You’d better not be flagging already – the month is still young, and there’s plenty to do in the city! From the Roman Praetorian Guard to the Pout Fest tour and Einstein’s Wardrobe, take your pick. No sleeping please – you can do that in September… Please check details with all venues before setting out.
MONDAY 10TH AUGUST 2015
Leo du Feu and Susan Smith: watercolours, oils and prints of Scottish landscapes and wildlife by artists Susan Smith and Leo du Feu. The mother and son duo are both graduates of Edinburgh College of Art, and come from a family of three generations of painters; this show will for the first time include paintings by Susan’s mother Molly. (All images (c) the artists). 10am-6pm daily, Royal Over-Seas League, 100 Princes Street. Free. Ends 18th September 2015.
Grassmarket Community Cinema: The Station Agent (15). A multiple award-winning comedy, telling the story of lonely dwarf Finbar MacBride. When Finbar’s only friend dies he moves to an abandoned train depot, where he meets and eventually befriends two other lonely people. 7pm, Grassmarket Community Project, 86 Candlemaker Row. All welcome; free – donations to the Project also very welcome. The cafe will be open – please use it!
Polar Explorers Holiday Club: games, lunch, drama, Bible stories, crafts and lots of fun! All children who have finished P1-P7 are welcome. 10am-2.30pm, The Old Kirk and Muirhouse Church, Pennywell Gardens. Advance booking may be made by calling 0131 332 4354 but you can also just turn up at 9.45am on the day to register – please note children must be accompanied by an adult for the registration process. Free – this project is funded by The Old Kirk and Muirhouse Church. Also at same times on Tuesday 11th and Wednesday 12th August.
Mairi Campbell: the award winning Edinburgh musician draws on her deep well of Celtic ancestry in a stunningly beautiful solo show. ‘Campbell’s fearless, fluent and masterful musicianship is second to none…she continues to push the boundaries of the Scottish traditional music scene with her ethereal soundings and improvisation’. For ages 12+. 1-2pm, The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street. £10/£7; tickets are available in advance from the Fringe Box Office in person or online here, or on the door (sta). Please note this venue is cash only; if you wish to pay on the door please arrive at least 30 minutes before the start of the performance. Also at same time on Tuesday 11th August 2015.
Making Well: Pace: Walking By Design. A series of walks and exhibitions offering new routes linking Edinburgh’s green spaces and creative initiatives. The Pace Exhibition opens today: it explores the making and mapping of the Gayfield locality and more widely of Edinburgh’s green spaces and creative initiatives. The exhibition will be open 10am-6pm daily until 31st August. Short Garden Walks in Gayfield Square start tomorrow, Tuesday 11th, and will run on several dates throughout August; longer Walks By Design in and around central Edinburgh will begin on Sunday 16th August, and there will be a talk, Mapping and Marking in Edinburgh, on Tuesday 11th August (see separate listings for these events), Gayfield Creative Spaces, 11 Gayfield Square. Free. For more information see Gayfield’s website here.
Inside the Scorpion’s Nest: the Praetorian Guard was an elite Roman military force, in existence for over 300 years. Adapted from a republican institution by the first emperor Augustus, it was in essence the personal army of the man in power – but is the reputation that the guard has in the modern imagination (making and breaking emperors, for example) justified? Dr Sandra Bingham, Senior Teaching Fellow in Classics, reveals her views. 1-2pm, Anatomy Lecture Theatre, Doorway 3, Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Teviot Place. Free and open to all, but please register via eventbrite here. This talk is part of a series of public lectures which aim to challenge popular beliefs and reassess intriguing events. For more information click here.
Blind Poetics: Big Night of Spoken Word 4. The 4th annual night of spoken word marathonity and open mic longnessness. 40 x 5 minute open mic slots, arranged into 5 x 1 hour segments, starting at 8, finishing at 1am (probably) and featuring the best in contemporary spoken word plus the cream of the Fringe shows. To book a slot please email blindpoetics@gmail.com – all welcome! 8pm-1am, The Blind Poet, West Nicolson Street. Free.
St John’s Portobello Charity Coffee Morning: in aid of the children who live in the hostel of St Joseph’s School, Gitdubling, West Bengal. St John’s RC Church, 35 Brighton Place, Portobello.
An Enthusiasm For Looking: the art of Wilhelmina Barns-Graham. Helen Scott, Curator of Fine Art for Edinburgh Museums and Galleries, discusses the life and work of the Scottish artist, whose career spanned 60 years. Born in St Andrews, Barns-Graham relocated to Cornwall in 1940 and became closely associated with the St Ives School, but she was also a bold and innovative artist in her own right. Helen Scott will trace Barns-Graham’s career, from her early student days at Edinburgh College of Art to the colourful abstract images she produced in her mid-eighties. 10.30am, Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South. Tickets cost £8 per person and must be booked in advance via the Usher Hall Box Office, in person, by calling 0131 228 1155 or online here.
POUT Fest Tour: POUT started life four years ago as an LGBT film festival from independent distributor Peccadillo Pictures, created as a response to audience demands for more queer-oriented cinema on the big screen. After the overwhelming success of the London POUT Fests, Peccadillo have decided to take POUT on the road via an ongoing touring festival of selected films. Today’s film is Dressed As A Girl: made over five years, this self-styled ‘frockumentary’ follows a sextet of stars of the East End drag scene, recounting how they became involved in London’s alternative drag phenomenon and watching how their lives change during the filming. ‘A raucous, riotous spectacular with a killer soundtrack, and an ultimately joyous celebration of a group who have left their glittery mark on the face of East London for all time’. Scotland’s premier Queer Party Dive, Filmhouse and Edinburgh ‘Queen of Cabaret’ Miss Annabel Sings have joined forces to present a cabaret in the Cafe Bar just before the film – ‘expect half an hour of high speed, high-energy, high-kicking fun’. 9pm (cabaret), 9.30pm (film), Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be obtained from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 6382 or online: prices vary. The next POUT film will be A Girl at My Door, showing on 20th August.
