Home Culture What’s on this week in Edinburgh

What’s on this week in Edinburgh

July 24, 2016 11:18 am

If you’re a child, forget nagging your hapless parents into spending a fortune this holiday – we have lots of activities for you to enjoy, and many are completely free. And if you’re not a child, we have plenty to entertain you too – art, music (including a fabulous fundraiser for the wonderful Tinderbox Project), photography, books, films… the festivals may start next week (though for Edinburgh Art Festival it’s this Thursday) but that doesn’t mean you can sit around eating chocolate.

Get up, get going, and take advantage of all that Edinburgh has to offer before everyone else gets here. You might even find a Pokémon. Apparently. Please check details with the organisers of all events before setting out.

MONDAY 25th JULY 2016

Play Talk Read Bus: Bessie the bus will be in Pilton today! Perfect for pre-schoolers, the free play buses make a lovely day out for you and your child. Downstairs there are games and activities; on the top deck, there’s a special Bookbug story time to give children the giggles or take them on a little adventure. The play buses aim to help children to have fun, enjoy learning and get more out of life, and to provide a change of scene for parents and carers. There are always plenty of other adults with children to chat to, and the friendly Play Leaders are there to help you enjoy yourself and feel more confident when you Play,Talk and Read. 10am-1pm and 2-4pm, West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre, West Pilton Grove. Free: all welcome.

North Edinburgh Arts Summer Programme: a packed timetable of activities throughout the holidays. This morning’s sessions (10am-12 noon) for ages 5-12 (two age groups) are: Recycled Art and Percussion within Dance; in the afternoon (3.30-4.30pm) it’s Library Garden Club. North Edinburgh Arts, Pennywell Court, Muirhouse. £1.50 per session (50p for Good Neighbours card holders), healthy snack provided. No booking required but sessions can be very busy, so please arrive early to secure a place. For details of all activities and events at NEA this summer, click here or call NEA on 0131 315 2151.

Picturehouses Toddler Time: exclusive short screenings for pre-school children and their parents and carers. Today: Rastamouse: Ice Cold Criminals and Swingin Subjects (U) – da Easy Crew uncover the hidden talents of mice in Mouseland. Author Michael De Souza says of his creation ‘Rastamouse has a positive message for young children, promoting the need to understand what is right from what is wrong, and why, in a meaningful context. Through understanding, love an’ respect; Rastamouse will always make a bad thing good.’ 11am, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets cost £3 per child, accompanying adult free.

Lunchtime Concert: Chancel Choir of the First United Methodist Church, Dallas, USA. 12.15pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free.

Moredun Library Summer of Crafts. Today and every Monday: Music Makers. 1.30pm, Moredun Library, 92 Moredun Park Road. Free.

Professor Neil’s Incredible Science Crafts: for ages 4-12 (children under 8 must be accompanied by someone over 12). 3pm today and every Monday during the holidays, Ratho Library, School Wynd. Free.

WHALE Arts Children’s Summer Programme: free art, crafts, dance, circus skills and films throughout the holidays. Today: Street Arts – a special session to get things warmed up for WHALE’s Fun Day. For ages 5+. 2-4pm, WHALE, 30 Westburn Grove, Wester Hailes. For more information and to reserve your place call 0131 4589 3267 or drop in to WHALE.

Gilmerton Library Summer of Crafts. Today and every Monday: Minecrafters. For ages 5-12. 2pm, Gilmerton Library, Newtoft Street. Free.

Summer at Craigmillar Library – different activities every day throughout the holidays! Today: Sandra George Art Club, Minecraft Club and Game Club. Please check the library’s Facebook page here (or call into the library) for full details, age groups and times. Craigmillar Library, 101 Niddrie Mains Road.

A Tour of the National Library: a guided tour of the building and an introduction to the Library’s collections and history. The tour will last approximately 45 minutes. 2pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free but numbers are limited, so booking is essential and may be made by calling 0131 623 3734 or via Eventbrite here. Please let NLS know if you have special access requirements.

