MONDAY 16TH MARCH 2015
In Focus: A Major Masterpiece – David Hockney’s Rocky Mountains and Tired Indians. David Hockney’s Rocky Mountains and Tired Indians was painted exactly 50 years ago in 1965, at a moment when many British artists, writers and intellectuals were newly obsessed by the United States (following the advent of plane travel). The work is typically discussed in relation to personal anecdote. Professor Martin Hammer will explore the interweaving in the painting of memories of places and of a wide range of works of art, attitudes to life in modern America from the perspective of an English outsider, and Hockney’s immersion in contemporary literature and art theory. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.
Cameo Toddler Time: short screenings exclusively for pre-school children and their parents and carers. This week: Toot the Tiny Tug Boat – Programme 2 (U); life on the high seas is a whirl of adventure when you’re a little boat with big ideas. 11am, Cameo, Home Street.
Beauty Pre-Designed: All Walks Beyond the Catwalk Panel Discusssion. Beauty By Design exhibition project partners Mal Burkinshaw (ECA) and Dr Jill Burke (University of Edinburgh)will be in conversation with Debra Bourne, fashion communications expert and All Walks Beyond the Catwalk co-founder, and Alyson Walsh, Senior Lecturer in Fashion Management and Marketing at UCA Epsom and author of Style Forever, published on March 13th. The exhibition explores how codes of beauty were conveyed through the eyes and brushes of Renaissance artists and their sitters, and show that many of these ‘codes’ are relevant to contemporary approaches to beauty. This event will unravel and debate issues surrounding the fashion industry’s unhealthy depiction of beauty, and highlight the responsibility the industry has to recognise the psychological impact of its messaging. 6-7.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.
National Library of Scotland: Guided Tour. A tour of the building and an introduction to the library’s collections and history. 2-2.45pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free but numbers are limited so booking is essential, either online here or by calling 0131 623 3734. Please inform the library of any special access requirements.
Portrait Salon 2014: Portrait Salon was founded in 2011 as a response to the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize. A form of Salon des Refuses – an exhibition of works rejected from a juried art show – it aims to showcase the best of the rejected images from the Taylor Wessing Prize. This year it is touring as a print show for the first time, and Edinburgh Napier University has been chosen as its only Scottish host. 9am-6pm Monday to Friday, 9am-4pm Saturdays and Sundays (please use intercom at weekends), Level D, Merchiston Campus, Edinburgh Napier University, 10 Colinton Road. Free. Closes 7th May 2015.
Here We Go – Women Living the Strike: the first of two films being shown to coincide with the anniversary of the end of the Miners’ Strike in the 1980s. There will also be a Q & A session with the filmmaker, Maggie Wright. 6-7.30pm, George Washington Browne Room , Central Library, George IV Bridge. Free but booking is required and can be made via eventbrite here.
For Crying Out Loud: special screenings for parents/carers and their babies under 12 months. Bottle-warming, baby-changing and buggy-parking facilities available. Maximum 2 adults per baby. This week; My Name is Salt (U). 11am, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £4.50/£3.50 per adult.
Sofi’s Cult Movie Mondays: popular classics on the silver screen in the cosy, darkened backroom. Free popcorn! This week’s film: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (15) – ‘It’s nothing personal’. For more information see Sofi’s Facebook page. 8-10pm, Sofi’s Bar, Henderson Street.
The Erickson Lecture: The European Union and its Values under Test – Terrorism, Greece, Russia. The Erickson Lecture was established to mark the seminal contributions to military history and analysis made by Professor John Erickson FRSE FBA whilst Professor of Defence Studies at the University of Edinburgh; this year it will be delivered by Professor Jacek Saryusz-Wolski MEP. 5.30pm (doors open 5pm), Conference Room, Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation, High School Yards, Old High School, Infirmary Street. All welcome. Free but booking is essential and can be made via eventbrite here or by emailing Dashkova.Centre@ed.ac.uk.
Science Week at the Museum of Scottish Railways! Hands-on science activities in Scotland’s largest railway museum. Launch an air rocket, build a rubber-band car and a balloon hovercraft, construct electrical circuits in the workshop or design and build a bridge that can take a load. 11am-3pm, Museum of Scottish Railways, Union Street, Bo’ness. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. £2 per person; one adult goes free with every 8 children. Also at same times on Tuesday 17th, Wednesday 18th, Thursday 19th and Friday 20th March. Part of British Science Week.
Edinburgh Women’s Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre seeks new Board members: if you might be interested in joining the Board of this charity, which provides support to survivors of sexual violence in Edinburgh and the Lothians, and you have, or are interested in developing, skills in leadership, management, finance, human resources, decision-making or fundraising, come along tonight to find out more. 6-8pm, EWRASAC, 1 Leopold Place. For more information click here.
Leith Central Community Council meeting: 7pm, Nelson Room, McDonald Road Library, 2-4 McDonald Road. All welcome.
LGBT: Boundaries and Consent. An interactive session with time to help you understand your own and other people’s limits, including a time to practice communicating your wishes and understanding others; these skills are useful in all kinds of relationships. 6.30-7.30pm (within weekly Drop-In, which runs 5.30-8pm), LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street. For more information contact George Burrows on 0131 652 3281 or email george@lgbthealth.org.uk.
Open Eye Gallery: new exhibitions. (1) Diane Rendle – Faraway Places: born and raised in East Africa, Diane’s work is representative of diversity within culture. This combined with a love of travel and stories of explorers creates a body of work inspired by the vibrancy of foreign lands. This exhibition explores a world that existed in in the imagination of people through stories passed on by travellers and traders, where the strange becomes fantastic and characters more exotic – enigmatic people and birds amongst an environment that suggests an elusive narrative. (2) Donald Provan: Formation – new works by the Edinburgh-based artist elevate his signature subject matter: aquatic formation below the surface. This exhibition shows a range of new oil paintings. 10am-6pm Monday to Friday, 10am-4pm Saturdays, Open Eye Gallery, 34 Abercromby Place. Faraway Places ends on 31st March 2015 and Formation ends on 1st April 2015.