Sofi’s Cult Movie Mondays: popular classics on the silver screen in Sofi’s cosy darkened back room. Free popcorn! Tonight’s film is The Boat That Rocked (15): it is 1966 and Bill Nighy is Quentin, the commander of a pirate radio station in the North Sea, overseeing a host of seedy, lusty, dope-smoking DJs and facing the wrath of the British government. 8pm, Sofi’s, Henderson Street.
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom: branch meeting, with an opportunity to view the Weapons of Mass Destruction Awareness Exhibition. 6.15pm, The Kiosk, Gayfield Creative Spaces, 11 Gayfield Square.
Alexander McCall Smith: The Revolving Door of Life. The renowned Edinburgh author signs copies of his latest book, the tenth in the Scotland Street series. 3pm, Waterstones West End, 128 Princes Street.
Picturehouses Culture Shock: bringing you the best in cult and genre films. Today’s film is the groundbreaking Willow (PG), featuring stunning special effects, dazzling action and a classic battle between good and evil. 9pm, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0871 902 5723 or online; prices vary.
TUESDAY 11TH AUGUST 2015
Holmliaskolenes Musikkorps: Norwegian School Marching Band. A youth wind band from Oslo, Holmliaskolenes Musikkorps has 35 members, all aged between 8 and 23 years; this is its first visit to Scotland. The band plays original band music, jazz and popular music – come along and enjoy half an hour of marching band music in the castle grounds. 3-3.30pm, Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South. Free.
Making Well: Pace: Walking By Design. A series of walks and exhibitions offering new routes linking Edinburgh’s green spaces and creative initiatives. Garden Walks in Gayfield Square start today; 20 minute lunchtime strolls to retrace and renew the garden pathway noted in 1876. Guest walkers, performers and activity groups will join in to explore history and health in Gayfield’s local park. 12.30-1.30pm, today and every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday until 27th August, Gayfield Creative Spaces, 11 Gayfield Square. Free. The Pace Exhibition runs at Gayfield until 31st August. For more information see Gayfield’s website here. Longer Walks By Design in and around central Edinburgh will begin on Sunday 16th August, and there will be a talk, Mapping and Marking in Edinburgh, at Gayfield this evening – see separate listings.
Selling Dreams: Fashion Photography. Susanna Brown, Curator of Photographs, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, explores the development of fashion photography, from its roots in Victorian society portraiture to today’s most dazzling fashion images, rich with colour and poetic narratives. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.
Edinburgh Art Festival Explorers Free Summer Art Workshops: for children in the age group P5-P7 (there will be workshops for younger children on 13th & 14th August – see listings). 10.30am-4.30pm, Central Library, George IV Bridge. Booking is required and may be made by emailing alchemyarts@gmail.com or calling 07853 872 073. Also at same times on Wednesday 12th August 2015.
Museum Outreach Crafts: a craft session for ages 5-10 with Edinburgh Museums and Galleries Outreach and Access workers. See some items from the museums’ collections and be inspired to make something amazing! 2-3.30pm, West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre, 19 West Pilton Grove. Free.
Making Well: Pace: Mapping and Marking in Edinburgh. Pace co-curator Anna Feintuck and National Library of Scotland Map Curator Christopher Fleet present an illuminating discussion about Edinburgh’s history of map making and manufacture. As a centre of cartographic industry, Edinburgh was home to world renowned map makers such as John Bartholomew and Son. Learn more about these maps of Edinburgh and the tales they can tell – as well as those they choose to hide – and discover Gayfield’s history as a bustling centre of light industry and creative manufacture. A Q & A session will follow the talk. 6.30pm, Gayfield Creative Spaces, 11 Gayfield Square. Free but booking is required and may be made via eventbrite here.
Edinburgh Art Festival – Spotlight Tours of Scottish Art: People, Places, Ideas. Guided tours of the City Art Centre’s Scottish Art collection, focusing on people, places and ideas. 11am or 3pm, (meet at reception) City Art Centre, 2 Market Street. No booking required, free – suggested donation £2. Also at same times on Thursday 13th August and Saturday 15th August 2015.
Record Breakers To Go: come and dine in the Record Breakers Restaurant – will you be a champion? For ages 5-12: children under 8 years must be accompanied by someone over the age of 12. 11am-12 noon, Drumbrae Library Hub, Drum Brae Drive. All welcome!
Edinburgh Art Festival: Karen Forbes: British Sign Language Walk. An informal accompaniment to Hanna Tuulikki’s SING SIGN: a close duet, open to BSL users and non-users alike. BSL interpreter Karen Forbes will lead a walk up the Royal Mile, exploring a selection of the closes branching off from it; she will expand upon the signs featured in SING SIGN, weaving literal translations of current street names with elements of their history. 3.10pm, starting at White Horse Close, 27 Canongate. Free but booking is required and may be made via eventbrite here.
Bohemia Moon Art & Craft Fair: over 35 stalls with artist-makers from all over Scotland. Summer cafe open for light refreshments. 10.30am-4.30pm, Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Place. Free entry, all welcome – dog friendly! Also at same times on Wednesday 12th August.
Polar Explorers Holiday Club: games, lunch, drama, Bible stories, crafts and lots of fun! All children who have finished P1-P7 are welcome. 10am-2.30pm, The Old Kirk and Muirhouse Church, Pennywell Gardens. Advance booking may be made by calling 0131 332 4354 but you can also just turn up at 9.45am on the day to register – please note children must be accompanied by an adult for the registration process. Free – this project is funded by The Old Kirk and Muirhouse Church. Also at same times on Wednesday 12th August.