Spacecrafts: for ages 4-12 (children under 8 must be accompanied by someone over 12). 2pm today and every Monday during the holidays, Sighthill Library, 55 Sighthill Road. Free.

Wreck the Rulebook: Flash Fiction Journeys. If you love writing, come and create some flash fiction with Leith Library and Creative Writing students from Napier University. For ages 11-15. With refreshments! 2pm, Leith Library, 28 Ferry Road. For more information and to book your place please email leith.library@edinburgh.gov.uk or ask in the library. There will be another Wreck the Rulebook session (Magazine Mashup) on 8^th August.

Storytime: storytelling sessions for younger children. 2-2.30pm today and every Monday, Balerno Library, 1 Main Street. Free: all welcome.

The Big Friendly Read – Summer Reading Challenge Scotland: events at Fountainbridge Library throughout the summer holidays. Today and every Monday: Dahlastic Challenge. 3pm, Fountainbridge Library, 137 Dundee Street. For more information drop into the library or call 0131 529 5616.

The Big Friendly Read – Summer Reading Challenge Scotland: events at Stockbridge Library throughout the summer holidays. Explore a Roald Dahl story each week, with fun activities and the chance to make new friends. Today: Game Out! For ages 7-10. 3.30pm, Stockbridge Library, Hamilton Place. Free, no booking required – just come along! Next week at the same time: Get scientific – make a marvellous medicine. There is also a Dahl-themed event every Friday afternoon for all ages – see separate listing.

The Scottish Endarkenment: Madeleine (U). The Scottish Endarkenment (in conjunction with Dovecot Gallery and the University of Edinburgh) explores a wide range of disturbing and provocative topics, from ever-escalating international conflict to social inequality and unrest, gender identity and sexual prejudice – all fired by the dialectical struggles within the Scottish psyche between good and evil, Self and the Other. One of three films David Lean made starring his wife Ann Todd, Madeleine is the true story of a nineteenth-century Glasgow woman from an affluent background accused of murdering her erstwhile lover. Lean strongly emphasises Madeleine’s vulnerability: her French lover (Ivan Desny) is a preening bully, her father a fire-eating patriarch, and her passage to the courtroom is marked by the furious rantings of a male mob. Where the film is remarkable, though, is in never allowing her to become simply a victim. She dares to expose and enjoy her sensuality, and cunningly exploits the prim reticence expected of a Victorian woman to avoid submission to marriage. 6pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 2688 or online. The next film in this series will be Death Watch/La mort en direct (12A) screening on 1^st August.

Adapting Miss Highsmith: Highsmith and the Screen (12A). Patricia Highsmith (1921-1995) was one of the greatest crime and suspense writers of the 20th century. Her novels, from Strangers on a Train, This Sweet Sickness and Carol through to her Ripley novels, were critically and commercially acclaimed. Her work also inspired major filmmakers past and present from Hitchcock to Todd Haynes. Adrian Wootton CEO of Film London, explores Highsmith’s colourful life, her extraordinary career and the films of her stories, with slides and film clips. 6.30pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £5/£4 and may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 2688 or online.

Grassmarket Community Cinema: Chariots of Fire (PG). This nostalgic tribute to Cambridge University athletes Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell, recounts the events of the 1924 Olympics. Abrahams is a Jew who experiences racial prejudice at Cambridge, while Liddell is a Scot who runs for the glory of God. The two become rivals on the track, and both are chosen to represent Britain at the Paris Olympics. However, a problem arises when Liddell learns that he is expected to compete on the Sabbath, something that goes directly against his religious beliefs. The film won Oscars for Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score (by Vangelis Papathanassiou) and Best Costume Design, and received a further three nominations. 7pm, Grassmarket Community Project, 86 Candlemaker Row. All welcome, free admission: donations very welcome! The Grassmarket Community Project is a charity providing mentoring, training and education to participants, many of whom are amongst the most vulnerable of Edinburgh’s citizens, in a nurturing environment. It operates a community cafe, woodwork and tartan social enterprises, and a range of social integration and educational activities for members, aimed at enhancing life skills and developing confidence. To read about The Edinburgh Reporter’s afternoon at the Project, click here.