Portobello & Joppa Twins Group: a social and support group for parents of twins. 10am, Church Hall, Portobello & Joppa Parish Church, 1 Brunstane Road North.
Blackwell’s Edinburgh Adult Book Group: join the group for friendly, lively book chatter – no previous experience needed! A wide range of books – fiction, non-fiction, classics, contemporary, prizewinners and cult heroes – are discussed. Currently reading Stella Gibbons’ Cold Comfort Farm. 6-8pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. If you would like to join the group, please email your name and address to events.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk.
TUESDAY 17TH MARCH 2015
Beauty Pre-Designed: Gallery Tour and Workshop. Beauty By Design exhibition project partners Mal Burkinshaw (ECA) and Dr Jill Burke (University of Edinburgh) invite you to participate in a tour of Beauty By Design: Fashioning the Renaissance. The tour will focus on discussion around the new exhibits in addition to key historical portraits used as inspiration for the artworks within the exhibition. Debra Bourne, fashion communications expert and All Walks Beyond the Catwalk co-founder and Alyson Walsh, Senior Lecturer in Fashion Management and Marketing at UCA Epsom and author of Style Forever, published on March 13th will join the tour, after which participants will be invited to an informal workshop with the experts to debate and consider the connections between historical approaches to beauty compared to contemporary attitudes. 10am-12.30pm, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free but ticketed as places are limited: please call into the Information Desk at the Scottish National Gallery (Gardens Entrance) or telephone 0131 624 6560 to book a place.
Read All About It! An introductory workshop on the National Library of Scotland’s online newspaper resources, including demonstrations of a selection of resources and tips on how to search and discover the information you need. 10am, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Book online here or by calling 0131 623 3734. For more information about this workshop please contact enquiries@nls.uk.
Merchiston Community Council: tonight with special guest Rachel Haworth of the CEC Conservation Area Consultation. If you have concerns about planning, parking, litter, graffiti, policing, anti-social behaviour, parks & green spaces, road repairs, traffic regulation, street cleansing, health & wellbeing, schools, licensing or HMOs, the Community Council is here to help. Come along to the meeting or contact secretary@merchistoncc.org.uk. Minutes of previous meetings are available on the Community Council’s website here. 7pm, Merchiston Tennis & Bowling Club, Polwarth Terrace.
Edinburgh Napier University Photography Lecture Series: Tessa Bunney. Award winning and internationally recognised photographer Tessa Bunney focuses on landscape and the way in which it is shaped by human activity; she aims to contribute to ongoing debate about the changing nature of rural life. Tessa works for NGO clients internationally, most recently for Oxfam in the Philippines. 5.30pm, Lecture Theatre F10, Merchiston Campus, Edinburgh Napier University, 10 Colinton Road. Free.
Lunchtime Concert: Emma Lloyd (violin) and Karen Schistek (piano) play Beethoven Sonata for Piano and Violin in C Minor, Op 30/2 and Debussy Sonata for Violin and Piano in G Minor, L 140. 1.10pm, Reid Concert Hall, Bristo Square. Free and unticketed.
Stockbridge & Inverleith Community Council meeting: 7pm, Stockbridge Church, Saxe Coburg Street. All welcome.
Woodland Walk: walks and activities organised by MEHIS (Minority Ethnic Health Inclusion Service) and Health All Round (community health project). Explore the Colinton Dells on guided walks supported by the Water of Leith Conservation Trust: today’s activities will include Wild Art and a picnic. 11am, Water of Leith Visitor Centre, 24 Lanark Road. For more information contact Fulmaya (MEHIS) on 0131 536 9544 or Alan (Health All Round) on 0131 337 1376.
Laura Pawson in conversation with Dr Raquel Ribeiro (University of Edinburgh). Laura Pawson, author of In the Name of the People: Angola’s Forgotten Massacre, was a BBC Correspondent in Angola from 1998 to 2000: this book is her investigation into the events of 27th May 1977 and their aftermath. For some, 27th May was the day on which the ruling MPLA party turned on dissidents and launched a massacre that would claim thousands of lives – for others it was the day on which a band of far left, anti-mestico, anti-white racists violently attempted a coup against the ruling elite. Pawson ‘produces a gripping investigation to dig up the truth and to try to understand why certain British Marxists helped to cover up the killings’. As the story unfolds, it also shows how the events in 1977 continue to influence life in Angola to this day. 6pm, Word Power Books, West Nicolson Street. Free: donations welcome!
Paths of Glory: a special screening of this 1957 film as part of The First World War in Cinema, a four-year series of films programmed in association with the University of Edinburgh. Paths of Glory (PG) ‘remains one of the most moving portrayals of war’, based upon events that occurred on 17th March 1915 when four French corporals were shot for refusing to advance out of their trenches through the carnage of no man’s land. The circumstances of the ‘crime’ inspired novelist Humphrey Cobb and subsequently a young Stanley Kubrick, who filmed this adaptation at the age of just 29. The screening will be introduced by Professor Jolyon Mitchell, Director of the Centre for Theology and Public Issues at the University. 8.45pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be booked online here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 228 2688: prices vary.
Cafe Ceilidh: St Patrick’s Day. Join members of Linten Adie and friends from the Scots Music Group for a free afternoon of songs and stories celebrating all things Irish. 2-4pm, Storytelling Court, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Free: no booking required – just come along!
WEDNESDAY 18TH MARCH 2015
The Gretna Disaster of 22nd May 1915: a talk on the effect on the people of Leith of the worst train crash in British rail history. One of the trains involved was carrying 500 men from the Leith Battalion, Royal Scots; over 200 died, and their bodies were brought back to the Drill Hall in Dalmeny Street. Many more were injured. 2-3pm, Leith Library, 28-30 Ferry Road. Free but please book by calling 0131 529 5517 or emailing leith.library@edinburgh.gov.uk.
