Home Culture What’s On In Edinburgh this week

What’s On In Edinburgh this week

August 30, 2015 12:06 pm

MONDAY 31ST AUGUST 2015

Cameo Toddler Time: Bing Programme 4 – Bake, Train, Say Goodbye, Lost and Picnic (U). Short screenings for pre-school children, their parents and carers. Bing is a groundbreaking TV series for CBeebies, celebrating the noisy, joyful, messy reality of life as a preschooler and also offering carers strategies for dealing with the trickier moments. 11am, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets cost £3 per child (accompanying adults free) and may be obtained from the Box Office in person, by calling the Box Office on 0871 902 5723 or online here. No adult will be admitted without a child.

Guided Tour of the National Library: a guided tour of the building and an introduction to the library’s collections and history. 2pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free but booking is essential and may be made in person, by calling 0131 623 3734 or online here.

Lunchtime Recital: Ivor Clayman (baritone) and John Bryden (piano). 1.10pm, St Mary’s Cathedral, Palmerston Place. Free: retiring collection.

Grassmarket Community Cinema: Night on Earth (15). A collection of five stories involving cab drivers in five different cities – Los Angeles, New York, Paris, Rome and Helsinki – starring Winona Ryder, Gena Rowlands, Lisanne Falk and Beatrice Dalle. Written & directed by Jim Jarmusch, this is a ‘compassionate comedy of missed connections….In Jarmusch’s decidedly un-Disneyish view, it’s not a small world after all’ (Rolling Stone). 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!

Five Modular Structures (Sequential Permutations on the Number Five), Sol LeWitt, 1972 − © ARS, NY and DACS, London 2004

Machines that Make Art: Sol LeWitt and Martin Creed. Professor Andrew Patrizio (University of Edinburgh) discusses Sol LeWitt, the pioneer of conceptual art well-known as both an artist and writer, who developed a beautifully systematic approach to creating his work. LeWitt exhibits in the same space as Scottish artist and Turner Prize-winner Martin Creed, who has taken LeWitt’s certainty with systems and made it his subject too, yet in a more obviously humorous spirit. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.

For Crying Out Loud: exclusive screenings for parents and carers and their babies under 12 months. Baby changing, bottle-warming and buggy parking facilities are available. Today’s film is Love & Mercy (12A): Bill Pohlad’s ‘mesmeric’ film focuses on two contrasting periods in the life of Beach Boys legend Brian Wilson. ‘An elusive and enthralling film’. 11am, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £4.50/£3.50 per adult (maximum 2 adults per baby) and may be obtained from the Box Office in person or by calling 0131 228 6382.

Meet the Edible Gardening Team: take a look round the productive garden with the Edible Gardening Project volunteers. Find out what jobs need doing in your own garden now and have your vegetable gardening questions answered. 1-3pm, Demonstration Garden, Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row. Free and unticketed. Also at same times on Tuesday 1st September 2015.

Cameo Culture Shock: the best in cult and genre films. Today: Godzilla vs King Kong Double Bill (PG). Godzilla, Ishiro Honda’s 1954 classic – the country’s first foray into the big budget feature – is a fierce indictment of the atomic age, and spawned more than twenty sequels over fifty years, whilst Schoedsack and Cooper’s original King Kong (1933) still impresses for its technical effects, though its real strength lies in the story (by Edgar Wallace) and the script. 7pm, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets may be obtained from the Box Office in person, by calling the Box Office on 0871 902 5723 or online here: prices vary.

Just Together – Festival Closing Party: bringing together many strands of the festival in words, music and dance, featuring guest performers from a mixture of cultures and wisdom. The party will be followed by a lantern release and reception – see the fireworks from St John’s terrace at 9.30! 8-9pm (reception follows), St John’s Episcopal Church, Princes Street. All welcome, free – no booking required.

Leith Links Community Council Meeting: 7pm, Persevere Room, Leith Community Education Centre, 12a New Kirkgate. All members of the local community welcome.

Write Shoot Cut (18). Presented by Screen Education Edinburgh in partnership with Filmhouse, the Write Shoot Cut platform is dedicated to celebrating and showcasing independent short films from Scotland. This month’s screenings are Willy and His Balls by Craig James Moncur, Miami by Robin Haig, Work by Ross Hornby and Mark Cox, Something Pure by Sean Young and Radge Land by Robbie Davidson. Each film will be followed by a Q & A session with the filmmakers involved. An excellent opportunity for filmmakers and anyone interested in Scottish film to connect with the local scene, watch some great films, network afterwards in the bar and meet potential collaborators. Please note this event is for over 18s only. 6.10pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £6/£5 and may be obtained from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 6382 or online here.

LGBT Drop-In: an informal weekly gathering open to new faces and regular attendees alike. For anyone who is LGBT or questioning their sexual and/or gender identity. 5.30-8pm, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street.

Portobello Community Council Meeting: the agenda, which may be downloaded here, includes consideration of the Baileyfield development, the new park consultation and the Telferton allotments. 7.30pm, Portobello Baptist Church Hall, 185 Portobello High Street.

BE-United and Henry’s Cellar Bar End of Fringe African Celebration. A fun-filled evening with dancing, laughter and live music from Street Rat, Mellow Chants, Asazi Space Funk Explosion and Simply Soweto Encha, with special Afro-beat DJ set from Patrick Walker. All profits will go to BE-United, a charity dedicated to inspiring change, currently based in Scotland and South Africa. BE-United aims to motivate and inspire young people to realise and reach their dreams, regardless of race, wealth or background, and to create conscious global citizens. 8pm till late, Henry’s Cellar Bar, 16a Morrison Street. Admission £5 per person.

