Wee Treasures: a brand new regular storytelling programme for early years children and their families. Delve into the magic treasure chest to find out what this month’s story will be – each one will be inspired by a different portrait. Fun rhymes, songs, puppet characters and lots of opportunities to join in. 10.30-11am or 11.30am-12pm, Great Hall, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free but please sign up on the day as places are limited.
Stockfest starts today! A week-long festival celebrating Stockbridge and the local community. Flea market, dog show, Stockdish, guided walks, zumba and swing dancing taster sessions, prose and poetry readings, local history talk, live music, shopping discount evening and a World War Two themed community celebration. For full details see the Stockfest website here or its Facebook page here.
St Bride’s Family Cinema – see your favourite films for free! Juice and choc ices available during the interval at 50p each. Today’s film is The Rescuers (U). 10.30am-12.30pm (includes interval), St Bride’s Centre, Orwell Terrace. Please note that all children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Next week: Penguins of Madagascar (U).
The Hidden Library: this year’s Hidden Library event celebrates Scotland’s Year of Food and Drink 2015. Drop-in sessions on the Library’s connection with Sir Alexander Grant and his digestive biscuits, rationing and what people cooked during the Second World War, plus an afternoon of story-telling and drawing activities for younger visitors and their teddy bears. At 2pm and 3.15pm there will also be tours of the ‘Lifting the lid’ exhibitions. 2-4.30pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free but please book your place on the exhibition tours by calling 0131 623 3734 or online here.
Portobello Collection for CalAid Edinburgh. Portobello Community Council is supporting this collection for CalAid; donations will be taken to Calais and distributed to the people there who have fled violence and are now living in the camp known as ‘the Jungle’. Please read the list of items needed first; it can be found on the Community Council website here. 11am-2pm, Portobello Town Hall, 147 Portobello High Street.
Gallery of Modern Art Highlight Tours – September: monthly tours of the gallery’s permanent collection, focusing on key works. 2-2.45pm or 3-3.45pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE, Belford Road. Free and unticketed.
The Bride of Lammermoor: Scottish Romantic Guitar. James Akers has worked with musicians as diverse as the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Ex Cathedra, Alison Balsom, Damon Albarn and El Festino. Today he presents a programme of arrangements for guitar of Scottish tunes from the Scots Musical Museum, including Coming through the Rye, the Bluebells of Scotland, a set of variations on Ye Banks and Braes and an alternative Fingal’s Cave, all played on an original instrument from the 1820s. 2pm, Museum of Edinburgh, Huntly House, 142 Canongate. Free and unticketed.
Creative Writing Workshop: a lively and informal 90-minute session, held as part of Stockfest. No experience necessary; tea and biscuits provided! For over-16s only. 2-3.30pm, Stockbridge Library, Hamilton Place. Free but places are limited, so please book via Word Perfect Workshops’ website here.
Abstracting from Architecture: Gallery Discussion. Curator Bronwen Sleigh leads a discussion with fellow contributing artists George Charman and Andrew MacKenzie about the work in their new exhibition. The artists work between printmaking, drawing, sculpture and installation and look at the ways in which man-made structural forms can affect the way we function, and shape the way we see and experience space. 2-3pm, Edinburgh Printmakers, Union Street. Free but tickets are required and may be obtained via eventbrite here. Abstracting from Architecture is at Edinburgh Printmakers until 24th October 2015. Various other events are scheduled for the course of this exhibition – full details on Edinburgh Printmakers’ website here.
Bruncheon! Feat. The Sound of Muesli: brunch and live music at the Drill Hall, with local musicians creating a chilled out atmosphere. This month’s acts include mellow jazzy guitar and loop-pedal sounds from Ralph Turner. Delicious food and drink available to purchase from the Arts Cafe. 11.30am-3pm, Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street. Free entry.
Edinburgh Palette Open Studios Weekend: the artists, designers and charities based in St Margaret’s House welcome the public in a special weekend event. Since 2008 Edinburgh Palette has been steadily transforming the brown office space of St Margaret’s House into a vibrant art centre, which today offers exhibition, studio and project spaces to local artists and creative businesses. This weekend, for the first time, Edinburgh Palette will be delivering a joint programme of creative events in partnership with Wasps and Process Studios (formerly Edinburgh Contemporary Crafts), as part of LeithLate15. Free workshops, drop-in drawing seminars with the Academy of Realist Art, and a unique life drawing experience with contemporary artists Vinella & Krupa in collaboration with Wasps taxidermist Drew Bain, plus inventive workshops for children from The Thrive Archive, Le Petit Monde Puppet Theatre and Awesome Folk, and screenings of animations by resident animators & illustrators Claire Lamond & Kate Charter to entertain and inspire your offspring. A pop-up café and one-off performances will also take place across all eight storeys of St Margaret’s House. 12 noon-6pm, St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road. Also at same times on Sunday 13th September 2015.