Chatterbooks: a reading group for children aged 8-12 years. If you like books and reading, come along to meet new friends, chat about books and join in games and competitions. 3.45-4.45pm, Fountainbridge Library, 137 Dundee Street. For more information please ask at the counter, call 0131 529 5617 or email Mohammed.boussabou@edinburgh.gov.uk
Broth: an honest exploration of the experience of elders in 21st century Scotland, told by artist Donna Rutherford through the tradition of soup making. The show will explore the rituals and revelations that trace changes in people’s lives, families and wider communities through a series of personal storytelling conversations. Share a cup of soup on stage afterwards for an informal post-show discussion. Broth is an original performance commissioned by Seannachies, a research network supported by the Scottish Universities Insight Institute and led by the Institute of Design Innovation, Glasgow School of Art. 6pm (drinks reception), 7pm (performance), 8pm (post-show discussion and soup), Netherbow Theatre, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Tickets cost £5/£3 and can be purchased online here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 556 9579.
Edinburgh University Singers Present ‘Classical Beauty, Baroque Effervescence and Contemporary Grace’ featuring Mozart Vespers (K339), Bach Lobet den Herrn and Claire McCue Kneeling – an exciting new piece for clarinet and choir. 7.30pm, Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Place. Tickets cost £10/£5 and can be purchased on the door or by calling 0131 668 2019.
Watching: a new opera for children about sleep. Ada can’t sleep – will the two apothecaries Dewberry and Frostbait have the remedy for her sleeplessness? A promenade performance through the gardens and glasshouses of the Royal Botanic Garden, performed by Music in the Community at Edinburgh College of Art and children from Leith Walk Primary School. Please note that this is event is partially outdoors: dress warmly. 7pm (entry from 6.45pm), North Gate, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Place. Tickets cost £10/£5 and must be purchased in advance only from Brown Paper Tickets here (transaction fee applies). Also at same time on Thursday 19th, Friday 20th and Saturday 21st March. Funded by The Wellcome Trust.
The James Young High School Science Fair: a showcase of science projects led by P7, S1 and S2 pupils who will be presenting their findings from their own experiments made at home. Prizes will be awarded, and there will be a short presentation by the former head of the Royal Society of Chemistry during the judging process. Part of British Science Week. 6.30-8.30pm, The James Young High School, Quentin Rise, Livingston.
Botanic Cottage Update and Stories: an informal talk about the cottage as it is rebuilt stone by stone. For ages 10+. 1-1.30pm, Blue Shed, Demonstration Garden, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Free and unticketed.
LGBT Bi & Beyond Edinburgh: a fortnightly social gathering for people who identify as bisexual or non-monosexual. With organised social activities and refreshments provided, whatever your label or lack of label, we welcome you. 7-9pm, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street. For more information email biandbeyondedinburgh@gmail.com.
The Gondoliers: let Portobello & Joppa Parish Church Drama Group take you away from the Scottish weather to sunny Italy with their production of the Gilbert & Sullivan favourite! 7.30pm, Church Hall, Portobello & Joppa Parish Church, 1 Brunstane Road North. Tickets cost £10/£5 and may be purchased by emailing office@portyjoppachurch.org. Also at same time on Thursday 19th, Friday 20th and Saturday 21st March 2015.
THURSDAY 19TH MARCH 2015
Live Music Now: Sirocco Winds. Wind ensemble Sirocco Winds, featuring Matthew Howells on flute, Charlie Sheppard-Vine on clarinet and Thomas Porter on bassoon, follow in the footsteps of artist David Roberts by travelling musically through countries from all across the world. Programme includes Robert Muczynski’s Fragments for Wind Trio and Tatiana Smirnova’s Little Triptych. 6-6.30pm, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free and unticketed.
Vicki Jarrett: The Way Out. Edinburgh author Vicki Jarrett launches ‘a remarkable debut collection of stories from an acclaimed new voice…the lives of women at the margins are explored; people living on the edge of relationships, the economy and society….Heart-breaking, tender, devastatingly honest and brimming with black comedy’. Vicki Jarrett’s first novel Nothing is Heavy was shortlisted for the Saltire Society’s Scottish First Book of the Year 2013. 6.30pm, Looking Glass Books, 36 Simpson’s Loan, Quartermile. Free but please book by emailing info@freightbooks.co.uk.
Rebellious Objects Workshop: work with artist Juliana Capes over 6 weeks to develop your own ideas to transform objects into sculpture and installation art, inspired by the current exhibition Possibilities of the Object. For ages 16-25. 6-8pm, Fruitmarket Gallery, 45 Market Street. To book a place please call 07527 927 916 or 0131 226 8186, or email caitlin@fruitmarket.co,uk.
Petticoats and Plants: Scotland’s Gardening Women. A joint spring lecture with the Friends of RBGE and the Garden History Society of Scotland: Deborah Reid (RBGE) talks on the role and influence of gardening women in Scotland 1800-1930. 7.30-9.30pm, Lecture Theatre, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, 20a Inverleith Row. £6 (members £5) on the door.
Britain’s Relations with Russia and the CIS: the way ahead. Charles Hendry MP will focus on the current state of our relations with Russia, asking such questions as ‘Do we really understand Russia? What is the role of trade and culture in times of stress? To what extent do our attitudes towards Russia affect our relations with other countries in the former Soviet Union? and what do we need to be doing to build better relations for the future? 6-7.30pm, Lecture Theatre 183, School of Law, Old College, University of Edinburgh. Free but booking is required via eventbrite here.
Big Scream: screenings exclusively for parents or carers with babies under the age of 12 months. This week: X + Y (12A): when Nathan, a shy schoolboy on the autistic spectrum, gifted at maths but socially awkward, gets the opportunity to travel to Taiwan and compete in a junior maths contest, he must confront two new scenarios; mixing with other kids far from home, and not always being the smartest person in the room. 10.30am, Cameo, Home Street. Membership of the Big Scream Club costs £5 and lasts until your baby’s first birthday: it enables you to buy tickets at Picturehouse members’ rates (babies admitted free).