The Star Festival: Tie your wish on the wishing tree! Then fly with the magpies to build their bridge across the Milky Way… where the ancient star lovers Vega and Altair reunite every year. Your guides on this journey are David Campbell, Mio Shapley and Linda Williamson, venturing through story and song into the realms of the celestial Summer Triangle – Speaking Swan, Singing Harp and Thunderbolt Eagle. All ages welcome! 7.30pm, Netherbow Theatre, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43 High Street. Tickets cost £8/£6 and may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 556 9579 or online here. Image credit: NASA’s Ames Research Center.

Big Mouth Monday: Henry’s weekly open stage, with a packed line up of 15 minute sets from touring pros to total newbies, which can descend into anything from an all-out sit around acoustic love in, to a wild big band dance party… All original performers welcome, free entry all night, offers at the bar. Over 18s only. 8pm-3am, Henry’s Cellar Bar, Morrison Street.

TUESDAY 26th JULY 2016

Read All About It! An introduction to online newspaper resources available via the National Library. The session includes demonstrations of a selection of resources and tips on how to search and find the information you need. 10am, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free but booking is required and may be made by calling 0131 623 3734 or via Eventbrite here. For more information about this workshop email enquiries@nls.uk.

Play Talk Read Bus: Bessie the bus will be at the library today! Perfect for pre-schoolers, the free play buses make a lovely day out for you and your child. Downstairs there are games and activities; on the top deck, there’s a special Bookbug story time to give children the giggles or take them on a little adventure. The play buses aim to help children to have fun, enjoy learning and get more out of life, and to provide a change of scene for parents and carers. There are always plenty of other adults with children to chat to, and the friendly Play Leaders are there to help you enjoy yourself and feel more confident when you Play,Talk and Read. 10am-1pm and 2-4pm, Oxgangs Library, 343 Oxgangs Road North. Free: all welcome.

Tiger Tales: stories and crafts for ages 4-7. 10.30am today and every Tuesday throughout the summer, Balerno Library, 1 Main Street. Free.

North Edinburgh Arts Summer Programme: a packed timetable of activities throughout the holidays. This morning’s sessions (10am-12 noon) for ages 5-12 (two age groups) are: Nautical Crafts: Plates & Jars and Percussion within Dance; in the afternoon (1.30-3pm) it’s Film Club. North Edinburgh Arts, Pennywell Court, Muirhouse. Activities £1.50 per session (50p for Good Neighbours card holders), healthy snack provided. No booking required but sessions can be very busy, so please arrive early to secure a place. Film Club is free but you do need to register in advance. For details of all activities and events at NEA this summer, click here or call NEA on 0131 315 2151.

Lunchtime Concert: Canticum Choir, Seoul. 12.15pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free.

Picturehouses Silver Screen: if you are over 60, join the Silver Screen Club (it’s free) for discounted tickets at these special weekly screenings, plus a free tea or coffee before the show. This week’s films are Star Trek Beyond (12A) (12.20pm and 3.05pm), Weiner (15) (3.35pm), Maggie’s Plan (15) (1.10pm) and The BFG (PG) (1.20pm and 3.50pm). Cameo, Home Street. Non-members are welcome at these screenings but pay standard prices.

