sniff’ scented map and a board game design. 10am-8pm Monday to Friday, 10am-5pm Saturday, 2-5pm Sunday, until 19th February 2015, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge.
Joseph Pearce’s Book Group: first meeting of this new group tonight. The book to be discussed is Nathan Filer’s Shock of the Fall – but even if you haven’t read it, you are very welcome to come along to this informal meeting. ‘Think coffee, cakes, books and beer’. 6.30pm, Joseph Pearce’s, 23 Elm Row. For more information email jp@bodabar.com or see Joseph Pearce’s Facebook page.
Darkness Visible: a series of feature films selected to accompany Christopher Orr’s exhibition The Beguiled Eye at the University of Edinburgh’s Talbot Rice Gallery. Each film reflects different elements in Orr’s work, from the enchantment and terror of the Ozark mountains in Winter’s Bone to the barren, ominous desolation of Tarkovsky’s ‘Zone’ in Stalker, and the unearthly mystery and sense of adventure in Super 8. Each film will be introduced by an assistant curator from Talbot Rice. Today: Winter’s Bone (15). 6pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be booked online or by calling the Box Office on 0131 228 2688: prices vary. Read The Edinburgh Reporter’s review of The Beguiled Eye here.
LGBT History Month: Human Library. Learn about living history through the lives of LGBT people contributing to the richness of cultural diversity in Scotland – please come and interview a LGBT ‘human book’. All welcome! 5-7pm, McDonald Road Library, 2 McDonald Road. For more information contact nigel.chipps@lgbtyouth.org.uk or call 0131 555 3940. For more about LGBT History Month, read The Edinburgh Reporter’s article here.
Blind Poetics: open mic session of performance poetry. February’s feature is poet Amanda Baker. If you would like to sign up for a 5 minute slot (there will be 8 for women and 8 for men), email blindpoetics@gmail.com. Hosted by Alec Beattie and Roddy Shippin. 8-11pm, The Blind Poet, West Nicolson Street. Free, but Amanda Baker is kindly donating her fee to Crisis, so bring money!
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 of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Also at same time on Tuesday 10th February.
Cafe Histoire: Camille Desmoulins. Camille Desmoulins (1760-1794) perfectly illustrated the often confrontational relationship between French journalists and politicians. His writing made him one of the most influential characters of the French Revolution. Historian and librarian at the French Institute in Glasgow Patrick Landri will talk about the fabulous destiny of a man who fought for freedom and human rights. 5.30pm, Institut francais d’Ecosse, 13 Randolph Crescent. Please note that this talk will be in French only. All welcome: £5 (members), £8 (non-members).
Emily Young: Stone From The Mountain. A new exhibition of work by internationally renowned sculptor Emily Young; head sculptures, torsos and discs. 10am-6pm Monday to Friday, 11am-2pm Saturdays, Fine Art Society of Edinburgh (formerly Bourne Gallery), 6 Dundas Street. Closes 14th March 2015.
Edwin G Lucas(1911-1990): an exhibition of the work of the Scottish Surrealist painter. ‘Thank God we have at long last discovered him – he is a great, great enormous talent’ (John Byrne), ‘They are impressive because they are inexplicable’ (Patrick Elliott, NGS). 10am-6pm Monday to Friday, 11am-2pm Saturdays, Fine Art Society of Edinburgh (formerly Bourne Gallery), 6 Dundas Street. Closes 26th February 2015.
Broughton History Society: Peter Stubbs will talk on Old Photographs and Recollections of Broughton. 7pm Drummond Community High School, Bellevue Place. Members and non-members all welcome!
Edinburgh Iranian Festival: Blood Oranges Dipped in Salt. Family history and an extensive photographic archive are used as principal resources in this new work by Dr Karen Babayan, a collection of fictionalised ‘hand-me-down’ family stories and the end of a long and very personal project for the author. Dr Babayan grew up in the Armenian community in Tehran until she moved to the UK with her family at the age of 16. She is now a visual artist living in Cumbria and explains that the stories are woven around family photos and recollections that have assumed a mythical quality for her over the years. The stories occupy a time period of over 400 years to the present day, and the events cover a geography of three continents, moving from Armenia to Iran, then to the UK and Canada.The stories bear witness to a minority culture with a monumental history that has experienced generations of loss, displacement, migration, immigration and assimilation. Dr Babayan hopes that her book will capture these stories before they are lost, and will be passed on through generations of families as the stories themselves have been passed down through her own family. The talk will be followed by a Q & A session and signing by the author prior to the official publication of the book on 29th February; there will also be a drinks reception courtesy of the School of Islamic & Middle Eastern Studies, University of Edinburgh. 5.30-6.30pm, Lecture Theatre F.21, University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square. Free admission.
New Town & Broughton Community Council. 7.30pm, Broughton St Mary’s Parish Church, Bellevue Crescent. All welcome.
LGBT Support Services Open Evening: do you know where to go for support if you experience domestic abuse, sexual abuse or want to access couples or individual counselling about a relationship? LGBT-inclusive organisations from across Edinburgh will visit LGBT Health & Wellbeing for this drop-in event during LGBT History Month. 6.30-7.30pm (within Drop In, which runs 5.30-8pm), LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street. No appointment needed; contact George Burrows on 0131 652 3281 or george@lgbthealth.org.uk for more information.