Heriot-Watt University and Our Dynamic Earth Present Beyond the Naked Eye: presentations, a talk and discussions over wine and nibbles with Professor Rory Duncan and Dr Paul Dalgarno (both Heriot-Watt). The physics of light can be used to delve deep inside the workings of living nerve cells; in this, the UN International Year of Light, come and find out about new and amazing techniques, melding biology, physics, chemistry and engineering. Explore how optical physics, astronomy, neurobiology and art can answer questions about the workings of the brain and the body, and the very basis of ‘self’, that were previously thought unanswerable. For ages 14+. This event will also launch Heriot-Watt’s Schools’ Smartphone Microscope Competition, EnLightenment: build it, see it, show it! Schools can apply for free smartphone microscope kits for pupils to build themselves and then submit images to the nationwide competition. 6.45-9pm, Our Dynamic Earth, Holyrood Road. Tickets cost £4/£2.50; pre-booking is advised as places are limited – reserve your places via eventbrite here.
Staging A Poetic Debut: Nicolini and the Meteoric Rise of Metastasio. A seminar chaired by Dr Anne Desler (Reid School of Music, University of Edinburgh). 5.15pm, Lecture Room A, Alison House, 12 Nicolson Square. Free and open to all. Part of the Music Research Seminars Series.
IASH Scottish Enlightenment Lecture: the making of the ‘Hotbed of Genius’. Whom might you meet strolling up Edinburgh’s High Street in the mid-1700s? Possibly one of the critical mass of men and women whose literary works and scientific discoveries propelled humanity into the modern era. The Edinburgh of the Enlightenment – Professor David Daiches’ ‘Hotbed of Genius’ – ranks in impact with Periclean Athens or Renaissance Florence. In this lecture Professor David Purdie charts the political and social conditions underlying the Scottish Enlightenment and highlights some of the ‘Fifty Men of Genius’. 6.30-7.30pm, Institute for the Advanced Study in the Humanities, The University of Edinburgh Business School, 29 Buccleuch Place. Free but booking is required via eventbrite here.
Watching: a new opera for children about sleep. Ada can’t sleep – will the two apothecaries Dewberry and Frostbait have the remedy for her sleeplessness? A promenade performance through the gardens and glasshouses of the Royal Botanic Garden, performed by Music in the Community at Edinburgh College of Art, and children from Leith Walk Primary School. Please note that this is event is partially outdoors: dress warmly. 7pm (entry from 6.45pm), North Gate, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Place. Tickets cost £10/£5 and must be purchased in advance only from Brown Paper Tickets here (transaction fee applies). Also at same time on Friday 20th and Saturday 21st March. Funded by The Wellcome Trust.
History of Art Thursday Research Seminar Series: Visions and Revisions – John Duncan’s Celtic Revival. Chaired by Dr Heather Pulliam (Edinburgh College of Art) and Dr Francis Fowle (Edinburgh College of Art and NGS). The seminar will be followed by drinks in the Minto House Common Room. 5.15pm, Lecture Room 1, Minto House, University of Edinburgh, Chambers Street. Free and open to all.
Mayfield Salisbury Parish Church Thursday Club: this week Mavis Bain will talk about Morocco. Visitors of any age very welcome. 2-4pm, Upper Hall, Mayfield Salisbury Parish Church, 18 West Mayfield. For more information please contact Florence Smith on 0131 663 1234.
The Gondoliers: let Portobello & Joppa Parish Church Drama Group take you away from the Scottish weather to sunny Italy with their production of the Gilbert & Sullivan favourite! 7.30pm, Church Hall, Portobello & Joppa Parish Church, 1 Brunstane Road North. Tickets cost £10/£5 and may be purchased by emailing office@portyjoppachurch.org. Also at same time on Friday 20th and Saturday 21st March 2015.
LGBT Learning Disabilities Social Circle: a group for LGBT people who also identify as having a learning difficulty or disability. This month’s theme is getting on with your family. 2-4pm, Lifecare Centre, 2 Cheyne Street. For more information and to join the group, please contact George Burrows on 0131 652 3281 or email george@lgbthealth.org.uk.
Romina Ressia: Hide & Seek – Exploring Modern Identities. A solo show by award-winning (Prix de la Photographie, Paris 2014) Argentinian photographer Romina Ressia, presenting a body of work from four of her most popular series, How would have been, What do you hide, Renaissance Cubism and Not About Death. Preview tonight 6-9pm, then 10am-5pm Monday to Friday, 1-5pm Sundays, Arusha Gallery, 13a Dundas Street. Ends 10th April 2015.
The Bicycling Elk: soulful folk rock from Sweden in this live acoustic set by singer/songwriter Lucas Kristoffersson. 7pm, Boda’s Bar, 229 Leith Walk
FRIDAY 20TH MARCH 2015
Craft Afternoon: 3pm today and every Friday, McDonald Road Library, 2 McDonald Road. Free: no booking required.
Christian Aid Fundraiser: Allan Little, for 25 years one of the BBC’s most distinguished foreign correspondents, will be in conversation with Eleanor Naughtie about his career. He has reported from the first Gulf War, the Yugoslavian conflict in the mid-1990s, the Rwanda genocide and the ebola breakout in Zaire, and has also interviewed many prominent world figures such as Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Mikhail Gorbachev and reported on the Scottish Independence Referendum. 7.30pm, Fairmilehead Parish Church, 1a Frogston Road West. Tickets cost £6 and are available from Bill Reid on 0131 466 3111, Bob Cunningham on 0131 447 4757 and Ruth Henderson 0131 449 6449. Refreshments will be available.