Woodcraft: a tree-mendous event – get creative with timber and discover the wonderful world of woodlands. 2-3.30pm, Water of Leith Visitor Centre, 24 Lanark Road. £4 per child, accompanying adult free. Booking is essential and may be made by calling 0131 455 7367 or emailing admin@waterofleith.org.uk
St Mary’s Cathedral Tours: free tours of Scotland’s largest cathedral, a renowned masterpiece of Victorian Gothic architecture designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott. 10am today and every Tuesday in August, St Mary’s Cathedral (meet inside West Door), Palmerston Place. Free. Also at 2.15pm each Friday in August.
Baby Clothes Bring and Swap: trade your children’s old clothes for some new outfits. Clothes must be clean, undamaged, labelled with the size and suitable for babies and children aged 0-6 years; they can be brought into the library in advance. The swap will take place immediately after Bookbug (which runs 10.30-11am), and if you would like to bring some baking to share, the staff will put the kettle on! Any leftover clothes will be donated to charity. South Queensferry Library, Shore Road. All welcome – please invite your friends and neighbours.
Read All About It! An introduction to online newspaper resources at the National Library. The session will include demonstrations of a range of resources, plus tips on how to search and find the information you need. 10am, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Booking is essential and may be made by calling 0131 623 3734 or online here. For more information about the workshop please email enquiries@nls.uk.
Passion: a contemporary journey to the cross. A unique performance created and directed by accomplished dance artist and theologian Claire Henderson Davis, fusing dance, poetry and music into a compelling work. For ages 12+. 7pm, St Mary’s Cathedral, Palmerston Place. Free but tickets are required, and may be obtained from the Fringe Festival Box Office by calling 0131 226 0000, online here, or on the door (sta). Also at same time on Wednesday 12th and Thursday 13th August. Claire will also run a workshop 10am-3pm on Thursday 13th August at St Cuthbert’s Parish Church, Lothian Road.
Scottish Politics after the Election: Professor Ewan Cameron will put the 2015 UK election in its historical context by analysing historically the issues that it generated and considering what these might mean for the future. 1-2pm, Anatomy Lecture Theatre, Doorway 3, Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Teviot Place. Free and open to all, but please register via eventbrite here. This talk is part of a series of public lectures which aim to challenge popular beliefs and reassess intriguing events. For more information click here.
Colinton Community Council Meeting: 7pm, Colinton Bowling Club, Redford Road. For more information please contact secretary@colintoncc.org.uk.
LGBT Language Cafe: a groundbreaking new project offering four facilitated sessions for LGBT people whose first language is not English. Each session will offer games and activities to help you improve your spoken English and the opportunity to meet other people in a safe and supportive environment. 6.30-8pm, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street. For more information and to book your free place please contact Jules on 0131 523 1104 or jules@lgbthealth.org.uk – or just turn up on the night.
Quiz Night: with prizes for first, second and third places. 9pm, The Old Chain Pier, Trinity Crescent.
WEDNESDAY 12TH AUGUST 2015
Celebrity Organ Recital: Tom Bell, one of Britain’s foremost young international recital organists, presents a programme centered on Schoenberg’s monumental Variations on a Recitative, plus Dupre Carillon, Byrd Will Yow Walke the Woods soe Wylde, Matthew Sargent five visions from the book of enoch, Bliss (arr. Gower) Ballet for Children, Alain Aria, Brahms Prelude & Fugue in G Minor, Christian Friedrich Witte (attrib. JS Bach) Passacaglia in D Minor and Vierne Carillon de Westminster. 8pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Tickets cost £8/£5 (students)/accompanied children free, and are available from the Cathedral shop (0131 226 0673), from the Fringe Festival Box Office by calling 0131 226 0000, online here, or on the door (sta).
Grassmarket Community Project: A Talk by Elspeth Murray. Elspeth Murray has been poet-in-residence in schools, at conferences, among call centre staff and even in a shopping mall. She is a youth leader at St James Church, Leith and is on the tasting panel of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Since marrying puppeteer Richard Medrington in 2005, she has accidentally become a touring stage manager, and finds inspiration in theatres all over the world. 4.15pm, Grassmarket Community Project, 86 Candlemaker Row. All welcome; free – donations to the Project also very welcome. The cafe will be open – please use it!
Lunchtime Concert: Jenny Goss and Antonia Smart (sopranos) and Morley Whitehead (piano) perform works by Ravel, Beethoven, Berlioz, Greig, Thea Musgrave, Philip Martin and Joaquin Rodrigo. 1.10pm, Morningside Parish Church, Braid Road/Cluny Gardens. Free: a retiring collection will be taken for the church’s music scholarship fund.
Record Breaking Countries Quiz: For ages 5-12. 3-4pm, Muirhouse Library, Pennywell Court.
Polar Explorers Holiday Club: games, lunch, drama, Bible stories, crafts and lots of fun! All children who have finished P1-P7 are welcome. 10am-2.30pm, The Old Kirk and Muirhouse Church, Pennywell Gardens. Advance booking may be made by calling 0131 332 4354 but you can also just turn up at 9.45am on the day to register – please note children must be accompanied by an adult for the registration process. Free – this project is funded by The Old Kirk and Muirhouse Church.
Food Swap: Beets for Brambles: a free, informal event where you can swap your foraged, homegrown or homemade food. Use up gluts, meet your neighbours and diversify your larder! Bring as much or as little as you like; a couple of small jars of jam or a full array of homegrown veg. And if you’re just curious to see what’s going on, please feel free to drop in for a chat. Examples of previous swaps include cakes, bread, foraged fruit, eggs, chutneys, falafel, wild salad, pesto, veg seedlings, granola, quiche, herbs and cordials. Alternatively, swap your time or skills for food! 6pm, Saltyard Cafe, 158 Dalry Road. All welcome.
Discovering Family History at the National Library of Scotland: find out how the Library can help you with your family history research. The workshop includes some practical information on how to get a library card and use library resources; if you wish to register for a library card, please bring evidence of identity with you – details of what is acceptable can be found on the NLS website. 2.30pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Booking is essential and may be made by calling 0131 623 3734 or online here.