God, Science and Faith: Richard Dawkins v CS Lewis on the meaning of life. The Heriot Watt University Chaplaincy Annual Public Lecture will be delivered by biophysicist and theologian Professor Alister McGrath (University of Oxford). Refreshments will be served after the lecture at 7.45pm. 6.30pm, James Watt Centre, Heriot Watt University Edinburgh Campus, EH14 4AS. Please register your intention to attend on 0131 451 4508 or m.boulogne@hw.ac.uk.
2015 Iranian Film Festival: a season of classic and contemporary films from Iran, including a number of Scottish premieres, shown as part of the Edinburgh Iranian Festival. Today: Taboor (15) 8.45pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be booked online here or by calling the box office on 0131 228 2688. Prices vary: there are deals for purchasing multiple tickets for this season. The 2015 Iranian Film Festival is curated by Dr Nacim Pak-Shiraz and sponsored by The Sutton Gallery, Arts & Business Scotland, the School of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies of the University of Edinburgh, and the Filmhouse.
TUESDAY 10TH FEBRUARY 2015
Tiny Tales: Snowdrops and Daffodils. The first signs of spring are in the air, with dewy snowdrops in the garden. Join storyteller Tim Porteous for a fun morning of story and song for little ones aged 1-3 years. 10am or 11.30am (40 minute sessions), Storytelling Bothy, Scottish Storytelling Centre, High Street. Tickets cost £5 per child, accompanying adult free; please book in advance, either online here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 556 9579. Please remember to book a free adult ticket as well as the ticket for your child.
Jo Caulfield Presents….. The Speakeasy: a relaxed evening that packs in the entertainment, mixing comedy, poetry, stories and songs with an occasional dash of the unexpected. Uncover true stories, from the haunting to the hilarious, live on stage…This month: comedian Bruce Devlin, musician Andy Tucker, columnist and author Julie McDowell, actor and writer Michael Daviot, stand-up Gareth Waugh and writer Laura Guthrie. For ages 16+. 8pm, Scottish Storytelling Centre, High Street. Tickets cost £7 and can be booked online here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 556 9579. These events usually sell out in advance, so you are advised to book as soon as possible. The next Speakeasy will be on 10th March 2015.
2015 Iranian Film Festival: a season of classic and contemporary films from Iran, including a number of Scottish premieres, shown as part of the Edinburgh Iranian Festival. Today: Downpour (12A) 5.45pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be booked online here or by calling the box office on 0131 228 2688. Prices vary: there are deals for purchasing multiple tickets for this season. The 2015 Iranian Film Festival is curated by Dr Nacim Pak-Shiraz and sponsored by The Sutton Gallery, Arts & Business Scotland, the School of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies of the University of Edinburgh, and the Filmhouse.
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 of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row.
Stems: a solo show by Jamie Johnson, who will be presenting a selection of recent and unseen prints, collages and drawings. Jamie’s work explores non-linear, imagined landscapes through elements of primitivism and folk culture. 11am-5pm Tuesday to Saturday, McNaughton’s Bookshop and Gallery, 3a & 4a Haddington Place. Closes 28th March 2015.
LGBT Art Therapy: Doll Making. Facilitated by art therapists, be guided through techniques to make your own doll, in order to explore elements of self-expression in a therapeutic group setting. No experience or skill in art required. Please note this is the second of a two-part group, the first session having taken place on 3rd February. 6.30-8.30pm, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street. Places are limited so booking is essential: contact Alison Wren on 0131 652 3283 or email alison@lgbthealth.org.uk.
Meet The Author: Grahame Howard. The Portobello writer talks about his third novel The Euthanasia Protocol, which offers ‘a frightening but credible insight into what might happen if people stopped thinking for themselves’. The book will appeal to those who question the role of religion in society and are concerned about the increasing use of technology in government. 6.30-7.30pm, Portobello Library, Rosefield Avenue. Free tickets can be booked via eventbrite here.
Homework Club: No more excuses! Get your homework done and have fun! Practice your reading – book a paired reading slot. 3.30-4.40pm today and every Tuesday, Sighthill Library, 55 Sighthill Road. Contact the library to book a slot for reading.
Lunchtime Concert: The Edinburgh Quartet plays Haydn Quartet Op 17 No. 4 and Quartet Op 54 No.2. 1.10pm, Reid Concert Hall, University of Edinburgh, Bristo Square. Free and unticketed.
WEDNESDAY 11TH FEBRUARY 2015
Creating A Portrait Head: considering Alexander Stoddart’s Making History exhibition as a reference point, sculptor Deidre Nicholls will talk about the creation of a portrait head, covering techniques and also the creative process. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free: no booking required.
Blackwell’s Edinburgh Presents Doug Johnstone and Helen Fitzgerald. Glasgow-based Helen Fitzgerald is the best-selling author of Dead Lovely and nine other adult and young adult thrillers: her latest novel is The Exit. Edinburgh-based Doug Johnstone is the author of five novels including the acclaimed Gone Again, and is also a freelance journalist, musician, songwriter and has a PhD in nuclear physics: his latest novel is The Dead Beat. 6.30-8pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Free tickets can be obtained from the shop’s front desk, or by calling 0131 622 8218 or emailing events.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk.