Raoul De Keyser: Paintings 1967-2012 – Curator’s Tour. Curator Paul Nesbitt and Exhibitions Officer Chloe Reith lead this in-depth discussion on the artist’s work and the current exhibition at Inverleith House. De Keyser’s paintings combine elements of both abstract expressionism and figuration inspired by the natural world. His unique approach pushed the boundaries of painting and explored its very nature through the lens of everyday experience. 2-3pm, Inverleith House, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Free and unticketed. The Raoul De Keyser exhibition continues at Inverleith House until 12th April 2015.
A Night for Malawi: a ceilidh with music and Scottish dancing to support Mulanje Mission Hospital. 7-9pm, Stockbridge Church, 7b Saxe Coburg Street. Tickets cost £10/£8 (including refreshments) and can be purchased from Stockbridge Church and St Andrew’s & St George’s West Church, 13 George Street.
The Cinemaatic Short Film Showcase: taking cinema out of cinemas, Cinemaatic showcases cult, rare and classic Spanish feature films and powerful Latin American short film sessions. In this short film night there will be networking breaks for the enjoyment of the audience. ‘A nomad space for films and happenings!’ All films are subtitled in English. For over 18s only. 8-10pm, Red Lecture Theatre, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. Tickets cost £5 and can be booked online here or by calling the Box Office on 0131 560 1581.
Raglans: Irish/indie rock band whose self-titled debut album launched in March 2014, followed by a huge nationwide tour with Strypes, a coveted opening slot at Shepherd’s Bush Empire for the NME Awards Tour, and a headline tour across the UK and Ireland. With support The Moon Kids, a four-piece making music ‘full of neon-lit thrills and rollercoaster melodies’ who ‘blew the doors off at T In The Park and raised the roof at Wickerman‘. Over 18s only. 7pm, Main Room, Electric Circus, 36-39 Market Street. Tickets cost £6.50 plus transaction fee and can be booked here.
Doing Time, Doing Vipassana and Spiritual Wanderings in India: a double bill of short films followed by post-screening discussion and Q & A with Dr Abha Rodrigues (entrepreneur and author of 50 Mantras for the Empowered Woman), Rev Ali Newell (former Prison Chaplain and Associate Chaplain, University of Edinburgh) and Pt Vrajvahari Sharan, (Priest, Edinburgh Hindu Mandir). 6pm Screening Room G.04, 50 George Square, University of Edinburgh. An Edinburgh University Chaplaincy and Centre for South Asian Studies event.
Vegetarian Weekend at Joseph Pearce’s: all specials this weekend will be vegetarian (with the standard menu available for carnivores). 11am-9pm today, Saturday and Sunday, Joseph Pearce’s Bar, 23 Elm Row.
Jonny Fontaine: Funk Delicacies. Local DJ Jonny Murray plays a blend of rare funk, soul, disco and jazz, with the odd classic thrown in. 9pm, Victoria Bar, 265 Leith Walk.
Song, By Toad’s Bad Fun: Viking Moses, Kathryn Joseph + Beam. Viking Moses plays an intimate, piano-based set, supported by Kathryn Joseph (recent album Bones You Have Thrown Me and Blood I’ve Spilled) and Beam, who is best known for singing with King Creosote but has some gorgeous songs of her own. 7-10pm, Henry’s Cellar Bar, Morrison Street. £5 on the door.
Rally & Broad: Dance While the Sky Crashes Down. Cabaret with RM Hubbert, Alan Bissett, Lynsey May, Elyssa Vulpes and the newly crowned Scottish Slam Champion Bram E Gieben, hosted by resident comperes Jenny Lindsay and Rachel McCrum. 7-10pm, The Bongo Club, 66 Cowgate. £5 on the door, subject to availability. The Bongo Club is a nightblub, live venue and all-round artistic hub owned by local arts charity Out of the Blue.
Lallie Wilson: a collection of bold, vibrant and exciting mixed media artworks and paintings. The first major painting exhibition by the Musselburgh-based artist portrays Lallie’s life story, from a young girl in wartime Britain to a woman who is still painting many years later. Opening tonight 6-7.30pm, then 10am-7pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 1-5pm Thursdays, North Edinburgh Arts, Pennywell Court.
Sivu: Finnish songer songwriter who has been described as ‘a one-man Wild Beasts’. Strictly over 18s only. 7pm, Sneaky Pete’s, 73 Cowgate. Tickets cost £9 and can be booked online here.
Like Leaves in Autumn: responses to the war poetry of Giuseppe Ungaretti. Launch of this new publication, which contains 21 poems by Giuseppe Ungaretti in a new English translation, 21 new poems by contemporary Scottish poets writing in response to Ungaretti, and 21 black and white art works from the Artists Rooms collection, acquired for the nation by NGS and Tate through the generosity of Anthony d’Offay. The publication is part of The Ungaretti Multi-Media War Project led by Carlo Pirozzi, which will be presented at Talbot Rice Gallery, University of Edinburgh. The Project brings together new publications, film, animation, music and sculpture in response to poems written in the Great War by Ungaretti, one of Europe’s greatest modernist poets. The evening will include keynote speeches from Edinburgh Makar Christine De Luca, the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, the Director of the Italian Cultural Institute Stefania Del Bravo and Carlo Francini (Florence UNESCO office), and will also feature musical performances, videos and readings by some of the poets featured in Like Leaves in Autumn. The project is intended to commemorate both the centenary of World War One and the fifty years since Edinburgh and Florence were first twinned. 6.45-9pm, Talbot Rice Gallery, Old College, South Bridge. This event if free but booking is required and can be made here.
Lunchtime Concert: Erland Hilden (organ) plays Johan Helmich Roman Allegro con Spirito from Drottningholmsmusiken, Erland Hilden Toccata from Organ Symphony No 1, Sweelinck Variations on Mein junges leben hat ein end, JS Bach Fugue in E Minor BWV 548, Erland Hilden B-A-C-H mass for organ and Steigleder Toccata on Vater Unser (Tabulaturbuch 1627). 1.10pm, Reid Concert Hall, Bristo Square. Free and unticketed.