Adapting Miss Highsmith: described by Graham Greene as the ‘poet of apprehension’, Patricia Highsmith specialised in tightly plotted thrillers exploring the fear, jealousy, guilt and violence bubbling under the surface of outwardly civilised characters. Neurotic men dominate her fiction, antiheroes with a plethora of dark secrets and obsessions, though she was equally capable of studies of great sensitivity and tenderness, as evidenced by one of her few forays outside the thriller genre, Carol. The artistry and intelligence of her work is widely considered to have transcended the thriller genre and rival that of mainstream literature, and has made for much compelling cinema. Today: Ripley’s Game (15) (in German, Italian and English with English subtitles); already freely adapted by Wim Wenders as The American Friend, Highsmith’s third Tom Ripley novel gets a straighter reworking courtesy of Liliana Cavani, the Italian director most famous for her 1974 succès de scandale The Night Porter. John Malkovich takes on the lead role, while Dougray Scott plays the terminally ill framer tangled up in Ripley’s schemes. With a strong supporting cast including Ray Winstone and Chiara Caselli, the film also boasts an atmospheric score by Ennio Morricone. 1.05pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 2688 or online. Also showing at 3.45pm and 8.45 pm on Wednesday 27th July and 6.10pm on Thursday 28^th July. The final film in this series will be Carol (15), showing 2-4 August.

WHALE Arts Children’s Summer Programme: free art, crafts, dance, circus skills and films throughout the holidays. This morning (10.30am-1pm): Expecting Something: for parents under 25 with a bump or a child under 2. A variety of fun creative sessions geared towards young parents and young children, with space to chat and a free, fresh, healthy lunch. This afternoon’s session (2-4pm) is a Playday for ages 5+ with Working on Wheels. WHALE, 30 Westburn Grove, Wester Hailes. For more information call 0131 4589 3267 or drop in to WHALE.

Moredun Library Summer of Crafts. Today and every Tuesday: Minecrafters. 1.30pm, Moredun Library, 92 Moredun Park Road. Free.

Gilmerton Library Summer of Crafts. Today and every Tuesday: Art Attack. For ages 5-12. 2pm, Gilmerton Library, Newtoft Street. Free.

Around the World Crafts: for ages 4-12 (children under 8 must be accompanied by someone over 12). 2pm today and every Tuesday during the holidays, Sighthill Library, 55 Sighthill Road. Free.

Spacecrafts – Out of This World Crafts: for ages 4-12 (children under 8 must be accompanied by someone over 12). 3pm today and every Tuesday during the holidays, Ratho Library, School Wynd. Free.

Summer at Craigmillar Library – different activities every day throughout the holidays! Today: Books for Babies, Face painting, Games with Claire and Summer Poems with Carmen. Please check the library’s Facebook page here (or call into the library) for full details, age groups and times. Craigmillar Library, 101 Niddrie Mains Road.

Water of Leith Visitor Centre Children’s Summer Events. Today: AIR! – life in the air, harness the power of flight & track down winged wildlife. Children must be accompanied by an adult. 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. For details of the centre’s summer and autumn programme – which includes events for all ages – click here.

The Big Friendly Read – Summer Reading Challenge Scotland: events at Currie Library throughout the summer holidays. Today (and every Tuesday & Thursday): Roald Dahl Crafternoons – help build volcanoes, design your own fancy dress, create your own Mr or Mrs Twits’ beard and much, much more! For ages 4-12. 2.30pm, Currie Library, 210 Lanark Road. Free.

The Big Friendly Read – Summer Reading Challenge Scotland: events at Fountainbridge Library throughout the summer holidays. Today and every Tuesday: Xbox Summer Football Challenge. 3pm, Fountainbridge Library, 137 Dundee Street. For more information drop into the library or call 0131 529 5616.

The Big Friendly Read – Summer Reading Challenge Scotland: events at Corstorphine Library throughout the summer holidays. Today Giant Peach – come along and make your own! For ages 5+. 3pm, Corstorphine Library, Kirk Loan. Free, no booking required – just come along! Next Tuesday at the same time: Sports & Crazy Golf (ages 5+).

The Big Friendly Read – Summer Reading Challenge Scotland: events at Colinton Library throughout the summer holidays. Today (and every Monday & Friday): Roald Dahl Crafternoons – help build volcanoes, design your own fancy dress, create your own Mr or Mrs Twits’ beard and much, much more! For ages 4-12. 2.30pm, Colinton Library, Thorburn Road. Free, no booking required – just come along!