Wiff Waff Wednesday: a monthly ping pong night for all ages, with music, drink and great food available at the Drill Hall Arts Cafe. ‘Friendship first, competition second’. 6-10pm, Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street. Free entry: all welcome!
Beyond The Rage: Scottish author and poet Michael J Malone launches his compelling new crime thriller in conversation with Lin Anderson. Kenny O’Neill is on a dual mission to hunt down his girl’s attacker and find out the truth about his Dad…instead he unravels disturbing family secrets and finds that revenge is not always sweet. 6.30pm, Looking Glass Books, 36 Simpson’s Loan, Quartermile. Free but please email laura@saraband.net to book your place, or book via eventbrite.
Kirill Sokolov Documentary and Lecture. The premiere of Benjamin Sadd’s documentary about the life and work of the major contemporary Russian artist Kirill Sokolov (1930-2004), looking at his work in depth, from his early life in Russia to his emigration to Berwick-On-Tweed and then Durham in the 1970s. The film will be accompanied by a lecture on The Concept of Tragedy in Russian Silver Age Thought by Professor Avril Pyman. A leading translator of Russian poetry and a biographer of Aleksandr Blok and Pavel Florensky, Professor Pyman has also written the major text on the Russian symbolist movement and is a Fellow of the British Academy. 6.30-8.30pm, Project Room, 50 George Square, University of Edinburgh. Free but booking is essential: please email Dashkova.Centre@ed.ac.uk. This event is presented by the Dashkova Centre in partnership with The Sutton Gallery.
2015 Iranian Film Festival: a season of classic and contemporary films from Iran, including a number of Scottish premieres, shown as part of the Edinburgh Iranian Festival. Today: A Few Kilos of Dates for a Funeral (15) 8.45pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be booked online here or by calling the box office on 0131 228 2688. Prices vary: there are deals for purchasing multiple tickets for this season. The 2015 Iranian Film Festival is curated by Dr Nacim Pak-Shiraz and sponsored by The Sutton Gallery, Arts & Business Scotland, the School of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies of the University of Edinburgh, and the Filmhouse.
LGBT: Just for Men. A relaxed social opportunity for men who want to meet other gay, bisexual or transgender 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 LGBT Health & Wellbeing at admin@lgbthealth.org.uk.
Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp, Dominic Waxing Lyrical and Howie Reeve: featuring Wilf Plum on drums, this 7-piece group from Geneva also manage to squeeze a marimba, a double bass, a violin, a trombone and an electric guitar onto the stage at Henry’s. Tropical post-punk/afro-avant pop/mediaeval prog/bass.With support from Edinburgh’s own Dominic Waxing Lyrical and Howie Reeve from Glasgow. 7.30-11.30pm, Henry’s Cellar Bar, Morrison Street. £6
Edinburgh Iranian Festival: Xerxes Cabinet of Curiosities – exotic animals and royal authority in Achaemenid Iran. The Achaemenid dynasty (559-331 BC) ruled the largest empire the ancient world had ever seen. By examining a variety of sources – iconographic and literary, Greek, Indian and Iranian – Dr Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones (University of Edinburgh) will explore the rich variety of exotic wildlife imported into Persia to satisfy the monarch’s pleasure and his public image, wildlife that included Asiatic lions, Bactrian camels, zebu, wild asses, Arabian horses, parrots, peacocks and wild jungle fowl. How were these animals perceived by their Persian viewers, how were they displayed, and what do we know about their treatment? Dr Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones specialises in Achaemenid Iran and ancient Greek socio-cultural history, and in the reception of antiquity in popular culture. 5-6pm, Lecture Theatre F.21, University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square. Free.
Colinton Library presents an afternoon concert with the pupils of Merchiston Castle School. A range of classical and easy listening tunes for all to enjoy. 2.30-3pm, Colinton Library, Thorburn Road. All welcome.
Independence and Interdependence: The Dynamics of Scottish Self-Government. Professor Nicola McEwen, Professor of Territorial Politics, University of Edinburgh, delivers her inaugural lecture. The Scottish Independence Referendum may have resulted in a No vote, but it has reignited debates over Scottish self-government: Nicola McEwen’s lecture will put these debates into context. 5.15-6.15pm, Business School Auditorium, University of Edinburgh Business School, 29 Buccleuch Place.
Queer History: An Introduction. Dr Carole Jones (University of Edinburgh) will construct a brief history of the evolution of the discipline of queer theory – the ‘why’ of queer theory. She will then go on to look at definitions, some attempts to pin down what is meant – the ‘what’ of queer theory. Along the way she will explore examples of the work of one or two landmark queer theorists – the ‘who’ of queer theory, and will finish off by looking at the emergence of trans* theory and its implications for thinking about identity. 6pm, Lecture Theatre 1, Appleton Tower, Crichton Street. Free and open to all.
The Old Edinburgh Club. Jamie Pearce: Healthy Places? Environmental conditions and public health in Edinburgh over the last 100 years. 7pm, Augustine United Church, George IV Bridge. £5/members free.