Habitats for Happy Ageing: Is there such a thing as a habitat for happy ageing? How does where we live affect our mood? Why is it so important to get outdoors in later life? Come along to a free event on the UN International Day of Happiness to hear from experts in happiness and place, take a mood test, browse photos of people’s ‘happy places’, and see how Edinburgh has changed over time. This event will follow Erland Hilden’s organ concert (see above). Open to everyone with an interest in the links between place and health and wellbeing, but of particular interest to older people. Refreshments provided. 2.30-4pm, Reid Concert Hall, Bristo Square. Free but places are limited and booking is essential: call 0131 651 5834 or email OPENspace@ed.ac.uk.
Watching: a new opera for children about sleep. Ada can’t sleep – will the two apothecaries Dewberry and Frostbait have the remedy for her sleeplessness? A promenade performance through the gardens and glasshouses of the Royal Botanic Garden, performed by Music in the Community at Edinburgh College of Art, and children from Leith Walk Primary School. Please note that this is event is partially outdoors: dress warmly. 7pm (entry from 6.45pm), North Gate, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Place. Tickets cost £10/£5 and must be purchased in advance only from Brown Paper Tickets here (transaction fee applies). Also at same time on Saturday 21st March. Funded by The Wellcome Trust.
Freeze Frame Film Club: a monthly film night in Leith – ‘an informal evening of flickering images drawn from old favourites’. Tonight’s film is Ealing Studios classic Whisky Galore (PG). Free popcorn and good company, plus optional celluloid pre-film menu from the Drill Hall Arts Cafe, with dishes inspired by the films themselves. Doors open 6.30pm, film begins 8pm, Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street. Tickets for the film only cost £2.50 (children £2) and can be purchased in advance from the cafe or on the door. Tickets for the 3 course meal prepared by special guest chef Anna Hamilton (www.alright-treacle.com) cost £15 and must be pre-booked – call the cafe on 0131 555 7100 or email stephanie.haigh@outoftheblue.org.uk. This is the last Freeze Frame night until September.
ECLIPSE (Moon draws Sun/Earth draws Moon): as the new moon eclipses the morning sun at 9.45am today, Northern Europe will be cast into darkness. In conjunction with this spectacular celestial event, artist David Faithfull and Dr Hermine Schnetler from the UK Astronomy Technology Centre have been commissioned by Edinburgh Printmakers to present ECLIPSE at Castle Mill Works, a dramatic visual artwork that mirrors and responds to the phases of this solar/lunar extravaganza. 9-11am, Castle Mill Works (former North British Rubber Company HQ), Gilmore Park, Fountainbridge. Free. This commission is part of Dark Matters (see below). PLEASE NOTE: the sun will not be safe to look at today without proper protection.
Dark Matters: a project comprising of new temporary public art installations that will be presented in various sites across the city over a period of 12 months, and launched in conjunction with this year’s Science Festival theme of Light and Enlightenment. Edinburgh Printmakers has commissioned artists, astronomers and space engineers to create art from space and create installations that explore the nature of dark matter and dark energy. Areas of research for this project include investigations into ancient astronomical almanacs, Einstein’s general theory of relativity, the creation of new constellations, seeing the invisible, transforming the infra red and spectrometric data from distant galaxies and nebulae, and attempting to freeze and unfreeze sound waves. Edinburgh Printmakers and Castle Mill Works, Fountainbridge, will launch the project and present installations by artist David Faithfull and Dr Hermine Schnetler, artist Alastair Clark and Dr Eckhard Sutorius, and artist Mike Inglis working with space engineer Martin Black. Dark Matters is a collaborative partnership between Edinburgh Printmakers, the UK Astronomy Technology Centre and Edinburgh University, and is curated by David Faithfull. It will be accompanied by an ambitious events programme (including a gallery talk on Sunday 21st March). Launch tonight 6.30-8.30pm, Edinburgh Printmakers, Union Street. This installation ends 23rd May 2015.
The Gondoliers: let Portobello & Joppa Parish Church Drama Group take you away from the Scottish weather to sunny Italy with their production of the Gilbert & Sullivan favourite! 7.30pm, Church Hall, Portobello & Joppa Parish Church, 1 Brunstane Road North. Tickets cost £10/£5 and may be purchased by emailing office@portyjoppachurch.org. Also at same time on Saturday 21st March 2015.
Nitekirk: a space for peace in Edinburgh’s heart. One Friday evening each month Nitekirk provides a creative, drop-in experience of church. This month’s theme is Acceptance. 8-11pm (drop-in), St Columba’s By The Castle, 14 Johnstone Terrace. All welcome. ‘A place of welcome, a space for stillness, a pause on your journey, an open door’.
SATURDAY 21ST MARCH 2015
Davy Macdonald: Gothic Edinburgh – a figurative narrative set against some of Edinburgh’s most renowned Gothic architecture. The collection features historic landmarks and revered monuments such as Holyrood Abbey, St Giles’ Cathedral, the Old Town closes and some stunning Gothic Revival architecture. Davy Macdonald is a figurative artist based in Edinburgh. 10am-6pm Dundas Street Gallery, 6 Dundas Street. Ends 28th March 2015.
Balerno Branch Railway Weekend: Colinton Local History Society, Colinton Village Events and The Water of Leith Conservation Trust host a model railway exhibition of Colinton Station and the surrounding area (including the adjacent Scott’s Porage Oats mill), created by enthusiast Alistair Dickson, along with other displays of maps and photographs of the Balerno Branch Line. During the heyday of the Caledonian Railway’s Balerno Branch up to 21 passenger trains ran daily, carrying over 250,000 passengers a year. The line closed in 1943. Alistair will give a talk about the creation of the model at 2pm today and again at 11.30am on Sunday, and there will be a guided Railway Ramble at 1pm on Sunday (see Sunday’s What’s On for details). 10am-4pm, Water of Leith Conservation Trust Visitor Centre, 24 Lanark Road. Also open at same times on Sunday 22nd March. The exhibition is free to visit, but donations would be much appreciated.