Man the Monster: in mythological texts early humans were thought of in two opposing ways; those who were civilised and lived in urban settlements and those who were wild and lived among the animals – Adam can be seen as a wild man. Professor Lloyd Llewellyn Jones argues that the wild man, seen as monstrous by urban society, is an innocent child of nature and that the monstrous is unlocked when mankind forgets its original bond with the wild. 1-2pm, Anatomy Lecture Theatre, Doorway 3, Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Teviot Place. Free and open to all, but please register via eventbrite here. This talk is part of a series of public lectures which aim to challenge popular beliefs and reassess intriguing events. For more information click here.
Edinburgh Art Festival Explorers Free Summer Art Workshops: for children in the age group P5-P7 (there will be workshops for younger children on 13th & 14th August – see listings). 10.30am-4.30pm, Central Library, George IV Bridge. Booking is required and may be made by emailing alchemyarts@gmail.com or calling 07853 872 073.
Bohemia Moon Art & Craft Fair: over 35 stalls with artist-makers from all over Scotland. Summer cafe open for light refreshments. 10.30am-4.30pm, Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Place. Free entry, all welcome – dog friendly!
Get Smart – Get Online: if you would like help in using your laptop, phone or tablet, this free 6 week class run by the WEA is for you. 1-3pm today and every Wednesday until 16th September, Craigmillar Library, Niddrie Mains Road. To book your place please call Janette Bond on 0131 225 2580 or email j.bond@weascotland.org.uk.
Kevin Williamson, Joseph Ridgewell, Joe England, Dickson Telfer, Craig Gibson and others launch Push II : cult writing, literary interviews and subversive art work from this East London Press magazine. ‘Keeping the punk ethos alive’ (Kevin Williamson). 6.30pm, Word Power Books, West Nicolson Street. All welcome, free: donations also welcome!
Curated by…. a season of films hand-picked by invited Festival regulars. Each screening will feature an in-person introduction by the curator, revealing their passion for the film and their reasons for choosing it. Today: Phill Jupitus presents A Matter of Life and Death (U), in which David Niven’s wartime pilot argues for his life in a celestial court, having fallen for American radio operator Kim Hunter. 9pm, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0871 902 5723 or online.
Nitekirk: a monthly, creative drop-in experience of church. A time of reflection, gentle music, candlelight and, throughout the sanctuary, places of optional activity such as poetry, art and prayers. Come and go as you like, join in as much or as little as you wish. The theme tonight will be Deepening. 8-11pm, Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Place. All welcome. ‘A place of welcome, a space for stillness, a pause on your journey, an open door’.
Boda Bar Quiz – August: true or false rounds, topical questions and ‘very odd music’ rounds. For teams of 4 people. 8pm, Boda Bar, 229 Leith Walk. Booking is highly recommended and may be made by calling 0131 553 5900, emailing boda@bodabar.com – or by popping in and speaking to the staff.
Snapshot of Bailey: Anne Braybon, photography historian and former curator, National Portrait Gallery, London, will show images and film clips from both Snap, David Bailey’s first controversial exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in 1971, and Bailey’s Stardust, revealing stories from behind the scenes and discussing different curatorial approaches. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed. Bailey’s Stardust continues at the Scottish National Gallery until 18th October 2015.
THURSDAY 13TH AUGUST 2015
Comic Art Workshop with Kev F Sutherland: find out how easy it is to write and draw comics and manga! A free comic art masterclass for ages 8-12, with Kev F Sutherland, whose work appears in The Beano, Marvel comics, Dr Who Adventures and lots more. At the end of the masterclass you will get a comic containing a strip from everyone, and your own comic caricature drawn by Kev! 2-4pm, Central Children’s Library, George IV Bridge. Free but booking is essential and may be made via eventbrite here. To help the library manage bookings, please only order a ticket for your child – do not book an extra one for any accompanying adult.
Riots, Headscarves and Mistresses. For two centuries or more, most French people and many foreigners considered French politics to be at the vanguard of history, but in the past two decades this image has been shattered. In this talk Dr Emile Chabal will focus on the revival of French republicanism since the 1980s, offering new perspectives on the transformation of France into a European country like any other. 1-2pm, Anatomy Lecture Theatre, Doorway 3, Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Teviot Place. Free and open to all, but please register via eventbrite here. This talk is part of a series of public lectures which aim to challenge popular beliefs and reassess intriguing events. For more information click here.
Sand Castle Day at NEA! Everyone is welcome at this free event in NEA’s garden. 10am-12 noon, North Edinburgh Arts, Pennywell Court, Muirhouse. Please contact NEA on 0131 315 2151 for more information.
Getting Started at the National Library of Scotland: learn how to get a library card, find your way around the Library and request materials from the collections. The workshop will include a tour of the reading rooms. If you wish to register for a library card, please bring evidence of identity with you – details of what is acceptable can be found on the NLS website. 2.30pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Booking is essential and may be made by calling 0131 623 3734 or online here.
Beyond The Veil: Eid Celebration Event. This month’s storytelling session will be about the Prophet Ibrahim, and will include a boat trip to Inchcolm Island for all the family. Meet promptly at 12.15pm, Hawes Pier, South Queensferry EH30 9TB. £10 (adult), £5 (child), children aged 4 or under go free. Booking is essential: please email the names of all people attending, the ages of children and a mobile contact number to beyondtheveil@hotmail.co.uk. Beyond The Veil is a Muslim women’s group based in Edinburgh; it aims to promote a better understanding of Islam on a basic level, and believes it is through integration and partnership that understanding on a reciprocal basis can be achieved. For more information see the group’s Facebook page here.
Record Breakers: Creative Storytelling with The Dogs Trust. For ages 5-10. 2.30pm, Oxgangs Library, Oxgangs Road North.