Keith Edwards Quintet; five-piece fronted by Big Band co-leader Keith Edwards (sax) along with another regular Big Band member Donald Corbett (trumpet/flugelhorn) playing some arrangements by Edwards of classic ‘Hard Bop’ jazz, plus some attractive original compositions by Corbett. Robert Pettigrew (piano), Ed Kelly (bass) and Bill Kyle (drums) complete the line-up. 8-10.45pm, The Jazz Bar, 1a Chambers Street. £5/£4 on the door: please note this venue is cash only.

Harrison Park Bats Night: listen to the bats living in Harrison Park, and find out more about them with an expert. A free community event. Please dress warmly. Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult. 7.45pm, meet at the Play Area, Harrison Park, West Bryson Road. For more information please contact Esperanza Martin on 0131 445 4025 or email esperanza@elgt.org.uk.

harrison park bats night

TUESDAY 1ST SEPTEMBER 2015

Usher Hall Emerging Artists Series: Sergeant/Watt Duo. Laura Sergeant (cello) and Ian Watt (guitar) met as students at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland; they perform regularly as a duo and as part of the larger chamber group The Dalriada Ensemble, and have also toured with Scottish Opera. They have a keen interest in period performance practice, and also perform together on the viol and lute. 11am, Usher Hall, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £3 but students are admitted free; tickets may be obtained from the Usher Hall Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 1155 or online here; a transaction fee applies to all telephone and online bookings.

Inspired by Lee Miller: artists Julie Duffy and Hayley Mathers present their collaborative practice inspired by the life and work of Lee Miller. By using the Penrose Collection at the Gallery of Modern Art and drawing from biographies of Miller and her peers, Duffy and Mathers have built up an image of Miller’s life and the context that inspired her photography. Over the past year they have also hosted a series of dinner parties to celebrate her life and discuss her work and their own research, with recipes inspired by Miller herself. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.

Get Online: free help with computing and tablets. Bring along your laptop or tablet – if you don’t have one, the library can arrange to lend you one for the session. 2-4pm today and every Tuesday until Christmas, Craigmillar Library, 101 Niddrie Mains Road. Free but booking is required: please email your name and phone number to kenneth.sharkey@edinburgh.gov.uk.

Get Organised: JS Bach. John Kitchener plays the celebrated ‘St Anne’ Prelude and Fugue in E Flat, various Bach favourites including the Air and Gavotte from the Suite in D, and Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring, plus the ubiquitous Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. 1.10pm, Main Auditorium, Usher Hall, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £4 and may be obtained from the Usher Hall Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 1155 or online here; a transaction fee applies to all telephone and online bookings.

College of Naturopathic Medicine Edinburgh: Open Evening. Gain an insight into CNM’s courses and find out about training as a Naturopath with CNM at this free open evening. 6.30-8.30pm, CNM Edinburgh, Room B2, Ground Floor, Napier University Merchiston Campus, 10 Colinton Road. Booking is required and may be made via eventbrite here.

Edinburgh Hacklab: a shared space for people who mess around with technology for fun – an opportunity to collaborate, learn and socialise. Come along, meet new people, hack some code, work on your project, use the tools and get help from others if you need it – or just drop by for a chat! 7pm tonight and most Tuesdays, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. Edinburgh Hacklab is part of the worldwide Hackerspaces movement. Meetings are free and there is no need to book, but you may wish to join the group’s email list for news and any last minute changes to open nights – see website here.

Meet the Edible Gardening Team: take a look round the productive garden with the Edible Gardening Project volunteers. Find out what jobs need doing in your own garden now, and have your vegetable gardening questions answered. 1-3pm, Demonstration Garden, Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row. Free and unticketed.

Blackwells Presents The Rooftop Busker: New Writing 33. The latest collection of contemporary literature, drawn from a wide cross-section of Scottish culture and society. The Rooftop Busker includes new work from 52 authors – some award-winning and internationally renowned, some just beginning their careers. Contributors include Stewart Coon, Anne Donovan, Lesley Glaister, Andrew Greig, Kate Tough, Julie Kennedy, Linda McCann and Cynthia Rogerson. 6-8pm, 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 or via eventbrite here.

Golden Hare Book Group: Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. ‘Herland (published in 1915) is a strange and brilliant novel and a feminist utopian vision….a satire, a comedy, a searing critique of Western society and a fictional device to answer this question: what would a world without men look like?’ Gilman’s views on women and the importance of their meaningful occupation were radical in her day and her fiction is suffused with politics – ‘an irrepressible revolutionary thinker’. 6.30pm, Golden Hare Books, 68 St Stephen Street, Stockbridge. October’s book will be Their Lips Talk of Mischief by Alan Warner.

Cameo Silver Screen: if you are 60+ join the Silver Screen Club and enjoy weekly screenings for just £5 per person, which includes tea, coffee and biscuits. Membership is free: ask at the Box Office. Today’s films are 45 Years (15) at 1.30pm and 4.20pm, Straight Outta Compton (15) at 12.30pm, Gemma Bovery (15) at 3.45pm and The Wolfpack (15) at 3.35pm, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets may be purchased in person, by calling the Box Office on 0871 902 5723 or online; non-members are welcome to attend these screenings but will be charged the normal ticket prices.

Here Comes Everybody Evening Reception: here comes everybody has been a work in progress throughout August, developed by participants making their own work in kennardphillips’ War on War Room in the St James’ Centre. Come along this evening to view kennardphillips’ exhibition and the new work in the finished installation; celebrate the project together with all the contributors who have made it so successful. 5.30-7.30pm, War on War Room, St James’ Centre, Leith Street.

Buttercup Farm Park Bat Night: listen to the bats living in the park, and find out more about them with an expert. A free community event. Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult. 7.45pm, Buttercup Farm Park, Ardshiel Avenue, Drumbrae. For more information please contact Esperanza Martin on 0131 445 4025 or email esperanza@elgt.org.uk

WEDNESDAY 2ND SEPTEMBER 2015

An Indian Summer in the Courtyard: history has never tasted so good! Spend an afternoon stepping back in time to sample traditional food and drink, including a range of unusual beers brewed by the Abbot Brew House, Dunfermline and some delicious vintage dainties baked by Ms Battenberg. Relax and enjoy some marvellous melodies from the Edinburgh College Band. For adults only. 1-4pm, The Courtyard, Museum of Edinburgh, 142-146 Canongate. Free drop-in event: no booking required.