Metaphrog Comic Workshop: Metaphrog are John Chalmers and Sandra Marrs, creators of the multiple-award nominated and acclaimed Louis graphic novels. Metaphrog’s workshops are fun and interactive, showing the process involved in making graphic novels and revealing some of the secrets of character design and story development. There will also be a chance to create your own comic book character. For P7-S3 age group. 2.30-3.30pm, George Washington Browne Room , Central Library, George IV Bridge. Free but booking is required and can be made via eventbrite here.
Light Lab: join artist Kenny Bean in a hands-on workshop to explore light through building a simple portable camera obscura. (Materials required are included in the price). For all ages. 11am-4pm (drop-in – please note the workshop will be closed for lunch 1-2pm), Real Life Science Studio, John Hope Gateway, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, 20a Inverleith Row. £3 per person, no booking required.
Morningside Farmers’ Market: buy fresh food from local makers and reduce food miles too. Refreshments available throughout the market and from The Merlin. 9.30-3.30pm, The Merlin, 168 Morningside Road.
Linlithgow Green Film Festival: inspiring films and documentaries highlighting issues on the environment, climate change and sustainability. Today: The Economics of Happiness, a film describing a world moving simultaneously in two opposing directions. As governments and big business continue to press for ‘growth’ in the form of increased global trade, we see an increase in climate chaos, senseless war, fundamentalism, financial volatility, income inequality and the consolidation of corporate power. At the same time, people around the world are resisting these policies, demanding a re-regulation of trade and finance, and coming together to build more human-scale, ecological economies based on a new paradigm – an ‘economics of localisation’. 7pm, Adam Room, Cross House, Linlithgow. Admission by suggested donation of £5. Soft drinks and locally made cakes will be available. Transition Linlithgow is a community-led charity that aims to make Linlithgow a more caring, sharing and resilient place to live, with a focus on finding a beneficial pathway towards a low-carbon future.
St Brides Family Cinema: see your favourite films for free! Juice and choc ices available during the interval for 50p each. Please note: all children aged under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. This week: Ice Age 2: The Meltdown (U). 10.30am-12.30pm (includes interval), St Brides Centre, Orwell Terrace, Dalry.
Gallery Ten: new exhibitions. Prints by Cat Outram, paintings by Kirstie Cohen, jewellery by Becky Crow and ceramics by Emma Williams. 10.30am-5.30pm today then Tuesday to Saturday (closed Sundays & Mondays), Gallery Ten, 10 Stafford Street. Ends 2nd May 2015.
Samba into Spring! come and join the Edinburgh Samba School for a ‘funkin’ fundraising event’ in aid of Nordoff-Robbins, a charity providing music therapy for vulnerable children, young people and adults. A variety of Brazilian beats and musical treats, plus a chance to win prizes, including a free place on the Samba School’s next beginners’ course. 7.30-10.30pm, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. Tickets cost £5 and can be booked via eventbrite here (booking fee applies).
Watching: Plants and Sleep. What makes you sleepy? Come and find out about the historical uses of plants to aid sleep, investigate the mysterious Venice Mallow or ‘Goodnight at noon’, learn why some violets were known as ‘heart’s-ease’ and discover why your doctor might have told you to sniff melons but to steer clear of garlic late at night! 1-4pm, Palm House, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, 20a Inverleith Row.
Harp Music Morning: Janet Annand will play in aid of Marie Curie Hospice Great Daffodil Appeal. 10.30am-12 noon, Morningside Library, 184 Morningside Road.
The Green Door: rock ‘n’ roll, rhythm ‘n’ blues, doo wop, surf, soul and garage – with free cake!. 10.30pm-3am, Studio 24, 24-26 Calton Road. £5/£4 (£2 before 11pm).
Ross MacKenzie: The Nowhere Emporium. The Scottish Children’s Book Award winner signs copies of his new book. When the mysterious Nowhere Emporium arrives in Glasgow, orphan Daniel Holmes stumbles upon it quite by accident. Before long ‘the shop from nowhere’ – and its owner Mr Silver – draw Daniel into a breathtaking world of magic and enchantment. ‘Ross MacKenzie unleashes a riot of imagination, colour and fantasy in this astonishing adventure’. 2-4pm (drop-in), Children’s Department, Blackwell’s, South Bridge.
Mighty Mexican Night: Mexican street food, Luchador masks, music, tequilas, margaritas and locally brewed beer. 6-10pm, The Skylark, 243 Portobello High Street. To reserve a table call 0131 629 3037.
Sofi’s Lego Party: Lego building, cupcakes, competitions and prizes! ‘Release your inner child’. 7.30pm, Sofi’s Bar, Henderson Street.
Watching: a new opera for children about sleep. Ada can’t sleep – will the two apothecaries Dewberry and Frostbait have the remedy for her sleeplessness? A promenade performance through the gardens and glasshouses of the Royal Botanic Garden, performed by Music in the Community at Edinburgh College of Art, and children from Leith Walk Primary School. Please note that this is event is partially outdoors: dress warmly. 7pm (entry from 6.45pm), North Gate, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Place. Tickets cost £10/£5 and must be purchased in advance only from Brown Paper Tickets here (transaction fee applies). Funded by The Wellcome Trust.
Spring Celebration: Communities for Conservation – Be the Change! ELREC (Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council’s) special family-friendly event is centered on the environment, food growing and energy efficiency and aims to bring diverse communities together. The special guest will be renowned TED Talks speaker John-Paul Flintoff, who will conduct an inspirational workshop on how to change the world we live in. (TED is a non-profit organisation dedicated to spreading ideas on the internet via short, powerful talks). Other activities include film screening, Zumba class, raffle, make your own natural skin care product, children’s activities, bouncy castle, face painting, live performances, cooking workshop, free refreshments, free organic lunch, and more. 1-5pm, Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street. All welcome! The first 150 places at this event are free, thereafter £5 per person (children under 12 years free); places are limited and booking is required via eventbrite here. The contributions of individuals, families and organisations from the Polish, South Asian, Chinese and African communities are especially appreciated.