THURSDAY 12TH FEBRUARY 2015
Cafe Voices: Journey Through Love. At the Centre’s monthly storytelling session Wendy Woolfson leads a journey through the stages of love, inviting the audience to feel their own connections, and share in the familiar feelings that love can evoke. Including traditional tales alongside true stories and songs, this promises to be an entertaining, thought-provoking and uplifting evening. The evening will be split into two halves with an open-floor section for storytellers to tell their own tales in the second half, all in the relaxed setting of the Storytelling Court. 7pm, Scottish Storytelling Centre, High Street. Tickets cost £5 and can be purchased online here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 556 9579.
Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop Artists’ Talk: Jean Philippe Dordolo and Kadie Salmon. Two Sculpture Workshop Micro Residents discuss their practices and the work they have been developing over the course of their residency. 6-8pm, Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, 21 Hawthornvale. Admission is free.
Edinburgh College of Art Thursday Research Seminar Series: Shadows of Herself: Lee Miller’s Collage. Chaired by Dr Patricia Allmer (ECA). 5.15pm, Lecture Room 1, Minto House, University of Edinburgh, Chambers Street. Free and open to all.
The Thursday Club: A Musical Afternoon with George Ross and friends. 2pm, Upper Hall, Mayfield Salisbury Church, West Mayfield. All very welcome: contact Florence Smith on 0131 663 1234 for more information.
Easel Sketching in the Gallery: led by artist Damian Callan, with a different subject every month and sometimes a model. All materials supplied. 2-4pm, Main Gallery Floor, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free: no booking required. Also at same times on Friday 13th February 2015.
2015 Iranian Film Festival: a season of classic and contemporary films from Iran, including a number of Scottish premieres, shown as part of the Edinburgh Iranian Festival. Today: The Prince (15) 6.10pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be booked online here or by calling the box office on 0131 228 2688. Prices vary: there are deals for purchasing multiple tickets for this season. This screening will be followed by a Q & A session with the director. The 2015 Iranian Film Festival is curated by Dr Nacim Pak-Shiraz and sponsored by The Sutton Gallery, Arts & Business Scotland, The School of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies of the University of Edinburgh, and the Filmhouse.
Ecumenical Friends at St Cuthbert’s: Simon Barrow – Ekklesia: Christian Political Think-Tank. 12.30pm, St Cuthbert’s Parish Church, 5 Lothian Road. All warmly welcome: £1.50 per person, tea and coffee provided, bring your own packed lunch. These events are organised by Edinburgh City Centre Churches TOGETHER.
LGBT History Month: Out There Anthology. Writers Zoe Strachan, Roy Gill and Janette Ayachi present readings from Out There: An Anthology of Scottish LGBT Writing, which includes contributions from Scotland’s leading and emerging LGBT writers. 6pm, Waterstones West End, 128 Princes Street: free tickets are available from the shop. Please contact the store or www.lgbthistory.org.uk for more details. For more about LGBT History Month, read The Edinburgh Reporter’s article here.
The Friendship Club: a friendly meeting place for senior citizens – all very welcome, with or without any church connection, and whether you would like to attend every week or just occasionally. Tea, home baking, board games, card games, sometimes live music – and lots of chat! The club’s aim is to provide a relaxed friendly and welcoming meeting place for senior citizens: ‘There is always a smiling face waiting to welcome you’. 2-3.30pm, Ground Floor, Annan House, 10 Palmerston Place. Contact Palmerston Place Church for more information.
Portrait Gallery Curator’s Talk: Beauty By Design. A chance to chat to Gallery curators about the current exhibitions: this month Tricia Allerston, Deputy Director of the Scottish National Gallery, talks about Beauty By Design. 5.30-6pm, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free and unticketed.
The Drawing Room: informal, artist-led drawing sessions, each developed by a contemporary artist and reflecting concerns within that artist’s work. All materials supplied, no experience necessary. Please note: this month’s session takes place at Modern TWO in the Two Roberts exhibition. 5.30-6.45pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art TWO, Belford Road. Free but booking is required: please contact the Education Department on 0131 624 6410 or email education@nationalgalleries.org.
Getting Started at the National Library: learn how to register as a reader (please bring ID if you wish to register after the workshop), find your way around the Library, request materials and find out about other services. The workshop includes a short tour of the Reading Room and will last about 90 minutes. 2.30pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Booking essential, either online here or by calling 0131 623 3734. The next workshop will be held at 6pm on 11th March 2015.
The Jonathan Mills Lectures: Curating in Time. In this age of information and the internet, does the idea of curating become fixed on objects, or in space, or time? Jonathan Mills, composer, festival director and Visiting Professor at the University of Edinburgh, proposes that we consider the temporal as well as the spatial – the musical as well as the visual – potential of the acts of keeping, preserving, archiving, curating. 5pm, Hunter Lecture Theatre, Hunter Building, Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place. This is the second in a series of lectures: the next one Ethereal Eye – a musical meditation for an unbuilt city will take place on 19th February 2015.
Reid School of Music Research Seminar Series: Hitchcock, Psycho and the Aesthetic of ‘absolute music’. Chaired by Professor John Butt (University of Glasgow). 5.15pm, Lecture Room A, Alison House, University of Edinburgh, 12 Nicolson Square.
eBook Surgery: find out how to borrow eBooks, emagazines and audiobooks for free. 2-5pm, Leith Library, 28-30 Ferry Road. Please contact the library for more details and to book a 30 minute appointment.