Edinburgh Art Festival – Spotlight Tours of Scottish Art: People, Places, Ideas. Guided tours of the City Art Centre’s Scottish Art collection, focusing on people, places and ideas. 11am or 3pm, (meet at reception) City Art Centre, 2 Market Street. No booking required, free – suggested donation £2. Also at same times on 15th August 2015.
Blackwell’s Edinburgh Presents Writers at the Fringe: every Thursday throughout the Fringe, Blackwell’s invites a selection of Scottish performers to give a taste of their work. New and unpublished works of literary art stand alongside established novelists, with any and all genres free to be expressed, from poetry to cutting-edge drama, folk music, contemporary fiction and all that is found between. Tonight’s line-up is Ian Garbutt, Jane Alexander, Alwyn James, Sue Lawrence and Doug Johnstone. 5.45pm for 6pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Free tickets may be obtained from the shop’s front desk, by calling 0131 622 8229, emailing events.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk, via eventbrite here or from the Fringe Box Office here.
Annabelle Gurwitch: the author, playwright and actress discusses her work and her latest book, New York Times Bestseller I See You Made An Effort. Gurwitch, whose previous publications include You Say Tomato, I Say Shut Up, previously hosted Dinner and A Movie on TBS. She is now shortlisted for the 2014-15 James Thurber Prize for American Humour Writing. 5.30pm, Word Power Books, West Nicolson Street. All welcome, free: donations also very welcome!
Edinburgh Art Festival Explorers Free Summer Art Workshops: for children in the age group P1-P4. 10.30am-4.30pm, Central Library, George IV Bridge. Booking is required and may be made by emailing alchemyarts@gmail.com or calling 07853 872 073. Also at same times on Friday 14th August 2015.
Museum Outreach – Street Games: a session with Edinburgh Museums and Galleries Outreach and Access workers. 2.30pm, Currie Library, 210 Lanark Road West. Free.
Gallery 37: a showcase event celebrating the work of young people aged 14-19, inspired by the Museum’s collections and created with professional artists in Impact Art workshops. Art forms include fashion, digital, visual art, performance, music, animation and design. 10am-5pm, Event Space and Auditorium, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street. Free: all welcome.
Portrait Gallery Curator’s Talk: Head to Head. A chance to chat to gallery curators about the current exhibitions; this month Imogen Gibbon, Deputy Director of the Portrait Gallery, talks about Head to Head. 5.30-6pm, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free and unticketed.
The Drawing Room August 2015: informal artist-led drawing sessions, each developed by a contemporary artist and reflecting concerns in that artist’s work. All materials supplied: no experience necessary. 5.30-6.45pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art TWO, Belford Road. To book please contact the Education Department on 0131 624 6410 or email education@nationalgalleries.org.
LGBT Learning Difficulties: a group for LGBT people who also identify as having a learning difficulty or disability. The group can offer social activities, volunteering opportunities, and capacity building with statutory or voluntary sector organisations. Today’s activity is a trip to the seaside at Portobello – visit a cafe with sea views and stroll along the prom with friends. Meet at LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street by 1pm or at the South St David’s Street bus stop by 1.15pm. Return will be around 4.30pm. Please bring money to buy your refreshments in the cafe. Booking is essential and must be made by contacting George Burrows on 0131 652 3281 or emailing george@lgbthealth.org.uk by Monday 10th August. For more information about the group or to make an appointment, please also contact George.
Phill Jupitus Sketch Comic in Conversation: each Thursday evening during the festivals, Phill Jupitus will be in conversation with a special guest – a passionate, personal and irreverent look at art, a chat about what Phill has seen in the galleries this week, and possibly some sketching! The guests’ identities will be announced nearer the time. 7-8pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.
The Dew On Her Plaid: the history and myths behind a selection of traditional songs. A performance of six traditional Scots songs which link in various ways to women in Scottish history. Performed and presented by Dr Nicola Cowmeadow and Syd House. For adults. 2pm, Museum of Edinburgh, Huntly House, 142 Canongate. Tickets cost £5/£3.50 and must be booked in advance via the Usher Hall Box Office, in person, by calling 0131 228 1155 or online here.
Making Faces! Making for Grown-Ups. A special evening opening of the children’s Making Faces! activities for ages 16+ to 80+. Unleash your childlike, creative side with hands-on art making activities; drop into the studio this summer and get inspired by an amazing variety of portraits from across the National Galleries’ exhibitions and collections. 5-7pm, Clore 1, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.
The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926) (U) – with live score by Sink. Widely considered to be the first full-length animated feature in the history of cinema, The Adventures of Prince Achmed is a superlative piece of storytelling with some experimental and semi-abstract sequences thrown in. Based loosely on the Arabian Nights, the film is an exciting and fast-paced tale of sword fights, chases, genies and adventure. Continuing a four year collaboration with Filmhouse, acoustic trio Sink bring their sounds to this very special animated feature, this time reaching beyond their more usual instrumentation to include mizmar, tuned percussion and vocal elements in a score that is ‘in part composed, in part conjured, like painting bright colours onto black and white film and setting the quiet air into magical vibration’. 9pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be obtained from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 6382 or online: prices vary.
Edinburgh Festival Voluntary Guides Association: Edinburgh and the Act of Union 1707. Eric Melvin will tell the story of Edinburgh at the start of the 18th century, the events which led up to the Act of Union, and how the Act was received in Scotland and in England. 7pm for 7.30pm, City Chambers, 253 High Street. Free; all welcome.
Nothing Ever Happens Here: Stanley Odd. The alternative Scottish hip-hop band released their third album A Thing Brand New in late 2014. ‘Scottish hip-hop standard bearers…delivery deadly, rhymes sublime’ (Scotland on Sunday). 8.30pm, Dissection Room, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. Tickets cost £10 and may be purchased by calling the Box Office on 0131 560 1580 or online here.
