Haiti Street Art: an exhibition to commemorate the 5th anniversary of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Come and buy to support the country five years on. 9-5pm Wednesday to Sunday (closed Mondays and Tuesdays) until 19th March 2015, Bon Papillon, 15 Howe Street.
Fountainbridge Library is 75! A library has stood on the Dundee Street site since 1897 – the first neighbourhood library was funded from the estate of philanthropist Thomas Nelson, but by the 1930s the building needed to be replaced. JAW Grant was appointed to be architect of the new library, with sculptor Charles D’Orville Pilkington Jackson commissioned to provide the carving to surmount the main doorway; Jackson’s original plans included ornate carvings of a fountain and a bridge, so he was understandably dismayed when he learned of a planned change of name to ‘Dundee Street Library’ – luckily the plan was dropped, and despite delays caused by the war, the new library was opened in 1940. To celebrate this anniversary, the library has arranged a week of events; today it’s an Anniversary Celebration Day, with coffee, cake and a chance to see the library in days gone by. Drop in and help the staff celebrate whilst adding your favourite memory to the birthday tree. 2pm, Fountainbridge Library, 137 Dundee Street. There will also be a Birthday Bookbug on Thursday 12th March, plus an exhibition of photos and memories of the last 75 years.
Painted Ladies: Renaissance Beauty and Cosmetic Practices. Farah Karim-Cooper (Head of Research, Globe Theatre, London) will explore the idea of beauty in early modern Europe and England, and examine some of the era’s ‘social media’ (texts, theatre and images) that created these ideals. She will also uncover some of the cosmetic recipes and beautifying practices of early modern women. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.
Bookbug Rhymetime: for young children and their parents and carers. 2pm today and every Wednesday, Piershill Library, Piershill Terrace.
Botanic Cottage Updates and Stories: an informal talk to find out more about the Botanic Cottage as it is re-built stone by stone. For ages 10+. 1-1.30pm, Blue Shed, Demonstration Garden, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Free: no booking required.
Morningside Coffee Morning: 10-11.30am today and every Wednesday, Church Halls, Morningside Parish Church, Braid Road/Cluny Gardens. All welcome!
Benji the PlayTalkRead bus will be at Gate 55 today! Songs, stories and play sessions for young children and their parents and carers. 10am-1pm and 2-4pm, Gate 55, Sighthill Road. Free.
Flatland: Jean-Philippe Dordolo and Kadie Salmon. An exhibition of new work produced by the artists during their recent micro-residencies. Preview 5.30-8pm tonight, then 11am-5pm Thursday to Saturday (or by appointment), Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, 21 Hawthornvale.
Terry Alderton: All Crazy Now. Come and be part of the audience for a brand new Radio 4 show, due for broadcast this summer. Terry Alderton, multi-award-winning comedian and star of Eastenders, will perform stand-up, stories, characters and sketches, and the show will also feature the mercurial comedian Boothby Graffoe on nose flute and vibes. 8pm, Netherbow Theatre, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets are free and can be booked online here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 556 9579.
Lunchtime Concert: Magee Secondary School – chamber choir and string orchestra. 12.15pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free.
Italian Film Festival: curated by Allan Hunter and Richard Mowe, the 22nd Festival continues today. ‘An exciting and diverse line-up of contemporary and classic Italian cinema, including hilarious comedies, insightful dramas, seat-edge thrillers and classics from award-winning directors’. All films are subtitled in English, Today: First Snowfall (15) ‘a tender tale of the shared humanity in two lost souls. A melancholy, sensitively-handled drama, graced by the luminous cinematography of Luca Bigazzi who captures the staggering beauty of the changing Alpine seasons’. 8.45pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be booked online via the website or by calling the Box Office on 0131 228 2688.
Let Sunshine Into Your Heart: a University of Edinburgh Let’s talk about….understanding disease lecture. Exciting new research has shown that sunshine can lower blood pressure. Good news for those who suffer from high blood pressure associated with cardiovascular disease – but what about medical warnings regarding sun exposure? Speakers: Dr Richard Weller (MRC Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh) and Dr Darren Shaw (Royal Vet School, University of Edinburgh & The Roslin Institute). 4.45pm, Queen’s Medical Research Institute, Little France Crescent, EH16 4TJ. Free and open to all; please book via eventbrite here.