FRIDAY 13TH FEBRUARY 2015
Snowdrop and Early Spring Walk: join a Garden Guide on a walk to discover the Garden’s wonderful collection of specialist snowdrops. You can also see other early flowering plants that herald the onset of spring. For ages 14+. 11am-12.30pm, John Hope Gateway Reception, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Also at same time on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th February. £5 per person, no advance booking required.
Creative Release: a multi-media exhibition of new works by SmART CRAFT from WHALE Arts Agency. Open preview 6-8pm tonight, then 11am-5pm Tuesday to Saturday, Gallery On The Corner, Northumberland Street. Until 28th February 2015.
Easel Sketching in the Gallery: led by artist Damian Callan, with a different subject every month and sometimes a model. All materials supplied. 2-4pm, Main Gallery Floor, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.
Mr Wuffles Crafty Friday: part of Mr Wuffles Week with Corstorphine Primary School. 2.30pm, Corstorphine Library, 12 Kirk Loan. Free and open to all.
Storytime: for ages 4+. 2pm, Blackhall Library, 56 Hillhouse Road. Free but please book on 0131 529 5595 or by calling in to the library in advance.
Son et Lumiere: enjoy two hours of sound and silence, light and darkness. Space and time to sit, to wander, to think, to be. 6-8pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. £3 on the door.
2015 Iranian Film Festival: a season of classic and contemporary films from Iran, including a number of Scottish premieres, shown as part of the Edinburgh Iranian Festival. Today: Kami’s Party (15) 6.10pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be booked online here or by calling the box office on 0131 228 2688. Prices vary: there are deals for purchasing multiple tickets for this season. The 2015 Iranian Film Festival is curated by Dr Nacim Pak-Shiraz and sponsored by The Sutton Gallery, Arts & Business Scotland, the School of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies of the University of Edinburgh, and the Filmhouse.
Karlheinz Stockhausen: Hymnen Electronic Music. Stockhausen’s 1967 4-channel tape piece uses many different national anthems as base material with all manner of electronic transformations, re-interpretations and manipulations to create an epic and intense two-hour electronic and concrete work. With sound projection by Sean Williams. 7.15pm, Playfair Library, Old College, University of Edinburgh, South Bridge. (There will be a pre-concert talk at 7.15pm.) Free but booking required via eventbrite. Supported by the Leverhulme Trust.
Edinburgh Iranian Festival: Persian Music – Lecture, Performance and Workshop. Dr Parmis Mozafari is a research fellow at the Institute for Iranian Studies, University of St Andrews; she is a Santur player who has taught music in Iran and ethnomusicology and Persian music in the UK. Today she will give a historical overview of female musicians and dancers in Iran, followed by a short performance on Santur and an introductory workshop on traditional Iranian instruments, including an opportunity for participants to get hands-on experience. There will also be a drinks reception courtesy of The Sutton Gallery. 8-9pm, The Sutton Gallery, 18a Dundas Street. Free admission.
Poussin’s Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church: Poussin’s Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church is a group of complex paintings displayed as a self-sufficient installation within the Scottish National Gallery, and undoubtedly represents one of the outstanding masterpieces on show. Many viewers, however, find them austere, even somewhat forbidding, images. Art historian Andrew Paterson will give an introduction to the erudite but passionate world of Poussin’s art. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free: no booking required.
Lunchtime Concert: Kist of Musick – the 2015 Reid Memorial Concert. Hector Scott (violin) Alastair Hardie (violin) Tim Paxton (cello) and James Hardie (harpsichord) play 18th century Scottish instrumental music, including works by General Reid, James Oswald and the Earl of Kelly. 1.10pm, Reid Concert Hall, University of Edinburgh, Bristo Square. Free and unticketed.
Pancake Weekend at Joseph Pearce’s! Stacks of them every day for three days, with more toppings than you can shake your golden syrup at! Children welcome every day till 5pm, Joseph Pearce’s, 23 Elm Row. For more information and to book a table, call 0131 556 4140.
Greenpeace Edinburgh – Make Love Not War! Go totally hippy and embrace the Greenpeace message at a 70s Disco for Valentine’s Day. Get your funky thread on – Greenpeace will paint your face with rainbows, flowers and hearts so that you can strut your funky moves with the polar bear. 8pm, The Counting House, West Nicolson Street. £5 per person on the door or in advance from eventbrite.
LGBT History Month: Dive Presents Broken: a Valentine’s ball complete with caged bar, visual art, performance, blood artistry and burlesque. Strictly for over 18s only: includes strobes, nudity and body art. ‘It’ll break your heart to miss it’. 9pm-3am, Small Animal Hospital, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. Tickets cost £12/£10 and can be booked online here or by calling the box office on 0131 560 1581. For more about LGBT History Month read The Edinburgh Reporter’s article here.
Satellites Programme: Georgia Horgan. An exhibition developed from a research programme about the proliferation of the textile industry in Scotland and how this affected patterns of witch-hunting in the 17th century. The exhibition takes the form of a workroom containing writing, images and artefacts; the space will be used to house a series of events and screenings discussing how women, the body and labour are implicated in contemporary capitalism. Preview tonight 6-8pm, then 10am-4pm Tuesday to Sunday, Collective Gallery, 38 Calton Hill. Closes 19th April 2015.