FRIDAY 14TH AUGUST 2015
Edinburgh Art Festival Curators’ Tours – Kwang Young Chun: Aggregations. Dovecot Gallery’s Exhibition Curator Kate Grenyer tours the Aggregations exhibition and talks about the inspiration behind the Korean artist’s mulberry paper assemblages. 11am, Dovecot Studios, Infirmary Street. Free and unticketed.
Edinburgh Book Fringe starts today! Daily events – all of them free (donations appreciated) for two weeks at Word Power Books, Edinburgh’s independent radical bookshop. For tonight’s opening event campaigning comedian Mark Thomas discusses 100 Acts of Minor Dissent, his brilliant account of one year spent living provocatively. 7.30pm, Word Power Books, West Nicolson Street. All welcome! No booking required, but arrive promptly as space is limited.
Record Breakers End of Challenge Parties! Come along and celebrate your reading over the summer. 11.30am for 5-8 years, 2.30pm for 9-12 years, Corstorphine Library, Kirk Loan. Booking is essential as places are limited: please contact the library on 0131 529 5506 or call in in advance and speak to the staff.
Ritzfrolic: an evening of poetry and discussion inspired by the sculptures of the late John Chamberlain and his use of puns, wordplay and poetic language in the naming of his works. Inverleith House and the Scottish Poetry Library present an evening of poetry and discussion with poet and Reader in English Literature (University of Glasgow), Jane Goldman and Alistair Rider, Lecturer in Modern Art (University of St Andrew’s). 6.30-9pm, Inverleith House, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Tickets cost £5/£4 (transaction fee applies) and may be obtained via eventbrite here. The RBGE’s exhibition of John Chamberlain’s sculptures continues until 5th October 2015.
North Edinburgh Arts: KITES! Come along to NEA’s workshop at the park and find out how to transform plastic bags into kites – and fly them! For all ages. 1-3pm, West Pilton Park, West Pilton Avenue. All welcome – for more information please contact NEA on 0131 315 2151. If you have any spare plastic bags, please drop them off at NEA reception in advance.
Festival of Politics 2015: a three-day programme of exhibitions, debates and films, featuring respected figures from the worlds of media, politics, academia and the arts. Exhibitions on display throughout the weekend look at the Anti-Apartheid movement, cartoonists’ interpretations of the independence debate (The Auld Acquaintance), sounds created by different areas of the Parliament and its inhabitants (Democratic Resonance 2013-2015), plus Michael Peto Photography – Politics in Focus, and the 2015 World Press Photography Awards. On Saturday the Festival Youth Cafe will offer free workshops in vlogging, performance poetry, film-making and cartooning, and a session with acclaimed author Cathy McPhail. On both Saturday and Sunday there will be free live music and performances in the Festival Cafe Bar, which will be serving drinks and Scottish delicacies. Today’s debates are Scotland and Slavery, What does your Commonwealth do for You? and The Democratic Challenge, and today’s film is 12 Years A Slave (15). Starts 4.30pm today, The Scottish Parliament, Holyrood; ends 9.30pm, Sunday 16th August 2015. For more information, details of all debates and films, and to book tickets, see the festival’s website here: ticket prices vary – all exhibitions are free, and the World Press Awards and Michael Peto exhibitions will remain open until 22nd August 2015 (10am-5pm Monday to Saturday only).
Edinburgh Art Festival Explorers Free Summer Art Workshops: for children in the age group P1-P4. 10.30am-4.30pm, Central Library, George IV Bridge. Booking is required and may be made by emailing alchemyarts@gmail.com or calling 07853 872 073.
St Mary’s Cathedral Tours: free tours of Scotland’s largest cathedral, a renowned masterpiece of Victorian Gothic architecture, designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott. 2.15pm today and every Friday in August, St Mary’s Cathedral (meet inside West Door), Palmerston Place. Free. Also at 10am each Tuesday in August.
Riccio Gallery: Michael P Young, Diane Young and Rhona Petrie. A new exhibition of paintings and jewellery. Preview tonight 7-9pm, then 10am-4pm Monday to Saturday, Riccio Gallery, 17 South Street, Dalkeith. Ends 9th September 2015.
Maps for Family and Local History: find out how maps can help you with your research. Learn about the range of historical maps held by the National Library of Scotland and the information they provide; a tour of the Maps Reading Room will be included. 2pm, Maps Reading Room, 159 Causewayside. Booking is essential and may be made by calling 0131 623 3734 or online here. For more information about this workshop please email maps@nls.uk.
Blackwell’s Edinburgh and Mariscat Press Present Jackie Kay: the launch of a new pamphlet by one of Scotland’s most loved poets. Jackie Kay was born and brought up in Scotland; she writes poetry and fiction for adults and children. Jackie’s first poetry collection The Adoption Papers won the Forward Prize, a Saltire Award and a Scottish Arts Council Book Award, and she has won numerous awards for her writing since, including the MBE in 2006. 6.30pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Free tickets may be obtained from the shop’s front desk, by calling 0131 622 8222, emailing events.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk or via eventbrite here.
Rome in Fact and Fantasy: Dr James Lawson (University of Edinburgh) discusses artists’ depictions – and conjurings up – of the eternal city, focusing on David Roberts’ Sunset from the Convent of Sant’ Onofrio on the Janiculum (1856). 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.
Phill Jupitus: Sketch Comic at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. The legendary stand-up, poet and sketchman returns for another three weeks of digital drawing, chat and mirth. Each morning Phill will select and sketch (on an iPad) a favourite of his from the gallery collection. Come and watch, chat with Phill and join in on your own iPad or sketchbook – make and share your own sketches. Phill’s work will be posted on Facebook and Twitter each day and you are encouraged to post yours too. Phill will be at a different gallery each week; today he moves to the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. Wednesdays will be special Sketch Comic for Kids sessions, but grown-ups are still welcome to come along. On Thursday evenings Phill will host a special in-conversation event with a different special guest each time – see listing. 10am-12 noon today and every day until 20th August, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free and unticketed.