Keeping You Safe in South Edinburgh: the South Edinburgh Community Safety Team, in partnership with Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, will be in the library this morning. Come and meet your local community officers, seek advice, guidance or support in relation to crime, anti-social behaviour and fire safety. 10.30am-12.30pm, Morningside Library, 184 Morningside Road. Also 2-4pm on Thursday 1st October and 4-6pm on Monday 2nd November 2015.

#EdinburghHacked. Canadian artist and former director of Art in Healthcare Trevor Jones presents his ‘augmented reality’ paintings, ‘morphing software, social media and more to create an interactive space that evolves and changes with those who engage with it’. Singer Kat Healy will perform at the gallery at 7pm on Friday 4th September. Opens tonight 5-9pm, then 10am-8pm daily, Dundas Street Gallery, 6 Dundas Street. Ends 9th September 2015. Please see Trevor’s Facebook page here for instructions re downloading the ‘augmented reality’ app before visiting the exhibition.

Beyond Borders Film Festival: featuring documentary-style films about individuals and communities caught in conflict and change, the festival explores some of the most crucial and immediate changes happening in the modern world, with a special focus on women and conflict, the changes brought by modern warfare and the changes experienced by those at the epicentre of conflict. Today’s films are both shown as part of the A Life Displaced series: (1) Silvered Water, Syria Self-Portrait (Ma’a al -Fidda) (15) (Arabic with English subtitles): exiled in Paris, filmmaker Ossama Mohammed feels increasingly distant from his homeland of Syria. As he edits together YouTube footage of the conflict, he is contacted by Wiam Simav Bedirxan, a young woman in Homs, who begins documenting her life and surroundings and sending Mohammed her footage and thoughts; (2) A Very German Welcome (Wilkommen auf Deutsch) (12A) (In Albanian, Chechen, English, German and Urdu, with English subtitles) – the story of two well-to-do North German villages obliged to welcome a group of asylum seekers. The residents hastily form citizens’ initiatives to take legal action against this ‘impending doom’, all the while stressing just how welcome the foreigners are in principle – although only in reasonable numbers, and not to their area. 8.20pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be obtained from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 6382 or online: prices vary.

Western Edinburgh Neighbourhood Partnership Meeting: 7pm, Drumbrae Library Hub, 81 Drum Brae Drive. All welcome.

POUT Fest Tour: POUT started life four years ago as an LGBT film festival from independent film 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, the last in the current series at the Filmhouse, is Soft Lad (15): David has it all – he’s young, hot and has just been accepted into the prestigious dance school of his dreams – but he also has a secret: for two years he’s been sleeping with his sister’s husband. ‘A brilliant examination of lust and jealousy set in contemporary Liverpool – an astonishing directing debut from Leon Lopez‘. 8.30pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be obtained from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 6382 or online: prices vary.

Leith Harbour and Newhaven Community Council Meeting: the agenda, which can be downloaded from the Community Council’s website here, includes the consideration of planning applications from Aldi and Forth Ports Limited. 7pm, Persevere Room, Leith Community Education Centre, 12a New Kirkgate.

On The Side of The Road: in this film former West Bank settler Lia Tarachansky looks at many Israelis’ collective amnesia of the fateful events of 1948, when the state of Israel was born and most Palestinians became refugees. She follows the transformation of Israeli veterans trying to uncover their denial of the war that changed the region forever, and then turns the camera on herself and travels back to her own settlement, where that historic erasure gave birth to ‘a new generation, blind and isolated from its surroundings’. Attempting to shed a light on the country’s biggest taboo, she is met with outrage and violence. Tarachansky is the Israel/Palestine correspondent for the Real News Network; she was born in the Soviet Union and emigrated to Israel at the age of 6, later moving to Canada before returning to Israel/Palestine in 2009 to pursue her journalism and filmmaking career. On The Side of The Road was her first independent film; this year she completed work on a feature documentary, Ethnocracy in The Promised Land: Israel’s African Refugee. The screening will be followed by a Q & A session with the director. 7.30pm, St John’s Church, Princes Street.

Bi and Beyond: a fortnightly social gathering for people who identify as bisexual and 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 please contact biandbeyondedinburgh@gmail.com.

David Carnegie Quintet: drummer/composer Carnegie returns with his fine quintet featuring sax star Konrad Wiszniewski, Renee Stefanie (vocals). David Patrick (piano) and Jay Kilbride (bass). ‘Thrilling, lyrical jazz with a sprinkling of Caribbean rhythms’. 9pm (entry from 8pm), The Jazz Bar, 1a Chambers Street. £5/£4 on the door: please note this venue is cash only.

THURSDAY 3RD SEPTEMBER 2015

Willow Community Garden and Orchard Celebration Event: an afternoon of free family activities and refreshments. 2.30-6.30pm, Calder’s Community Garden, (access from the canal or Wester Hailes Road) Calder Crescent. For more information call Fiona on 0131 453 9400 or email fional@whhealthagency.co.uk.

Scotland-Russia Forum: Yakety-Yak. Sparkling Russian/English conversation over tea and cakes; open to all, no need to book – you will receive a warm welcome. 11am, Summerhall Cafe, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. No charge apart from any food or drinks you may wish to purchase.