Traditional Tales: a summer season of traditional tales from Scotland. Hear the truths, myths and legends of Scottish folklore, past and present, with some of our nation’s best storytellers. Authentic entertainment and insight, all in one hour! This week’s storyteller is Colin Williamson. For ages 12+. 3pm, Library, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43 High Street. Please book in advance: tickets cost £8/£6/£5 and may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 556 9579 or online here. Also at same times on Wednesday 27^th and Thursday 28th July.

Granton Garden Buddies Club: meet new friends, enjoy outdoors and help the library take care of the garden every Tuesday at the Garden Buddies Club. Today’s Fun Facts and Crafts Workshop is Creepy Crawlies! – how many are in the garden? 3.30-4.30pm today and every Tuesday this summer, Granton Library, Wardieburn Terrace. Free, all welcome. Next week at the same time: Make a bird table and food feeders for the garden.

Waterstones Edinburgh Board Games Night: come along to the monthly board games night – play Catan, King of Tokyo, Zombies!!! and many, many more! 5.30pm, Waterstones West End, 128 Princes Street.

Picturehouses Discover Tuesdays: cult classics, art-house gems and riveting documentaries – there’s always a chance to see something different and brilliant in the Cameo’s weekly slot. Today’s film is Couple In A Hole (12A) (in English and French with English subtitles). A British couple, Karen (Kate Dickie) and John (Paul Higgins), quite literally inhabit a dark pit of despair in a misty Belgian forest. As Tom Geens’ assured second feature unfolds, we learn that their exile is self-imposed. Whilst John forages for food, Karen stitches together animal pelts, barely able to venture outside their dank cave. But when she’s bitten by a poisonous spider, he is forced to seek medicine from a sympathetic farmer. This exchange slowly builds into a friendship through which the couple’s backstory is partially revealed, but which John feels obliged to keep from Karen – a deceit that ultimately has explosive consequences. Geens and his cameraman, Sam Care, render the couple’s feral, anguished existence into something of strange beauty whilst slowly building an involving tension. 6pm, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0871 902 5723 or online. Please note this film includes scenes of animal butchery.

Poetry Workshop: poet and SPL programme manager Jennifer Williams facilitates this writing workshop, suitable for writers at any stage in their career. Read, discuss, write and workshop poems – all levels of experience welcome, please bring paper and a pen or pencil or laptop/tablet of choice. 6pm, The Space, Scottish Poetry Library, Crichton’s Close. £5/£4: please book via Eventbrite here. For more information contact jennifer.williams@spl.org.uk.

Filmhouse: Growing Pains. A season programmed by Jessie Moroney, showing classic and contemporary films dealing with some of the more complex aspects of childhood. Today: Kes (PG) – 15-year-old Billy Casper suffers abuse both at school and at home, and has trouble paying attention in class, leaving him with no motivation and nothing to look forward to. When Billy finds a fledgling kestrel hawk, deciding to raise it and train it to hunt, the bird’s development gives him hope for his own future. Both Billy and the bird must find their wings to weather a hostile world in this 1969 Ken Loach classic. The screening will be followed by an informal discussion. 6.05pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 2688 or online.

Blackwells Edinburgh Presents Edinburgh in the Shadows 2. After a spectacular run at the 2015 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Alec Beattie & Max Scratchmann return with a stunning sequel to their hugely successful spoken word show, plus a gruesome new book about the darker side of Edinburgh’s history! Want to know the sinister side of the city that the tourist brochures won’t tell you about? You’ve come to the right place! Beattie and Scratchmann tell it like it really is in Edinburgh in the Shadows 2 – a dark but funny account of the city’s shady side with tales and poems of murder, muck and mayhem that reveal the truth behind Edinburgh’s most celebrated sites and characters. 6.30pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Free tickets are available from the shop’s ground floor desk, by calling 0131 622 8222, emailing events.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk or via Eventbrite here.