Relics, Curiosities and Councillors: how Edinburgh got its museums. Nico Tyack delves into the depths of the City Corporation’s archives to uncover how Edinburgh got its own museum, funded by the people for the people. Expect outraged citizens, mysterious goings-on behind closed doors, magnaminous councillors and a sharpened blade or two, all set against the backdrop of glorious Huntly House. For adults. 10.30am, Museum of Edinburgh, Huntly House, 142 Canongate. Tickets cost £5/£3.50 and must be booked in advance via the Usher Hall Box Office, in person, by calling 0131 228 1155 or online here.
Michael Branagh: a new art exhibition. Launch tonight with refreshments, 7.30pm, Sofi’s, Henderson Street, then during usual opening hours.
SATURDAY 15TH AUGUST 2015
Sketching Lauriston Castle with The Edinburgh Sketcher. In this sketching tour you will have the chance to learn speed sketching skills and time-saving solutions, enabling you to capture the world around you in ink and watercolour – make delightful drawings and be inspired to carry on at home! 10am-12 noon or 1-3pm, Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South. £20 per person: advance booking must be made via the Usher Hall Box Office, in person, by calling 0131 228 1155 or online here.
Edinburgh Book Fringe: daily events – all of them free (donations appreciated) for two weeks at Word Power Books, Edinburgh’s independent radical bookshop. Today: What The Frock! Comedy discuss The What The Frock! Book of Funny Women. Host and long time What The Frock! Comedy collaborator Kate Smurthwaite will welcome other comedians and contributors (line-up tbc), who will talk about the funny women they love most and answer your questions about the role of women in comedy. 1pm, Word Power Books, West Nicolson Street. All welcome! No booking required, but arrive promptly as space is limited.
Morningside Farmers’ Market: fresh, local, seasonal goods direct from the producers. Meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, cheeses, baking, breads, preserves, confectionery, condiments, crafts, gourmet dog treats and more. Refreshments available throughout the market and from The Merlin. ‘Keep the pounds within the local economy!’ 9.30am-3.30pm, The Merlin (rear car park), 168 Morningside Road.
Festival of Politics 2015: a three-day programme of exhibitions, debates and films, featuring respected figures from the worlds of media, politics, academia and the arts. Exhibitions on display throughout the weekend look at the Anti-Apartheid movement, cartoonists’ interpretations of the independence debate (The Auld Acquaintance), sounds created by different areas of the Parliament and its inhabitants (Democratic Resonance 2013-2015), plus Michael Peto Photography – Politics in Focus, and the 2015 World Press Photography Awards. Today the Festival Youth Cafe will offer free workshops in vlogging, performance poetry, film-making and cartooning, and a session with acclaimed author Cathy McPhail. Today and on Sunday there will be free live music and performances in the Festival Cafe Bar (open today 10.30am-6.30pm), which will be serving drinks and Scottish delicacies. 10.30am-9.30pm, The Scottish Parliament, Holyrood. For more information, details of all debates and films, and to book tickets, see the festival’s website here: ticket prices vary – all exhibitions are free, and the World Press Awards and Michael Peto exhibitions will remain open until 22nd August 2015 (10am-5pm Monday to Saturday only).
Edinburgh Art Festival – Spotlight Tours of Scottish Art: People, Places, Ideas. Guided tours of the City Art Centre’s Scottish Art collection, focusing on people, places and ideas. 11am or 3pm, (meet at reception) City Art Centre, 2 Market Street. No booking required, free – suggested donation £2.
Older But No Wiser: CODA’s 25th Birthday! Live music spread over three days to celebrate the specialist music shop’s anniversary; today performances by Emily Smith, Blue Rose Code, Catriona McKay, Aiden O’Rourke and Graeme Stephen. Coda, 12 Bank Street. Please contact shop for times. All welcome! Further events will take place on 16th August – see listing.
LGBT T-time in Edinburgh: an informal monthly social gathering open to all transgender people, their friends, families and supporters – come along for tea, coffee and a chat in a relaxed environment. Today’s optional event (from 2pm) is Gender Info Session Revisited: a presentation of the Q & A from an event held with NHS Lothian Gender Clinic in April. 1-4pm, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street. For more information please contact Jules on 0131 523 1104 or jules@lgbthealth.org.uk.
Head-to-Head Sculpture City Walking Tours. A National Galleries of Scotland walking tour taking a fresh look at Edinburgh’s sculptural and architectural gems – hear the stories behind the city’s imposing figure sculptures and monuments. Please come dressed for the weather and be prepared to walk at a pace, as the tour will cover a large area of the city. 2-3.30pm, meet at main entrance, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. £10/£8: please book in advance as places are limited to 15 per tour – tickets are available from the gallery’s Information Desk or by calling 0131 624 6560.
Edinburgh College of Art Masters Degree Show: a showcase of work by 130 postgraduate students from the Reid School of Music, School of Art, School of Design and the Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. 11am-5pm (with late opening to 8pm on 19th and 20th August), Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place and West Port. Ends 23rd August 2015. Part of Edinburgh Art Festival.
Thomas the Tank Engine Activity Day: come and enjoy model railway building and colouring with Thomas! 12 noon, Waterstones West End, 128 Princes Street.
Summer Storytime: Come and listen to some stories by the brilliant children’s author Julia Donaldson, then join in related arts and activities. 12 noon, Waterstones, Cameron Toll Centre, 6 Lady Road.
Summer Storytime: Five Minutes’ Peace. Listen to Jill Murphy’s wonderfully-observed and hilarious tale of Mrs Large and her children – then join in arts and activities related to the story. 3pm, Waterstones, 83 George Street.