Kalopsia and BeFab Be Creative present Printed & Co: a showcase exhibition evoking questions, answers, thoughts and discussions on the place of material within our history and even more importantly within our culture, and how we value its worth. Preview 6pm tonight, then 10am-6pm Monday to Saturday, 11am-5pm Sundays, Kalopsia, Ocean Terminal, Ocean Drive. Kalopsia is a creative agency and textiles collective, now operating as a social enterprise.
Holocaust Memorial Day Concert: Artisan Trio plays Messiaen Quartet for the End of Time. Featuring Jean Johnson (clarinet), Aisling O’Dea (violin), Clea Friend (cello) and Ed Cohen (piano). 6-7pm, Sanctuary, St Andrew’s & St George’s West Church, 13 George St. Free: donations welcome.
Portobello Open Door Silent Movie Weekend: tonight The Black Pirate with Douglas Fairbanks, tomorrow One Week and Seven Chances with Buster Keaton. The films will be accompanied by music from The Jane Gardner Trio. 7.30pm, The Wash House Community Centre, 3 Adelphi Grove. £6/£4: tickets are available from Popeye’s Sandwich Bar, 132 Portobello High Street, and advance booking is recommended. You are welcome to bring food and drink, and children can bring bean bags, but please note all under-12s must be accompanied by an adult.
SATURDAY 14TH FEBRUARY 2015
Leith Creative Bruncheon: Leith Creative is a cultural mapping research project, currently being co-delivered by Leith Late and Citizen Curator, looking at cultural resources and creative industries in the Leith area. They are asking local creatives to feed into the research by completing a survey about themselves. Locals and creatives will get a chance to hear more about the Leith Creative project from Morvern Cunningham (Leith Late) and Duncan Bremner (Citizen Curator). There will also be an opportunity to submit information to Leith Creative and to network. Music will be provided by local musicians, curated by William Douglas, and as always the cafe menu will include kippers, scrambled eggs and lots of tasty treats. 11.30am-3pm, Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street. Free entry.
Edinburgh Iranian Festival: The Most Famous Persian Vizier – The Career of Nizam al-Mulk. Professor Carole Hillenbrand (University of Edinburgh and University of St Andrews) talks about Nizam al-Mulk (1018-1092) the vizier of the Seljuq empire in Iran. His truly awesome achievement in staying in power for over thirty years was made possible by a combination of subtlety and ruthlessness, extraordinary stamina, personal courage and a formidable intellect. He was a numinous figure whose memory was cherished by many generations. 3-4pm, Lecture Theatre F.21, University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square. Free.
Tiger Tales: stories and craft for chldren aged 4-8 years old and their parents/carers. 3-4pm, Fountainbridge Library, 137 Dundee Street. Free: all welcome!
Nothing But The Poem: Alastair Reid. A poetry reading session with Kate Hendry: please note that Alastair Reid will be present on paper only. No previous knowledge or experience necessary. 11am or 2pm, Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close. Tickets cost £5/£4 and can be booked via eventbrite.
The Edinburgh Iranian Festival: Nima Yushij. An evening of poetry, music and visual art in conjunction with an exhibition of Hassan Meshkinfam’s mixed media art works, which interpret Nima’s poetry through arresting, dream-like imagery. Musician Majid Mokhberi will perform songs that take Nima’s verse as their lyrics, and members of the Edinburgh Iranian Festival Committee will read poems in Persian and English. Internationally acclaimed poet Nima Yushij (1896-1960) is often regarded as the founder of modern Persian poetry. 8.30-10pm (to include a Drinks Reception courtesy of the Gallery), The Sutton Gallery, 18a Dundas Street. Free but please book by contacting info@ediranfest.co.uk.
Pancake Weekend at Joseph Pearce’s! Stacks of them every day for three days, with more toppings than you can shake your golden syrup at! Children welcome every day till 5pm, Joseph Pearce’s, 23 Elm Row. For more information and to book a table, call 0131 556 4140.
I’m Game: a playful programme for half-term, all about games. Today there are two drop-in events: (1) Crafty Character Cards: design and make a pixelated Valentine’s, greeting or picture card, inspired by the Game Masters exhibition. 12 noon-4pm, Grand Gallery Level 1 (2) Replay Events: video games. Join in two Gaming Zones run by Replay Events. 11am-4pm, Grand Gallery and Hawthornden Court, Level 1, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street. Free. Also at the same times on Sunday 15th February 2015. There is a full programme of games-related events throughout the rest of half term – see the NMS website for details. ‘You’ll never be board this half-term’…..
Serenity Valentine’s DJ Night: 70s and 80s old school disco with DJ Mario McMuriel and guest DJ Karen Stevenson, and live performance and singalong with the Serenity Singers. 8pm-12 midnight, Serenity Cafe, 8 Jackson’s Entry, The Tun, 111 Holyrood Road. £4 per person. Serenity is Scotland’s first recovery cafe, run by people in recovery for people in recovery, and for public customers who want good value, good quality food in a relaxed space. All events are drink and drugs free.
Portobello Open Door Silent Movie Weekend: tonight One Week and Seven Chances with Buster Keaton. The film will be accompanied by music from The Jane Gardner Trio. 7.30pm, The Wash House Community Centre, 3 Adelphi Grove. £6/£4: tickets are available from Popeye’s Sandwich Bar, 132 Portobello High Street, and advance booking is recommended. You are welcome to bring food and drink, and children can bring bean bags, but please note all under-12s must be accompanied by an adult.
