Five things you need to know today

Distribution Rewired – help up and coming filmmakers

Mary King’s Close

Colinton Village Event coming up! 

Gallery in the gardens is one step closer

Get on the bus

Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) has launched a new initiative called Distribution Rewired to shine a light on the new distribution avenues for new filmmakers.

You can help by contributing to the crowdfunding on Indiegogo. There are perks for those who do!

If you are a filmmaker you can network at the EIFF this summer.

Watch this film to learn more:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUqpcXqMV0s]

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After years of roaming the warren of underground streets hidden below Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, the characters of The Real Mary King’s Close are set to emerge into the spring sunshine taking guests on an overground adventure.

The combined underground-overground offer means there are now even more opportunities to experience Edinburgh’s rich history both above and below ground. With an underground tour of The Real Mary King’s Close followed by an overground walking tour of the surrounding Old Town, visitors to the Close will be able to put this unique site and the city’s heritage into context.

In the company of a character tour guide, visitors will be taken on a historical journey spanning nine centuries of the city’s fascinating past; covering tales from the Toll Booth to the exploration of Closes that were spared the same fate of Mary King’s Close. Whilst surrounded by architecturally diverse monuments and buildings, including the Mercat Cross and St Giles’ Cathedral, guests will discover how the residents of Edinburgh tried to keep crime out of the city walls, learn why execution north of the border had a slight advantage, get to grips with trading and local life as well as hear stories of the more infamous inhabitants of these historic streets.

Tour creator and site expert, Keith Baxter enthused, “The tour itself was developed to give guests an idea of what Edinburgh was like and how the city progressed through the ages linking the past to the present. This tour offers guests the opportunity to discover the real people who lived in Edinburgh, not just its most notorious inhabitants.”

Running four times daily at 13:15, 14:15, 15:15 and 16:15hrs, the hour long tour allows visitors the flexibility to go and come back between tours meaning guests can make the most of their time in Edinburgh. The overground tour is available to those booking a standard underground tour and is £5 on top of a standard tour ticket.

From April 2015 standard ticket prices are, Adult £13.95, Child £8.25* and Concession £12.50. Family tickets are also available at £37.75.** Pre-booking is recommended; advance bookings can be made by calling 0845 070 6244 or in person at The Real Mary King’s Close.

The Real Mary King’s Close is part of Continuum Attractions who offer a host of cultural visitor attraction experiences across the UK, from the hallowed cobbles of Coronation Street to Portsmouth’s iconic Spinnaker Tower.

More details here.

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The National Galleries of Scotland (NGS) says that the major redevelopment project for the Scottish National Gallery has passed the first crucial stage of the Heritage Lottery Fund’s (HLF) application process.

The £15.3 m renovation, entitled Celebrating Scotland’s Art: The Scottish National Gallery Project (SNG Project), will triple the Gallery’s exhibition space and radically improve access to its world-class collection of Scottish art. An application to the HLF for £4.94 m has now received Stage 1 approval.

Designed by the Scottish architect William Henry Playfair (1790-1857) and situated at The Mound in the centre of Edinburgh, the Scottish National Gallery is the most popular UK art gallery outside of London, attracting over 1.295 million visitors in 2014.

The ambition is to have the world’s most important collection of Scottish art realise its full potential, thus helping the public understand both the history and impact of Scottish art nationally and internationally.

The new presentation of Scotland’s art will combine a historical narrative, which will range from the 17^th to the mid-20th century (including the Scottish Colourists), with dynamic and changing displays drawn from the riches of the collection.

The redevelopment will enhance visitor circulation throughout the Gallery and will take full advantage of advances in digital technology, to extend the reach of the collections to new audiences across the world. The project will also include an extensive programme of activity providing a wide range of opportunities for visitors, including digital, to engage with the Gallery and its collections.

Set to commence in 2016, the project will include the creation of a new landscaped public pathway and terrace, from the Princes St Gardens level, which will increase public access to the different parts of the NGS complex.

Gareth Hoskins Architects (GHA) – one of Scotland’s leading architectural practices – will oversee this major refurbishment. The practice has established its reputation for its design of arts and cultural schemes, and the SNG project follows recent major GHA developments, such as the RIAS Doolan Award-winning redevelopment of the National Museum of Scotland.

During the renovation, the Scottish National Gallery will remain open to the public with access to the spaces not affected by these plans. Construction is planned to commence in 2016, with works expected to be completed in the summer of 2018.

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Residents and visitors are invited to enjoy a new perspective on Edinburgh, by viewing the city from the top of a double-decker tour bus.

Edinburgh Bus Tours’ summer season has just started and with it the return of the Mac Tour and Bus & Boat Tours. Operating from Waverley Bridge seven days a week, Edinburgh Bus Tours is the third most popular paid for visitor attraction in Scotland.

The full range of five tours takes in the capital’s main attractions, from the castle and Old Town to the Royal Yacht Britannia and the three Forth bridges.

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