Einstein’s Wardrobe: Steven McDonald (vocals/ukulele/keyboards/percussion), Gillian Hunter (vocals) and David Salvona (guitar, bass, ukulele). 9pm, The Skylark, 241-243 Portobello High Street.
SUNDAY 16TH AUGUST 2015
Filmhouse Junior: screenings for a younger audience. Today: LIAF – For Ages 7+ (PG). A programme of 10 short films from the London International Animation Festival, specially chosen for children over 7 years. This international showcase includes Effie Pappa’s McLaren Award-winning My Stuffed Granny and the delightful Rabbit and Deer. 11am, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £4 per person, big or small, and may be obtained from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 6382 or online.
Making Well: Pace: Walking By Design. A series of walks and exhibitions offering new routes linking Edinburgh’s green spaces and creative initiatives. Today the first of a series of Walks By Design in and around central Edinburgh; 60 minute strolls to explore the beauty and creativity of contemporary Edinburgh, creating a map and mapping creativity. 2pm, Gayfield Creative Spaces, 11 Gayfield Square. Free. Also at same time on Sundays 23rd and 30th August. The Pace Exhibition runs at Gayfield until 31st August 2015; for more information see Gayfield’s website here.
Older But No Wiser: CODA’s 25th Birthday! Live music spread over three days to celebrate the specialist music shop’s anniversary; today performances by Karine Polwart, Kirsty Law, Chris Stout, Iain Morrison, Wendy Weatherby and Dean Owens, with a reading by Ian Rankin. Coda, 12 Bank Street. Please contact shop for times. All welcome!
Edinburgh Book Fringe: daily events – all of them free (donations appreciated) for two weeks at Word Power Books, Edinburgh’s independent radical bookshop. Today: theatre director and performer Morna Burdon performs Bonnie Fechters: Songs and Stories of Hope and Resistance, inspiring stories and songs about women’s activism and struggle, from the jute mills of Dundee to the world-wide witch killings and the Vietnam war. 1pm, Word Power Books, West Nicolson Street. All welcome! No booking required, but arrive promptly as space is limited.
Foam, Foil and Form Workshop: explore the materials and techniques used by the artist in these drop-in art workshops inspired by the sculptures of John Chamberlain. Experiment with colour and form by making miniature foam sculptures, sculpt with foil or create through collage – take your work home! For ages 4+; please note that children must be accompanied by an adult. 2-4pm, Real Life Science Studio, John Hope Gateway, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Free: no booking required.
Celebrity Organ Recitals: Steven Grahl, Director of Music, Peterborough Cathedral. 4.45pm, St Mary’s Cathedral, Palmerston Place. Free: retiring collection.
Linlithgow Union Canal Society Fun Day: featuring the great Cardboard Boat Race! Plus short canal trips available all afternoon, a free ferry from one side of the canal basin to the other and lots of stalls – including the Art Club, charities, face-painting and Punch & Judy. There will be musical entertainment from Linlithgow Folk Festival Association and the International Rescue Corps will give a water safety demonstration. Light refreshments available in the tea room, plus barbecue and ice cream. 1pm, Linlithgow Canal Centre, Manse Road, Linlithgow.
Picturehouse Vintage Sundays: classic films back on the big screen. Today: A Clockwork Orange (18) Stanley Kubrick’s future-shook vision of Anthony Burgess’s novel, starring Malcolm McDowell. 1pm, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0871 902 5723 or online.
Festival of Politics 2015: a three-day programme of exhibitions, debates and films, featuring respected figures from the worlds of media, politics, academia and the arts. Exhibitions on display throughout the weekend look at the Anti-Apartheid movement, cartoonists’ interpretations of the independence debate (The Auld Acquaintance), sounds created by different areas of the Parliament and its inhabitants (Democratic Resonance 2013-2015), plus Michael Peto Photography – Politics in Focus, and the 2015 World Press Photography Awards. Free live music and performances in the Festival Cafe Bar (open today 10.30am-6.30pm), which will be serving drinks and Scottish delicacies. 10am-9.30pm, The Scottish Parliament, Holyrood. Ends 9.30pm, Sunday 16th August 2015. For more information, details of all debates and films, and to book tickets, see the festival’s website here: ticket prices vary – all exhibitions are free, and the World Press Awards and Michael Peto exhibitions will remain open until 22nd August 2015 (10am-5pm Monday to Saturday only).
Hedwig and the Angry Inch: Sing-along Screening (15) (In English and German with English subtitles). John Cameron Mitchell’s outrageous cult classic is the story of a struggling rock singer and her search for stardom and love. After reluctantly submitting to a sex change operation to marry an American GI and escape East Germany, Hedwig finds herself divorced and living in a Kansas trailer park.. but when she encounters young Tommy Gnosis, she falls hard again, only for Tommy to dump her, steal her songs and become a rock superstar. Through a series of flashbacks, animations and eminently singable tunes, Hedwig – backed by her pan-Slavic band, The Angry Inch – tells her tragic life story. 8.30pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be obtained from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 6382 or online: prices vary.
St John’s Festival Pulpits: Scottish political leaders come to St John’s to explain what motivates them. The five main parties in Scotland will be represented, each one speaking after St John’s Festival Evensong on Sundays throughout August. Tonight’s speaker is Ruth Davidson MSP, Leader, Scottish Conservatives. 7pm (approx – after evensong service, which begins at 6pm), St John’s Episcopal Church, Princes Street. All welcome, free. Next Sunday’s speaker will be Sarah Boyack MSP, Shadow Cabinet Minister for Rural Affairs, Food and Environment, Scottish Labour Party.
The Incredible Amy Hawthorn: funk/soul/jazz from the West Lothian singer/songwriter. 8pm, The Old Chain Pier, Trinity Crescent.
St Giles’ At Six: Jamie Lang (piano) plays music by Liszt, JS Bach, Mendelssohn, Debussy and Gershwin. 6pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free; retiring collection.