Snowdrop and Early Spring Walk: join a Garden Guide on a walk to discover the Garden’s wonderful collection of specialist snowdrops. You can also see other early flowering plants that herald the onset of spring. For ages 14+. 11am-12.30pm, John Hope Gateway Reception, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Also at same time on Sunday 15th February. £5 per person, no advance booking required.
Edinburgh Iranian Festival: Edinburgh Persian School. Meet organisers and pupils of the Persian School during an open day, and get a taster of the Persian language. Dr Golnaz Nanbakhsh and teachers from the school will provide a half hour introductory workshop in Persian: Persian language classes are available on Saturday mornings throughout the year for children and adults. The pupils will exhibit their artwork about Iran; this year’s special project is Wotjek, a brown bear born in the mountains of Iran who lived alongside the Polish II Corps as they moved through Iran, Iraq, Syria, Palestine and Egypt; he died in Edinburgh Zoo in 1963. 11am-1pm (language taster class at 11am), Liberton High School, 328 Gilmerton Road. Free admission.
Ruff Cuff Sale: beautiful home-made cushions, jewellery, ruff cuffs to grace your neck and wrists, shopping bags and plenty more. 12 noon-3pm, Serenity Cafe, 8 Jackson’s Entry, The Tun, 11 Holyrood Road. The cafe will be open as usual for delicious food and drinks. Ruff Cuff is a Serenity Cafe Woman Zone By Comas event: Woman Zone is a community of women in recovery.
Raoul De Keyser: Paintings 1967-2012. The first major UK exhibition in over a decade of works spanning the career of the late Belgian painter (1930-2012). De Keyser’s paintings combine aspects of both abstract expressionism and figuration inspired by the natural world. Open preview today 12.30-3pm, then 10am-4.30pm Tuesday to Sunday, Inverleith House, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Free. Exhibition closes 12th April 2015.
Gin and Piano Evening: celebrate Valentine’s Day with cupcakes, piano and Daffy’s gin. 7pm, Sofi’s Bar, 63 Henderson Street.
2015 Iranian Film Festival: a season of classic and contemporary films from Iran, including a number of Scottish premieres, shown as part of the Edinburgh Iranian Festival. Today: Parviz (15) 6.10pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be booked online here or by calling the box office on 0131 228 2688. Prices vary: there are deals for purchasing multiple tickets for this season. The 2015 Iranian Film Festival is curated by Dr Nacim Pak-Shiraz and sponsored by The Sutton Gallery, Arts & Business Scotland, the School of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies of the University of Edinburgh, and the Filmhouse.
Scottish Beavers: find out how the re-introduced beavers are adapting to life in Scotland. Meet the Scottish Beaver Trial education team, who will be bringing games and activities, as well as pelts, skulls and video footage. 1-4pm, Real Life Science Studio, John Hope Gateway, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Free, no booking required. Also at same times on Sunday 15th February 2015.
Tom Watt: a new exhibition. 11am-6pm Monday to Friday, 10.30am-4pm Saturdays, The Torrance Gallery, 36 Dundas Street. Exhibition ends 7th March 2015.
Think Twice! Valentine’s Party, with Lay-Far, Craig Smith and Gary Sbr Ellis. 11pm-3am, Cabaret Voltaire, 36 Blair Street. Tickets £7/£5.
St Bride’s Family Cinema: see your favourite film for free! Juice and choc ices available to buy in the interval at 50p each. This week: Shrek 2 (U). 10.30am-12.30pm (includes interval), St Bride’s Centre, Orwell Place, Dalry. Please note all children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Next week: Lady and the Tramp (U).
Edinburgh Iranian Festival: The Jewel of Persian Architecture – The Friday Mosque of Isfahan. The Friday Mosque of Isfahan has a continuous history of over a millennium. None of the major ruling dynasties of Iran has failed to leave a mark on it, so it is a museum of structural and decorative techniques, a prism through which to recognise the identifying traits of Islamic architecture in Iran. Professor Robert Hillenbrand FBA (University of St Andrews), former Slade Professor of Art at the University of Cambridge and the author of nine books and numerous articles on Islamic art and architecture, will give an insight into this famous edifice. 4-5pm, Lecture Theatre F.21, University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square. Free.
A Magic Forest with Lucy Roscoe: in this fun, papery workshop you’ll create a forest of trees inspired by the wonderful book tree in the Central Library. All abilities welcome. For children aged 7+. Please note that all children must be accompanied by an adult. 2-3.30pm, Children’s Library (next to Central Library), George IV Bridge. Free but please book via eventbrite here.
Edinburgh Society of Musicians: The Tunnell Trust Concert. Ishizuka-Lin Duo (piano and violin) play Debussy, Beethoven, Messiaen and Brahms. 7.30pm prompt, Edinburgh Society of Musicians, 3 Belford Road. Free and open to all. The Tunnell Trust is a charity creating opportunities for talented young musicians.
Robert Sarazin Blake ‘The Beloved and Beardy Troubadour of the Pacific North West’, with guests Billy Liar and Faith Elliot, plus The Lonely Hearts Club Jam and an installation, All The Lonely People, by Suky Goodfellow upstairs. 7pm, Forest Cafe, Lauriston Place, Tollcross. Free admission: BYOB.