In search of Truth and Beauty: Paul Nesbitt, Curator of Inverleith House, describes the role of art in our appreciation and understanding of the natural world through the 30-year programme of exhibitions at Inverleith House and its current 30th Anniversary exhibition I still believe in miracles. For ages 14+. 6.30pm, Botanic Cottage (enter gardens by North Gate), Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Free but please book via Eventbrite here.

The Pageant of Musselburgh: with The Lady Esk as the Queen of the Pageant and The Town Crier as the audience’s guide, you will be led on a journey through the history of the burgh from Roman invasion to the 20th century. This adaptation of the 1956 script will have a modern twist which promises to capture the ‘carnivalesque’ feel of the pageant. Performed by up to 90 local school children as part of Riding of the Marches 2016. 7pm, The Brunton, Ladywell Way, Musselburgh. Tickets £10/£5 + booking fee from Hub Tickets here or direct from The Brunton Box Office on 0131 665 2240. Also at same time on Wednesday 27^th and Thursday 28^th July.

Leith Folk Club: Ross Couper and Tom Oakes. Old friends of the club, Ross and Tom are a powerful fiddle and guitar duo. Ross’ explosive fiddle playing lies at the heart of the mighty Peatbog Faeries, while Tom is a multi-award winning guitarist and flautist composer who was a founder member of the genre defying Auvo Quartet. With support: Ciaran McGhee. 7.30pm, Victoria Park House Hotel, 221 Ferry Road. Tickets cost £8 and may be reserved by completing the online form here or texting the club’s dedicated booking line on 07502 024 852. Reserved tickets must be collected by 7.30pm on the night.

The Listening Room Album II Launch featuring Liz Jones + Lyndsay Susan Shields + Screamin Whisper + Sir Tom Watton + Ms Fi and the Misfits. Over 18s only. 7.30pm, The Voodoo Rooms, West Register Street. Tickets £5 on the door.

WEDNESDAY 27th JULY 2016

North Edinburgh Arts Summer Programme: a packed timetable of activities throughout the holidays. This morning’s sessions (10am-12 noon) for ages 5-12 (two age groups) are: Nautical Crafts: Boats and Percussion within Dance; in the afternoon (1.30-3pm) it’s Film Club. North Edinburgh Arts, Pennywell Court, Muirhouse. Activities £1.50 per session (50p for Good Neighbours card holders), healthy snack provided. No booking required but sessions can be very busy, so please arrive early to secure a place. Film Club is free but you do need to register in advance. For details of all activities and events at NEA this summer, click here or call NEA on 0131 315 2151.

Free RAP workshops with Jay of Supa and Da Kryptonites. 2-4pm, North Edinburgh Arts, Pennywell Court, Muirhouse. Free but you do need to register in advance; call NEA on 0131 315 2151 or email admin@tinderboxproject.co.uk. There will be another workshop at the same time on Wednesday 27^th July.

WHALE Arts Children’s Summer Programme: free art, crafts, dance, circus skills and films throughout the holidays. This morning’s sessions are in Circus Skills – come and try some juggling and balancing fun! 10-11am for ages 5+, 11am-12 noon for ages 7+. WHALE, 30 Westburn Grove, Wester Hailes. For more information and to book your place call 0131 4589 3267 or drop in to WHALE.

Summer at Craigmillar Library – different activities every day throughout the holidays! Today: Reading Group, Challenge Reh, Minecraft Club, Easy Baking with Rena and #artcore writers. Please check the library’s Facebook page here (or call into the library) for full details, age groups and times. Craigmillar Library, 101 Niddrie Mains Road.