Jane Alexander: The Last Treasure Hunt. This debut novel is the story of Campbell Johnstone, who’s just turned thirty and feels he’s been left behind by life. He measures his failures against the achievements of his friends and family, and especially against his childhood friend Eve, who is now a rising Hollywood actor. The Last Treasure Hunt is about Campbell’s attempt to reconnect with Eve, and its dramatic consequences; it asks how far we might go, and what choices we might make, in pursuit of recognition. ‘A modern media morality tale’. 2.30pm, Central Library, George IV Bridge. Free tickets may be obtained via eventbrite here.

Cameo Big Scream: screenings exclusively for parents and carers with babies under one year old. Membership of the Big Scream Club is free (ask at the Box Office) and lasts until your baby’s first birthday. Today’s film is Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (12A). In his fifth outing as IMF agent Ethan Hunt, Tom Cruise find the ultra-secret agency disbanded. When a terrorist organisation known only as the Syndicate makes its malevolent presence felt, Hunt reassembles his crew to take them down. 10.30am, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets are at the usual matinee price (babies admitted free), and may be purchased in person, by calling the Box Office on 0871 902 5723 or online here.

Live Music Now: Emma Versteeg (soprano) and Maryam Sherhan (piano) perform a programme of baroque songs and arias in celebration of the loan of Nicolas Poussin’s stunning Extreme Unction from the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. The concert will include music by Purcell, Bach and Handel, and will travel from darkness to light, beginning with an unhappy view of approaching death, followed by stillness, through to joy at following in the Saviour’s footsteps and finishing with the celebration of eternal life. 6-6.30pm, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.

La Marie mise a nu par ses celibataires même (Boîte verte) [The Bride Stripped Bare by her Bachelors, Even (The Green Box)], Marcel Duchamp, 1934 − © Succession Marcel Duchamp/ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 2010

Books In Focus: Marcel Duchamp. The ‘Books in Focus’ series focuses on artists’ books held in the special collections of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. This session will look in detail at Marcel Duchamp’s La Mariee mise a nu par ses celibataires meme, also known as the Green Box, published by Editions Rose Selavy in 1934. The box contains facsimiles of tiny scraps of notes, diagrams and drawings relating to Duchamp’s major work The Large Glass, which he left ‘definitely unfinished’ in 1923. 11.30am-12.30pm, Reading Room, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art TWO, Belford Road. Free but places are limited and must be booked in advance by calling 0131 624 6268 or emailing gmainfo@nationalgalleries.org.

Art Walk Porty: a new four day art event celebrating the public space and artistic activity of Portobello. Open studios, designer-makers, site specific art in hidden and unfamiliar parts of the Prom and beach, free stone wall pointing workshop (registration required), exhibitions, installations, art in shops and cafes, and a makers’ market. Tonight’s preview will showcase the work of local artist Jemma Derbyshire, together with specially commissioned shorts about the locality and environment of Edinburgh’s seaside from artist-filmmakers Bill Millett and Ed Howells. Tonight (preview) 7-9pm, The Skylark, 241 Portobello High Street, then throughout the weekend at various locations around Portobello, see the event’s website here for full information. Ends Sunday 6th September 2015.

Calton Hill – Beacon of Light. Stuart McHardy, author, poet, storyteller, lecturer and musician, considers how Calton Hill reflects the intellectual, cultural and democratic history of Scotland’s capital. 10.30am, Museum of Edinburgh, 142-146 Canongate. Tickets cost £5/£3.50 and must be purchased in advance from the Usher Hall Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 1155 or online here; a transaction fee applies to all telephone and online bookings.

Hugh Buchanan paints the John Murray Archive: the artist discusses his recent work with the Archive, painting the archives, manuscripts and books of some of the iconic names in literature, including Jane Austen, Lord Byron and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Hugh’s watercolour paintings are on display at the library until Sunday 6th September 2015, after which they will move to the John Martin Gallery, Albermarle Street, London. 6pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free but booking is required and may be made in person, by calling 0131 623 3734 or online here.

Mayfield Salisbury Church Craft Moments: a group for people who enjoy knitting and other craft activities. If you would like to join the group to knit sweaters for Africa, tea cosies for home or squares for blankets, you will be most welcome – no expertise required! So far the group has sent three large packs of baby sweaters and hats to Malawi as well as supplying hats and scarves for the homeless through the Bethany Trust. Plenty of wool, needles and coffee can be provided! The group meets every second Thursday and starts its new session today. 10am, Church House, Mayfield Salisbury Church, 18 West Mayfield/1a Mayfield Road. For more information or dates of meetings please contact Hilary Watkinson on 0131 667 6360 or email hilary.watkinson@bt.com.

Future Heroes: superbly creative guitarist Aki Remally fronts this groove/funk 6-piece, with funky horn section of Johnny White (sax) and trumpet ace Chuck Dearness. 12 midnight (entry from 11.30pm)-3am, The Jazz Bar, 1a Chambers Street. £3/£2 on the door: please note this venue is cash only.

FRIDAY 4TH SEPTEMBER 2015

Art Walk Porty: a new four day art event celebrating the public space and artistic activity of Portobello. Open studios, designer-makers, site specific art in hidden and unfamiliar parts of the Prom and beach, free stone wall pointing workshop (registration required), exhibitions, installations, art in shops and cafes, and a makers’ market. Today’s events will include a pop-up ‘Stop and Sea’ place-sharing event presented by Hear + Now, celebrating the potential of a coastal landscape – come along and share your favourite places. 3-6pm, bus depot area, Portobello Promenade. Art Walk Porty continues throughout the weekend at various locations around Portobello, see the event’s website here for full information. Ends Sunday 6th September 2015.

A Scottish Artist’s Genoese Adventures: Andrew Wilson (1778-1848). NGS Senior Curator Helen Smailes looks at the career of the Edinburgh-born landscape painter, who began dealing in Old Masters while still in his twenties. Wilson arrived in Genoa in 1803 (having been arrested in Turin during the French occupation of Northern Italy) and negotiated sales from the premier Genoese aristocratic collections. By 1826, when he resigned from the Mastership of the Trustees’ Academy in Edinburgh to settle in Italy, he was a recognised Van Dyck specialist. His later investments, made in Genoa, Rome and Florence, included Van Dyck’s The Lomellini Family, which became part of the foundation collection of the Scottish National Gallery. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.