SUNDAY 15TH FEBRUARY 2015
Amnesty International Concert for Captured Hearts: Stop Human Trafficking in Scotland. Orchestra of the Canongait plays Dvorak’s New World Symphony and Strauss’s Don Quixote. Conducted by Robert Dick, with soloists Lindsay Martindale and Asher Zaccardelli. 8pm, St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, Palmerston Place. Tickets cost £10/£8 on the door, or in advance from www.skiddle.com here. All proceeds will go to Amnesty International.
Introduction to Veganism Workshop: Edinburgh’s Vegan meetup.com group is holding a workshop for anyone interested in veganism or wanting to know more about becoming a vegan. There will be many experienced people present to answer questions. 1-3pm, ACE (Autonomus Centre of Edinburgh), 17 West Montgomery Place. All welcome.
The Big Screen Movie Day: Up (PG). 3pm, Boda Bar, 229 Leith Walk. Hot chocolate and snacks available. Free for all the family: dogs welcome too!
Hearing Impaired Tour: The Two Roberts – Robert Colquhoun and Robert MacBryde. A free tour, with portable loops, led by Tessa Asquith-Lamb. 11am-12 noon, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art TWO, Belford Road. Free but booking is required: please contact the Information Desk on 0131 624 6560.
Bags of Art – February. Cool and creative fun with artists Tessa Asquith-Lamb and Louise Fraser. For ages 4-12 years. 2-4pm (drop-in), Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE, Belford Road. Free and unticketed. Supported by the Friends of the National Galleries of Scotland.
Filmhouse Junior: Annie (PG)). Annie is a young, happy foster kid who’s also tough enough to make her way on the streets of New York in 2014. Originally left by her parents as a baby with a promise they’d be back for her someday, it’s been a hard knock life ever since with her mean foster mum Miss Hannigan. But everything is about to change… 11am, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £4 per person, big or small, and can be booked online or by calling the Box Office on 0131 228 2688.
Scottish Beavers: find out how the re-introduced beavers are adapting to life in Scotland. Meet the Scottish Beaver Trial education team, who will be bringing games and activities, as well as pelts, skulls and video footage. 1-4pm, Real Life Science Studio, John Hope Gateway, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Free, no booking required.
Pancake Weekend at Joseph Pearce’s! Stacks of them every day for three days, with more toppings than you can shake your golden syrup at! Children welcome every day till 5pm, Joseph Pearce’s, 23 Elm Row. For more information and to book a table, call 0131 556 4140.
2015 Iranian Film Festival: a season of classic and contemporary films from Iran, including a number of Scottish premieres, shown as part of the Edinburgh Iranian Festival. Today: My Name is Negahdar Jamali and I Make Westerns (12A) 6pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be booked online here or by calling the box office on 0131 228 2688. Prices vary: there are deals for purchasing multiple tickets for this season. The 2015 Iranian Film Festival is curated by Dr Nacim Pak-Shiraz and sponsored by The Sutton Gallery, Arts & Business Scotland, the School of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies of the University of Edinburgh, and the Filmhouse.
Friends of the Water of Leith Basin Clean-Up: FOWLb are organising a clean-up of the paths beside the Water of Leith today. If you would like to help, you are welcome to meet them at the Coalie Car Park, just off Coburg Street, at 10am (the event will last about two hours). For more information contact the Secretary at fowl.basin@gmail.com.
I’m Game: a playful programme for half-term, all about games. Today there are two drop-in events: (1) Crafty Character Cards: design and make a pixelated Valentine’s, greeting or picture card, inspired by the Game Masters exhibition. 12 noon-4pm, Grand Gallery Level 1 (2) Replay Events: video games. Join in two Gaming Zones run by Replay Events. 11am-4pm, Grand Gallery and Hawthornden Court, Level 1, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street. Free. There is a full programme of games-related events throughout the rest of half term – see the NMS website for details. ‘You’ll never be board this half-term’…..
Edinburgh Iranian Festival: Children’s Book Reading. Meet authors Azita Pourghasem (Persian Nursery Rhymes) and Mahdi Ziae (The Adventures of Sohrab and the Genie), who will read from their books and answer your questions. Persian Nursery Rhymes is a collection of 29 Persian Rhyme songs by Hengameh Yashar from 1960s Iran, complete with English translation and CD; The Adventures of Sohrab and the Genie explores a boy’s journey from boyhood to maturity through a series of adventures which teach him about life, kindness and friendship. 3-4pm, Word Power Books, West Nicolson Street. Free admission.
Snowdrop and Early Spring Walk: join a Garden Guide on a walk to discover the Garden’s wonderful collection of specialist snowdrops. You can also see other early flowering plants that herald the onset of spring. For ages 14+. 11am-12.30pm, John Hope Gateway Reception, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. £5 per person, no advance booking required.
Talking Trees: let the RBGE’s volunteer storytellers grow your imagination with tall tales from around the world – and then why not visit the Little Free Library beside the Glasshouses and the Dell area in the John Hope Gateway? For ages 4+. 2-2.45pm, John Hope Gateway Reception, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Free: no booking required.
St Giles’ At Six: the choirs of Heriot Watt University – Great British Choral Music, conducted by Steve King. 6pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free: retiring collection.