National Play Day Edinburgh – Play Talk Read Bus. Bessie the bus will be taking part in National Play Day today! Perfect for pre-schoolers, the free play buses make a lovely day out for you and your child. Downstairs there are games and activities; on the top deck, there’s a special Bookbug story time to give children the giggles or take them on a little adventure. The play buses aim to help children to have fun, enjoy learning and get more out of life, and to provide a change of scene for parents and carers. There are always plenty of other adults with children to chat to, and the friendly Play Leaders are there to help you enjoy yourself and feel more confident when you Play, Talk and Read. 12.30-430pm, Grassmarket. Free: all welcome.

Moredun Library Summer of Crafts. Today and every Wednesday: Art Attack. 1.30pm, Moredun Library, 92 Moredun Park Road. Free.

Professor Neil’s Incredible Science Crafts: for ages 4-12 (children under 8 must be accompanied by someone over 12). 2pm today and every Wednesday during the holidays, Sighthill Library, 55 Sighthill Road. Free.

Gilmerton Library Summer of Crafts. Today and every Wednesday: Roald Dahl Day. For ages 5-12. 2pm, Gilmerton Library, Newtoft Street. Free.

The Big Friendly Read – Summer Reading Challenge Scotland: Roald Dahl Creative Writing: create Roald Dahl inspired stories and poems. For ages 10-15. 2pm, South Queensferry Library, Shore Road. Free, no booking required – just come along! The next event will be a Splendiferous Roald Dahl Party on Wednesday 10^th August.

The Big Friendly Read – Summer Reading Challenge Scotland: events at Fountainbridge Library throughout the summer holidays. Today and every Wednesday: Big Friendly Crafts. 3pm, Fountainbridge Library, 137 Dundee Street. For more information drop into the library or call 0131 529 5616.

Waterstones Science Fiction Book Group. This month the group will be discussing The Vorrh by Brian Catling. In this twisting, poetic narrative, Bakelite robots lie broken – their hard shells cracked by human desire – and an inquisitive Cyclops waits for his keeper and guardian, growing in all directions. Beyond the colonial city of Essenwald lies the Vorrh, the forest which sucks souls and wipes minds. There, a writer heads out on a giddy mission to experience otherness, fallen angels observe humanity from afar, and two hunters – one carrying a bow carved from his lover, the other a charmed Lee-Enfield rifle – fight to the end. 5.30pm, Waterstones West End, 128 Princes Street.

Tinderbox Frontiers Fundraiser: celebrating the end of this year’s project and raising much needed funds for next year! Featuring Tinderbox Frontiers, Supa & Da Kryptonites, Campaign: EQ, Tinderbox Orchestra and Room to Play. The Tinderbox Project uses music and the arts to create far-reaching and accessible opportunities for young people. 6-9pm, North Edinburgh Arts, Pennywell Court, Muirhouse. Free – suggested donation £5.

Wiff Waff Wednesday: a monthly ping pong night for all ages with music, drink and great food available to purchase from the Drill Hall Arts Cafe. ‘Friendship 1st, competition 2^nd’. 6-10.30pm, Out of the Blue, 36 Dalmeny Street. Free entry and all are welcome!

Scottish Poetry Library: Lorna Goodison. Join celebrated Jamaican poet and writer Lorna Goodison for an unmissable evening poetry and storytelling. Goodison has won numerous awards for her writing in both poetry and prose, including one of Canada’s largest literary prizes, the British Columbia National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction for From Harvey River: A Memoir of My Mother and Her People. Along with her award winning memoir, she has published three collections of short stories (including By Love Possessed) and nine collections of poetry. 6.30pm, Scottish Poetry Library, Crichton’s Close. Tickets cost £5/£4: please book via Eventbrite here.

Edinburgh Gay Men’s Book Group: an inclusive group where you can meet new people and read and discuss interesting books. This month: Equal Affections by David Leavitt. 7-9pm, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street. For more information please email info@gaybookgroup.co.uk. Next month’s book is Rupert Smith’s Interlude.