Edinburgh Play Rangers: Brian and Kirsty will be out and about every Friday afternoon – come along and meet them! Edinburgh Play Rangers is a new and exciting collaboration between North Edinburgh Arts, Canongate Youth, Smart Play Network and Edinburgh Leisure, delivering outdoor free play opportunities for children aged 5-13 in various areas of the city, and providing an environment where children can feel comfortable to join in, utilise their local community spaces, meet new people and have fun. 1.30pm at West Pilton Park and 4pm at North Edinburgh Arts, 15a Pennywell Court. Supported by Inspiring Scotland’s Go2Play fund. For more information please contact North Edinburgh Arts on 0131 315 2151.

Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom/Wool Against Weapons: 100 Years of Women Campaigning for Peace. A new exhibition. 10am-5pm, Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street. Ends 23rd September 2015.

Scottish World War One VCs. During the First World War 634 Victoria Crosses were awarded; this talk by Alistair McEwen, Project Coordinator for Edinburgh’s War Project, will describe some of the Scottish recipients. Museum of Edinburgh, 142-146 Canongate. Tickets cost £5/£3.50 and must be purchased in advance from the Usher Hall Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 1155 or online here; a transaction fee applies to all telephone and online bookings.

Asazi Space Funk Explosion: high energy South African frontman Asazi (vocals, sax, marimba, djembe) takes off with his 5-piece of great players, ranging through Fela Kuti Afro-Funk, Jamaican Dub, raw tribal rhythms and modern day dance floor sonic experimentalism. Plus funk DJ. 12 midnight (entry from 11.30pm)-3am, The Jazz Bar, 1a Chambers Street. £5/£4 on the door: please note this venue is cash only.

SATURDAY 5TH SEPTEMBER 2015

PENFEST: a week of celebrating local talent in Penicuik, with concerts, exhibitions, workshops, poetry, music, local studios, trails and talks. Today The Castaways open the festival with a free concert of varied close harmony song set against the backdrop of the annual Open Art Exhibition. Come and be entertained, vote for your favourite picture and snap up a bargain! Concert (seated) 2-2.30pm, after which the exhibition will be open to view. Penicuik Community Arts, 4 West Street, Penicuik. There will also be a nature-inspired drop-in Felt Crafting Workshop 11am-1.30pm, (entry by donation) at Penicuik Town Hall, High Street – all welcome: for more information about the workshop please call Jenni on 07769 228028. More events follow throughout the week: see website.

Scottish Waterways Trust Wildflower Survey: volunteer to become a ‘citizen scientist’ and help the Trust discover more about the plants growing on the canalside in Edinburgh. Develop your plant ID skills, make friends and have fun. 10.30am-1pm, Water of Leith Conservation Trust, 24 Lanark Road. The surveys are led by Anna Canning of Floramedica: contact her on 07790 885969 or at anna.canning@blueyonder.co.uk. Free.

Magic Carpet Mini Diggers: the start of a month of archaeological discovery and stories, with activities taking place at the Museum every weekend in September. At Magic Carpet Mini Diggers young children can enjoy archaeology-themed songs, stories and actions on the Magic Carpet, before putting new skills to the test with the toddler-friendly dig box. For ages 2-4, accompanied by an adult. 11am (meet at 10.50am at green fountain) Grand Gallery, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street. Free but booking is required and may be made from 1st September: please call the Museum on 0300 123 6789 for more information. Also at same time on Sunday 6th and every weekend in September.

Storytime with BB & Hardy: in the Book Bothy at 11am today and every Saturday, Far From the Madding Crowd, 20 Linlithgow High Street. Free.

Polish Rhymetime: songs and rhymes for children aged 0-4 and their parents and carers. 11am, Piershill Library, 30 Piershill Terrace.

The Sutton Gallery Presents Thomas Cameron: a first solo exhibition by the Glasgow-based artist and recent graduate of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design. Cameron’s work explores the everyday scenes that often go unnoticed through their apparent familiarity; he is particularly drawn to the urban landscape and the relationship between nature and the built environment. Film is a major influence in his work, which has been likened to that of Edward Hopper. Preview today 4-6pm, then 11am-5pm Tuesday to Saturday, The Sutton Gallery, 18a Dundas Street. Ends 26th September 2015.

Radical Creatives’ Cafe: taking inspiration from Wool Against Weapons Scotland and Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom exhibition ‘100 Years of Women Campaiging for Peace’ which will be on show at Out of the Blue from 4th September. Come along and crochet a white poppy, knit some peace bunting for the Faslane fence, help re-purpose some of the Wool Against Weapons’ pink scarves into blankets for refugees and others in need, or hatch another radical knitting/crochet plan! Sing while you work; there will be an optional songwriting workshop with Penny Stone 2-3.30pm (suggested donation £5). 2-5pm, Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street. Please bring knitting needles, wool and other crafting materials. For more information please contact Jane Lewis at jane@gn.apc.org.

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, Meeting Room (upstairs), John Hope Gateway, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Free: no booking required.

Zoo Arts Extra Summer Animation Film Screening: an outing to the Filmhouse to see the results of the summer animation project and other films and animations created by Zoo Arts Extra, followed by art making and a visit to two Edinburgh Art Festival exhibitions. Meet at 10am, North Edinburgh Arts, 15a Pennywell Court. Transport and refreshments will be provided and the group will return to NEA around 4.30pm, Free (suggested donation £3). Booking is required: please call into North Edinburgh Arts or contact them on 0131 315 2151.