WASPS Open Studios: a rare opportunity to see inside the artists’ working spaces, talk to them about their work and see the tools of their trade. Workshops, children’s treasure hunt and refreshments. 12 noon-6pm, WASPS, 78 Albion Road, Leith. Also on Sunday 13th September 2015, when there will be a Buon Fresco painting demonstration – see listing. Part of LeithLate15.
Far From The Madding Crowd and Birlinn Books Present Scotland Forever! The Scots Greys At Waterloo: author, art critic and journalist Iain Gale in conversation with Tam Dalyell. 11am, Queen Margaret Hall, Linlithgow. For more information please call into Far From The Madding Crowd at 20, High Street, Linlithgow, call 01506 845231 or email sally@maddingcrowdlinlithgow.co.uk.
Fort Viking Festival: craft stalls, saga telling, Pestaurant with free mini-bug buffet including Mexican spiced mealworms and ant lollipops, games, crafts, falconry, birds of prey, refreshment stalls and lots more! 10am-4pm, Fort Community Centre, 25 North Fort Street. Tickets cost £2 (adult), £1 (child) or £5 (family) and may be purchased from the centre office or by emailing fortvikings@gmail.com.
LGBT Trans Activity Day: build confidence, get active, meet new people and try a range of activities at this inclusive afternoon of fun and socialising for the trans community. Table tennis, badminton, beginners’ dance fitness class (12 noon-1pm) and beginners’ yoga (3-3.30pm). 11am-4pm, Meadowbank Sports Centre, 139-143 London Road. Please book using the online form here or contact Jules on 0131 523 1104 or jules@lgbthealth.org.uk.
LGBT Age: Meet the Kelpies. A day trip bringing together Edinburgh and Glasgow members; visit Falkirk’s celebrated sculptures or have a blether beside the Forth & Clyde Canal. 9.45am, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street (minibus will depart at 10am sharp, return approximately 3pm). Booking is essential; please contact lynda@lgbthealth.org.uk. £6 per person: bring your own lunch.
Colony of Artists: a varied collection of work on display in the artisan community of Abbeyhill Colonies. More than thirty artists in twenty venues will open their homes to show painting, drawing, photography, mixed media, music, readings by Aileen Paterson (Maisie Comes to Morningside), a talk on The Foundation and Significance of Edinburgh’s Colonies by Richard Rodger, and much more. 1-5pm, Abbeyhill Colonies, junction of Easter Road and London Road. Also at same times on Sunday 13th September 2015.
From Bach to Britten: John Bailey and Paul Lakin play classical guitar music. The programme will include Bach, Weiss, Tarrega, Villa-Lobos, Malcolm Arnold, Brouwer, Britten and De Falla. 12 noon-2.30pm, Sanctuary, St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church, 13-17 George Street. Admission £7.50.
BOWFest 2015: you need to travel a bit further for your second chance to escape Edinburgh this weekend – this two day celebration of local music, food and whisky takes place in the grounds of Inveraray Castle, Argyll. Headline acts include Peatbog Faeries, Skipinnish, Little Fire and Skerryvore, with food from Loch Fyne Oysters, Winston Churchill Venison, Inverawe Smokehouse and lots more, whilst The Loch Fyne Whisky marquee will offer uisge beathe from a wide range of distillieries – plus West Coast Gin. The Kidz Marquee will include castles, assault courses, face painting, art and circus routines. 11am onwards, Inveraray Castle, Inveraray, Argyll. Festival + bus tickets are available for those requiring transport. To buy tickets and for programme details, information about accommodation, etc, see the BOWFest website here. Remaining tickets will be sold on the door, subject to availability.
Dave Arcari + support The JJs: the Glaswegian slide guitarist and songwriter plays ‘real messed up’ alt-blues. ‘Dave plays like he’s got his skin turned inside out…and it was all good’ (Seasick Sid). Followed by an open mic session. 7.30pm, Kirkliston Community Centre, Queensferry Road, Kirkliston. Tickets cost £6 and may be purchased in advance by calling 0131 333 4214, or on the door, sta – early arrival advised. BYOB.