The Gondoliers: let Portobello & Joppa Parish Church Drama Group take you away from the Scottish weather to sunny Italy with their production of the Gilbert & Sullivan favourite! 7.30pm, Church Hall, Portobello & Joppa Parish Church, 1 Brunstane Road North. Tickets cost £10/£5 and may be purchased by emailing office@portyjoppachurch.org.
Edinburgh University Chamber Choir Spring Concert: Pizzetti Messa di Requiem, Bach Der Geist hilft unsrer Schwachheit auf, Howells Take Him Earth, for Cherishing and Tallis Lamentations of Jeremiah I. 7.30pm, Canongate Kirk, 153 Canongate. Tickets cost £10/£5.
LGBT: T Time in Edinburgh. An informal monthly social gathering open to all transgender people and their supporters. Come along for tea/coffee and a chat in a relaxed environment. An optional event runs alongside each T Time involving a range of interests, information and activities. Please note: the first meeting of each quarter is family friendly. 1-4pm, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street. For more information email admin@lgbthealth.org.uk.
Dark Matters Gallery Discussion: curator David Faithfull will lead a discussion with artists Alastair Clark and Mike Inglis about their new commissions sited in the galleries at Edinburgh Printmakers. Dark Matters is a partnership project between Edinburgh Printmakers, the UK ATC and Edinburgh University, bringing together artists, astronomers and space engineers to work in collaboration to explore the subject of deep space. 2-3pm, Edinburgh Printmakers, Union Street. This event if free but ticketed: tickets may be obtained via eventbrite here.
SUNDAY 22ND MARCH 2015
A Night of Music in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust with some of Scotland’s finest up and coming talent. Performers include Lewis Webster, Caitlyn Vanbeck, Dionne Hickey, Jamie Lee Morley, Saskia, Shinade Demarco and Jade Burke, with DJ support from New Level Entertainment, + raffle, games and disco. 7pm, The Baron Suite, Corn Exchange, 11 New Market Road. Tickets cost £5 and can be obtained by calling 07969 366283
Balerno Branch Railway Weekend: Colinton Local History Society, Colinton Village Events and The Water of Leith Conservation Trust host a model railway exhibition of Colinton Station and the surrounding area (including the adjacent Scott’s Porage Oats mill), created by enthusiast Alistair Dickson, along with other displays of maps and photographs of the Balerno Branch Line. During the heyday of the Caledonian Railway’s Balerno Branch up to 21 passenger trains ran daily, carrying over 250,000 passengers a year. The line closed in 1943. Alistair will give a talk about the creation of the model at 11.30am today, and there will be a guided Railway Ramble at 1pm (see below for details). 10am-4pm, Water of Leith Conservation Trust Visitor Centre, 24 Lanark Road. The exhibition is free to visit, but donations would be much appreciated.
Railway Ramble: join this special guided walk to discover the route of the old railway from Colinton to Slateford. Meet at 1pm in the car park under Gillespie Bridge in Colinton, off Bridge Road. £4/£2 (members). Booking is essential. The walk will end at the Water of Leith Conservation Trust Visitor Centre, where you can see the Balerno Branch Line exhibition. For more information or to book, please call Helen Brown on 0131 455 7467 or email admin@waterofleith.org.uk.
Filmhouse Junior: films for a younger audience. This week: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (PG). 11am, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £4 per person, big or small.
Storytelling: Macastory’s Jacobites, Fights and a Prince in Tights! Macastory are off to Jacobite times, sharpening their claymores and marching south with Bonny Prince Charlie! Come along, join up with the Jacobite army and hear tales of daring adventure, brave battles and incredible escapes. Meet the clansmen who fought for the Prince and listen as they tell their stories…you’ll even have a chance to take part in a Highland charge! Lots of songs too. For ages 7+. 2pm, 2.45pm or 3.30pm (30 minute sessions), Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free and unticketed. Supported by the Friends of NGS.
The Big Screen Movie Day: this month family favourite The Goonies (12A). Free popcorn! 2pm, Boda’s Bar, 229 Leith Walk.
Science Sunday: come and enjoy an afternoon of demos, activities and mini-challenges as part of British Science Week. 12 noon-4pm, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street. Free, drop-in.
Edinburgh Printmakers’ Clearance Sale: amazing pieces of art grouped by price and starting at just £10. This one-off fundraising event allows you to pick up rare and unusual fine art prints at a fraction of their original price. 11am-4pm (unless sold out earlier), Edinburgh Printmakers, Union Street.
LGBT: Me & T Monthly. A supportive space for people who have friends, family or partners who are transgender or exploring their gender – an opportunity to meet other people who may have similar experiences, questions or concerns. 2-4pm, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street. For more information email me.and.t.edinburgh@gmail.com.
Resonate 2015 Jazz & Rock Night: rock ‘n’ roll the night away with the Edinburgh Schools Jazz Orchestra (ESJO) and the Edinburgh Schools Rock Ensemble (ESRE). ESJO is celebrating its 25th birthday; ESRE may be younger, but it is just as entertaining! 7pm, The Queen’s Hall, 85-89 Clerk Street. Tickets cost £8/£4 and can be purchased from the Box office in person, online here or by calling 0131 668 2019. Transaction fees apply to online and telephone bookings. Resonate is a collaboration between The Queen’s Hall and the City of Edinburgh Council’s Children and Families Arts & Creative Learning Service, taking place at The Queen’s Hall 9-30th March 2015. It is made possible by support from the Inches Carr Trust.
St Giles’ At Six: Edinburgh Napier University Chamber Choir ‘Evening‘. Elgar: My love dwelt in a northern land, Brahms: In stiller nacht, Coleridge Taylor: The Evening Star, Sullivan: The long day closes, Robin McLeish: Three Songs (first performance) and Ivo Antognini: There is another sky. 6pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free: retiring collection.