The Small-Scale Sculpture of John Chamberlain: Joy Wood, Research Curator at the Henry Moore Institute, Leeds, discusses the work and legacy of John Chamberlain in relation to the current exhibition at Inverleith House. The talk will be followed by a screening of HEAARTBEAT (2012), a documentary directed and filmed by Chamberlain’s stepdaughter Alexandra Fairweather, which presents an intimate portrait of the artist who wanted to create ‘art to make your heart beat’, and his views on art, family, friendships and life. 2pm, Inverleith House, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Tickets cost £3/£2 and may be booked via eventbrite here.

Ring of Brodgar, Orkney by Shadowgate on Flickr

Dig It! At the Museum: Hands on History. The start of a month of archaeological discovery and stories, with events taking place in the Museum every weekend in September; explore objects from Scotland, Europe and beyond, all with an archaeological story to discover. Today’s session will be led by Dr Alison Sheridan, Principal Curator Prehistory, NMS. 2-4pm, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street. Free, drop-in, no booking required. See also Magic Carpet Mini Diggers for activities for children aged 2-4 years.

John Smith, 1938 – 1994. Leader of the Labour Party, Eduardo Paolozzi, 1996 − © The Paolozzi Foundation, Licensed by DACS 2006

Portrait Gallery Thematic Tours: Paolozzi’s Heads. Duncan Roberston, Edinburgh-based sculptor, gallery educator, and former student of Eduardo Paolozzi, will lead a tour around the Head to Head exhibition, taking a closer look at Paolozzi’s Crash Test (1970) and John Smith (1996) in the context of the other works in the exhibition. 2-2.45pm or 3-3.45pm, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free and unticketed.

This Will Not Reoccur: a one-day-only exhibition of brand new work from Donna Lauder, Georgia Sparkes, Daniel Twist, Kaitlyn Walker-Stewart and Joshua Waterson, all past Contemporary Art Practice students from Edinburgh College who have now moved on variously to Central St Martins, Glasgow School of Art, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design and Northumbria University. A range of themes will be explored through painting, video and performance in this fast paced exhibition. 3.30-8pm, Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street.

Mount Esja, Iceland by Johaness S Kjarvel

In Film: Kaare Espolin Johnson and Johannes Sveinsson Kjarval. Two special film screenings about the life and work of two exceptional Nordic artists. Johnson was a Norwegian painter and graphic artist who produced striking images of people and seascapes, despite being almost blind. Kjarval was an orphan, and a fisherman who became Iceland’s most prolific painter, using a variety of styles to depict landscape and lava formation. The screening will be followed by a talk and Q & A session hosted by journalist and broadcaster Lesley Riddoch. 2-4.30pm, Netherbow Theatre, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street. Free but booking is required and may be made in person, by calling the Box Office on 0131 556 9579 or online here.

Love Food: a new exhibition of paintings and photography by Julie, Hayley and Harriet Murden – a celebration of all we love to eat and drink. 10am-5pm Tuesday to Friday, 9am-5pm Saturdays, 1-4pm Sundays, The Line Gallery, 238 High Street, Linlithgow.

Currie Fair: stalls, bouncy castle, refreshments, dancers, singers, baking competition and a variety of community stands. 12 noon-4pm, Pentland View Park, Pentland View, Currie.

Seaweed for Health: come and meet representatives from the Seaweed Health Foundation and find out how Scottish seaweeds are being harvested and being used as ingredients in food and nutrition products – and exported around the world. Touch and taste the different species! There will also be a programme of talks covering many aspects of the subject; see RBGE website here for details and times. 12 noon-4pm, Real Life Science Studio, John Hope Gateway, Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row. Free and unticketed. Also 10.30am-5pm on Sunday 6th September (with a different programme of talks).

Simon Rivett: Northern Exposure/Snow and Ice. The Lewis-based artist’s first solo show in Edinburgh is an exploration of Northern places – home in the North West of Scotland, Iceland and the north west coast of Arctic Norway and Svalbard. 12 noon-5pm today, then 10am-5pm Monday to Friday, 12 noon-5pm Saturdays, Doubtfire Gallery, 3 South East Circus Place. Ends 26th September 2015.

King’s Theatre September Backstage Tour: find out what goes on behind the scenes at the theatre, learn about the fascinating past of the ‘Grand Old Lady of Leven Street’, and access areas not usually seen by the public. 10.30am, King’s Theatre, Leven Street, Tollcross. Tickets cost £7.50 (includes refreshments) and may be obtained from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 529 6000 or online here. A transaction fee applies to all phone and online bookings.

Mary Morrison, Marie Scott and Edmond Byrne: a new exhibition of paintings and glass. 10.30am-5.30pm, Tuesday to Saturday, Gallery Ten, 10 Stafford Street. Private view 2-4.30pm, Saturday 12th September 2015.

Friends of Braidburn Valley Tea In The Park Fun Day: entertainment and activities for all, including musicians from the Morningside School of Music, Auld Spice Ceilidh Band, The Vikings of Din Eidyn, Angela Watson School of Dance display, storytelling, Fun Dog Show, magician and balloon modeller, Greenbank Church Messy Activities, bouncy castles, raft-building, face painting, crafts, home baking, bar, ice cream, refreshments, and the world famous Duck Race! 2-4.30pm, Braidburn Valley Park, Comiston Road. See the Friends of Braidburn Park Facebook page here for more information (including classes/registration for the Dog Show). Free entry: charge for some activities.

The Dead Man’s Waltz: ‘haunting and melancholy melodies, strange driving rhythms and subtle ingenious lyrics’ from the Skye-based folk noir band. ‘The Dead Man’s Waltz find the common ground between the bleak tragedy of the island folk ballads and the more flamboyant execution of the European cabaret tradition’ (The Scotsman). 9pm, The Skylark, 241 Portobello High Street. Free.