Bookbug: for children aged 0-4 and their parents and carers. 10.15 or 11.15am today and every Wednesday, Portobello Library, 14 Rosefield Avenue. These sessions are very popular, please arrive early. There is also a session at 11.30am every Saturday.
One Health: intergenerational design strategies for engaging children with nature in cities. Professor Robin Moore and Dr Nilda Cosco (NC State University), international authorities on the design of children’s play and learning environments, will propose that a crisis of culture can only be addressed by engaging children with nature from birth, in the places they and their families use in everyday life. How this may be accomplished will be illustrated through the work of the Natural Learning Initiative and recent case studies. 6pm, Hunter Building Lecture Theatre, Edinburgh College of Art , Lauriston Place. This is a free public lecture: booking is required and may be made via eventbrite here. For more information contact the organiser, Professor Catharine Ward Thomson, via the eventbrite booking page.
Wiff Waff Wednesday: a monthly ping pong night for all ages with music, plus great food and drink available to purchase from the Drill Hall Arts Cafe. ‘Friendship first, competition second.’ 6-10pm, Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street, Leith. Free admission.
Morningside Parish Church Baby and Toddler Group: for children up to about 3 years. A friendly and informal way for parents to meet and children to have fun with the large selection of toys. All welcome, no pre-registration needed – just turn up. 10-11.30am today and every Wednesday and Monday, Morningside Parish Church, Braid Road/Cluny Gardens. £1.50 donation per session.
Morningside Justice and Peace Group: Why is there a conspiracy to silence charities? Chief Executive, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations Martin Sime addresses this question, followed by a Q & A session. 10.30-11.30am, The Open Door, 420 Morningside Road. £1 per person. For more information contact Barbara Darcy on 0131 228 1807 or b.darcy20@gmail.com.
Poetry Association of Scotland: Mary Johnston & Nalini Paul Reading. A Doric poet, winner of the Callum MacDonald Memorial Award 2014 for her pamphlet The Angel and the Aipple, teams up with an Indian poet who has just had her illustrated poem Hrafn Floki purchased by the National Gallery of Modern Art. 7.30pm, The Saltire Society, 9 Fountain Close. Admission £5/£4 (free for members of the Association): no advance booking needed. For further information please contact Mario Relich: dmr.lit@fsmail.net.
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 over-18s only. 6.30-8.30pm, Woodland Creatures, 260-262 Leith Walk.
The Old Edinburgh Club: Professor Stana Nenadic – Artisans, Design Education and the Scottish Luxury Trades 1780-1914. 7pm, Augustine United Church, George IV Bridge. Admission £5 (members free). The Old Edinburgh Club was founded in 1908 with the aim of recording the vanishing evidence of Edinburgh’s history, its buildings and its past inhabitants from prehistoric times onwards.
Common Weal Edinburgh North & Leith: Poetry & Spoken Word Open Mic. A celebration of local spoken word hosted by local poet Jenny Lindsay (Rally & Broad): 5 minute open mic slots available for spoken word of any kind. To sign up for a spot email commonwealenl@gmail.com or note your interest on the event’s Facebook page. 7-9.30pm, Area C Coffee House, 239-241 Leith Walk.
Jammin at Voodoo: monthly jam session with some of Scotland’s leading musicians playing lounge grooves from many genres. Blues, soul, funk, ska, rock, reggae, jazz and country; musicians play by invitation to set a good standard. For over 18s only. 9-11pm, The Ballroom, The Voodoo Rooms, 19a West Register Street. Free admission.
Edinburgh University Shakespeare Company Presents The Merchant of Venice: it is the summer of 1939 and Britain is travelling headlong towards one of the most devastating and transformative periods of its history. Oblivious to the oncoming storm, the London elite sit smoking their cigars and enjoying the fruits of their inheritance. 7.30 today-Saturday 14th March (with 2.30pm matinee on Saturday 14th), Assembly Roxy, 2 Roxburgh Place. Tickets cost £10/£8/£6 and can be purchased online here.