Beyond Borders Film Festival: featuring documentary-style films about individuals and communities caught in conflict and change, the festival explores some of the most crucial and immediate changes happening in the modern world, with a special focus on women and conflict, the changes brought by modern warfare and the changes experienced by those at the epicentre of conflict. Today’s films are both part of the Women: Agents of Change series: (1) at 4.05pm: Burden of Peace (12A) (in Spanish with English subtitles) – the impressive story of Claudia Paz y Paz, the first woman to lead the public prosecutor’s office in Guatamela, one of the most violent in the world. As Paz begins an attack against corruption and drug gangs, she does something everyone had hitherto thought impossible; she arrests former dictator Efrain Rios Montt on charges of genocide; (2) at 6.05pm: God is Not Working on Sunday! (15) (in English and French with English subtitles) – a film revealing the reality of today’s Rwanda, a country still coping with the consequences of genocide. burden of peace Twenty years on it is considered one of the most economically successful countries on the African continent; the emancipation of women has moved the country forward, but the trauma of war still persists in the minds of many women. Directed by Leona Goldstein, who follows the work of activists Godelieve Mukasarasi and Florida Mukarubuga as they encourage women to speak out, fight for their rights and support each other. Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be obtained from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 6382 or online: prices vary.

Art Walk Porty: a new four day art event celebrating the public space and artistic activity of Portobello. Open studios, designer-makers, site specific art in hidden and unfamiliar parts of the Prom and beach, exhibitions, installations, art in shops and cafes, and a makers’ market. Today’s events will include Stone Wall Pointing, a workshop run by craftsman stonemason Mark Peaty: come and learn to point a wall, and help with St Mark’s historic Grade 2 listed one. 10.30am, St Mark’s Church, 287 Portobello High Street. Free but please register by calling Sophia Marriage on 0131 629 1219 or emailing sophia.marriage@stmarksportobello.org. Art Walk Porty continues throughout the weekend at various locations around Portobello, see the event’s website here for full information. Ends Sunday 6th September 2015.

Edinburgh Trans Women: a support group aimed at transexual women at any stage of transition, women who are transgender and live as women full-time or part-time or those questioning their gender identity. Please email the group at info@edinburghtranswomen.org.uk before your first visit; this helps with security and allows the group to get ready to meet you. 7.30-9.30pm, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street.

Bartholomew’s Waltz: a one-night exhibition of visual and sound art collaborations, with decorations, improvised music, devised performances, traditional ceilidh dancing and an ‘opulent feast’. Work by Edinburgh and Glasgow artists including Bryony Rose, Lilian Ptacek, Jessica Whitely, Joanne Dawson, Anna Thomson, Max Syed-Tollen, Kieron Frickleton, Colin Freeth and more. If you would like to contribute to the performances please drop in earlier in the day. 7pm, Bargain Spot, 12 Earl Grey Street. Free but please RSVP via eventbrite here to allow the organisers to plan catering. Bargain Spot is a project space led by artists Lydia Honeybone and Abigail Webster.

Messenger Sound System: The Bongo Club re-opens after its Fringe break with Scotland’s original roots and culture rasta reggae sound system. 11pm-3am, The Bongo Club, 66 Cowgate. £7 (£6 before 12 midnight). The Bongo Club is an independent nightclub, live venue and all-round artistic hub owned by local arts charity Out of the Blue, ‘putting the sounds of the underground and imaginative aspirations before the mighty dollar’.

What’s The Noise Presents Jack Hinks with Isaac and the Ransel Men, A Modern Masquerade and The Strats. For ages 14+. 6.30-10pm, Cabaret Volatire, Blair Street. Tickets cost £6 and may be purchased via Tickets Scotland here.

SUNDAY 6TH SEPTEMBER 2015

Friends of River Almond Walkway Walk: a leisurely walk along the river, pausing at intervals to hear about some of the Almond’s outstanding history and wildlife and finishing with a further opportunity to chat at the Cramond Boat Club. Members and all those who might be interested in joining the group are invited to come along. Meet at 2pm at Cramond Brig – or at 4.30pm at Cramond Boat Club, Riverside, Cramond, if you don’t want to do the walk. If possible (but this is not essential), please let the group you know that you plan to attend by emailing friendsoftheriveralmondwalkway@gmail.com. The Friends of the River Almond Walkway is a registered charity.

Filmhouse Junior: screenings for a younger audience. Today’s film is Minions (U): in this prequel to the Despicable Me films, Minions Kevin, Stuart and Bob travel to the US in 1968 in search of a boss, but end up in England on a dastardly mission to steal the crown of Queen Elizabeth. 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.

Portobello Village Show: an afternoon of music, crafts, cake, dogs, balls, bats, ducks and lots more. ‘A village show of delights for the people of Porty and beyond’. 2-5pm, Rosefield Park, Rosefield Place.

Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home Open Day: stalls, games, refreshments and family fun! 12 noon-4pm, Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, 26 Seafield Road East. For more information please call 0131 669 5331.

Art Maker – September. Join the Art Maker Club and make your own masterpieces with artists Tessa Asquith-Lamb and Louise Fraser. For ages 4-12. 2-4pm (drop-in), Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed. Supported by the Friends of NGS.

PENFEST: a week of celebrating local talent in Penicuik, with concerts, exhibitions, workshops, poetry, music, local studios, trails and talks. Today’s events include a Samba Junk Workshop for adults led by Liz Steven. No experience necessary, all materials provided. 2-4pm, Penicuik Community Arts, 4 West Street, Penicuik. Advance booking is required as numbers are limited to 28: tickets cost £5 per person (£4 for PCA members) and are available from the Craft Shop at PCA. More events follow throughout the week: see website.

Recovery Month Family Picnic: a family event to celebrate NHS Recovery Month. Bring your own food and musical instruments! 2-5pm, The Meadows (near the children’s play area). This event is alcohol-free.

Magic Carpet Mini Diggers: the start of a month of archaeological discovery and stories, with activities taking place at the Museum every weekend in September. At Magic Carpet Mini Diggers young children can enjoy archaeology-themed songs, stories and actions on the Magic Carpet, before putting new skills to the test with the toddler-friendly dig box. For ages 2-4, accompanied by an adult. 11am (meet at 10.50am at the green fountain) Grand Gallery, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street. Free but booking is required and may be made from 1st September: please call the Museum on 0300 123 6789 for more information. Also at same time each Saturday and Sunday in September.

Slate Cone Detail by Andy Goldsworthy. Image: Roween Suess.

Garden Sculpture Tours: join Alexander ‘Twig’ Champion for a meditative tour around the Garden’s outdoor sculptures, including the works of John Chamberlain. The tour explores both Chamberlain’s outdoor works, installed as part of the summer exhibition in Inverleith House, and the Garden’s collection of outdoor sculptures, including major works by Ian Hamilton Finlay, Andy Goldsworthy, Barbara Hepworth andAlan Johnston. 2-3pm, meet at Inverleith House reception, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Free, all welcome, no booking required. Also at same time on 20th September.

Dig It! At the Museum: Hands on History. The start of a month of archaeological discovery and stories, with activities taking place every weekend in September; explore objects from Scotland, Europe and beyond, all with an archaeological story to discover. Today’s session will be led by Margaret Maitland, Curator Ancient Egypt and Mediterranean, NMS. 2-4pm, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street. Free, drop-in, no booking required. See also Magic Carpet Mini Diggers for activities for children aged 2-4 years.

Scotland’s Gardens: 61 Fountainhall Road. A large walled town garden in which trees and shrubs form an architectural backdrop to a wide range of flowering plants. Hellebores, triliums and a large variety of late blooming flowers, plus several alpine beds and a large collection of Sempervivums. Three ponds, with and without fish, have attracted a lively population of frogs. Refreshments available; plant sales. 2-5pm, 61 Fountainhall Road, EH9 2LH. Admission £4, of which 40% will go to Froglife and the net remainder to SG beneficiaries. For more information please contact Mrs Annemarie Hammond on 0131 667 6146 or email froglady@blueyonder.co.uk.

Seaweed for Health: come and meet representatives from the Seaweed Health Foundation and find out how Scottish seaweeds are being harvested and being used as ingredients in food and nutrition products – and exported around the world. Touch and taste the different species! There will also be a programme of talks covering many aspects of the subject; see RBGE website here for details and times. 10.30am-5pm, Real Life Science Studio, John Hope Gateway, Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row. Free and unticketed.

Cameo Vintage Sundays: classic films back on the big screen. Today: La Grande Bouffe (18), the most famous film by Italian provocateur Marco Ferreri. Reviled on its release for its perversity, decadence and attack on the bourgeoisie, the film won the prestigious FIPRESCI prize after its controversial screening at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival. 1pm, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets may be purchased in person, by calling the Box Office on 0871 902 5723 or online here; prices vary.

LGBT Rainbow Families Summer Picnic: a chance for LGBT parents and their families to get together, meet new people and enjoy the outdoors. There will be a gazebo and some fun games for people to try. 12 noon-3pm, Magnet Play Area, East Meadows, Melville Drive. Please book in advance (using the online form here) so that if there is very bad weather and the event is cancelled, you will receive an update. Free but please bring some food to share. For more information please contact Jules Stapleton Barnes on 0131 523 1104 or email jules@lgbthealth.org.uk.

Muir Wood Park Bat Walk: a wander through the woods as the sun goes down to look and listen for your furry friends with bat detectors. 6-8pm, Muir Wood Park, Muir Wood Road, Currie. Booking is essential as places are limited: email events.fmwp@gmail.com or download a booking form here. £1 per person. Arranged by the Friends of Muir Wood Park.

Made in Prague: the New Czech Cinema UK Tour 2015. The biennial UK showcase of contemporary Czech cinema is back for the fifth time, with five titles capturing the country’s dramatic past and its influence on contemporary life and culture. Today’s film is Honeymoon/Libanky (15) (in Czech with English subtitles): a gripping drama about a rich society wedding thrown into chaos by the arrival of a stranger with a horrifying accusation to make, ‘at once acidly funny and painfully moving’. 8.45pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be obtained from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 6382 or online: prices vary.

LGBT Art Workshop: Mandala Making. An opportunity for self-expression by creating your own mandala to represent your unique universe, with a chance to come together and reflect on everyone’s creations from an LGBT perspective. Mandala is a Sanskrit word meaning circle, but it is frequently used as a ritual or spiritual symbol to represent the universe. All art materials are provided, no experience is necessary – just a willingness to participate. 11.30am (doors open 11am)-5pm, Serenity Cafe, The Tun, Jackson’s Entry. Booking is essential and should be made using the online form here. For more information please call Alison Wren on 0131 652 3283 or email alison@lgbthealth.org. The photograph shows part of a mandala made at The Nomad’s Tent, St Leonard’s Street, to raise funds for Mercy Corps’s work after the Nepal earthquake: to read The Edinburgh Reporter’s article about it, click here.

Professor Thomas Hale: the Associate Professor in Public Policy (University of Oxford) will preach at St John’s Sung Eucharist service today. Professor Hale’s research explores the fair and effective management of transnational problems; he seeks to explain how political institutions evolve – or not – to face the challenges raised by globalisation and interdependence, with a particular emphasis on environmental and economic issues. 10.30am, St John’s Episcopal Church, Princes Street.

Becc’s Bath Club: the first of two 1920s speakeasy nights with 1920s blues from four-piece band Becc’s Bath Club and Hendrick’s Gin cocktails. 6-8.30pm, Joseph Pearce’s, Elm Row.

St Giles’ At Six: an organ recital by Mario Ciferri. The programme will include music by JS Bach, Bossi, Widor and Ritter. 6pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free: retiring collection.