Sue McKenzie Trio with special US guest Paul Elwood. This free-improv trio with accomplished saxophonist Sue McKenzie (deadpan sax rigour), Rick Bamford (tantric drum archery) and Adam Linson (intense, anchoring double bass) is joined for this gig by US banjo virtuoso and composer Paul Elwood. Expect everything and anything from bluegrass to avant-garde jazz! 7-8.30pm, The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street. £5/£4 on the door: please note this venue is strictly cash only.

Fèis Rois Ceilidh Trail. Fèis Rois is widely known as one of Scotland’s leading traditional arts organisations; its annual Ceilidh Trail project gives outstanding young musicians aged 16 – 25 the opportunity to develop skills in traditional music performance. Come along and join these talented young musicians for an evening of traditional music and dance, with the opportunity to enjoy beautiful Gaelic songs, uplifting fiddle tunes and haunting melodies on the clarsach. Bring your dancing shoes and join in with some ceilidh dancing too! 7.30pm, Storytelling Court, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43 High Street. Tickets cost £10/£8 and may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 556 9579 or online.

Celebrity Organ Recital: Peter Backhouse plays Buxtehude, JS Bach, Rheinberger, Jongen and Vierne. 8pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Tickets £8/£5 (accompanied children free) from St Giles’ Cathedral Shop (tel: 0131 226 0673) or on the door.

Jazz on a Summer’s Day: All Night Long (cert tbc): Basil Dearden’s London-set film is a loose reworking of Othello that showcases some of the most prominent American and British jazz musicians. Up-and-coming drummer Johnnie Cousin (Patrick McGoohan) has ambitions to start his own band but needs to convince Delia (Marti Stevens) to come out of retirement to receive backing. At their anniversary party, he conspires to drive a wedge between Delia and fellow musician Aurelius Rex (Paul Harris) to achieve his goal… 8.35pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 2688 or online. Ticket deals are available for this season. Also showing at 8.35pm on Thursday 28^th July. Jazz on Summer Days (12^th July-2^nd August) is a diverse season of films that celebrate jazz on screen – from portraits of iconic musicians, to improvised soundtracks and captivating performances that punctuate the cinematic drama; the next film is Lift to the Scaffold/Ascenseur pour l’echafaud on 30^th and 31st July.

Ben MacDonald Animus Quartet: Glasgow-based guitarist Ben MacDonald brings in his impressive 4-piece, which includes some of the country’s most accomplished jazz musicians, all of whom have performed at international level: Adam Jackson (sax), Pete Johnstone (organ) and Doug Hough (drums). Ben’s writing, inspired by many other music genres but respecting jazz tradition, produces interesting original pieces with a progressive attitude, a highly listenable format – and high energy delivery. 9pm (entry from 8pm), The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street. £5/£4 on the door: please note this venue is strictly cash only. Image artwork by Alice Ruzzettu.

THURSDAY 28th JULY 2016

Play Talk Read Bus: Bessie the bus will be at Tesco’s in South Queensferry today! Perfect for pre-schoolers, the free play buses make a lovely day out for you and your child. Downstairs there are games and activities; on the top deck, there’s a special Bookbug story time to give your children the giggles or take them on a little adventure. The play buses aim to help children to have fun, enjoy learning and get more out of life, and to provide a change of scene for parents and carers. There are always plenty of other adults with children to chat to, and the friendly Play Leaders are there to help you enjoy yourself and feel more confident when you Play, Talk and Read. 10am-1pm and 2-4pm, Tesco, Ferry Muir, South Queensferry. Free: all welcome.

North Edinburgh Arts Summer Programme: a packed timetable of activities throughout the holidays. This morning (10am-12 noon) it’s Create Lite: Exotic Land (Desert Play) – for ages 0-5 with parents or carers; in the afternoon (1.30-3pm) it’s Film Club. North Edinburgh Arts, Pennywell Court, Muirhouse. £3 per first child, £1 for subsequent siblings, (50p for Good Neighbours card holders), healthy snack provided. No booking required but sessions can be very busy, so please arrive early to secure a place. Film Club is free but you do need to register in advance. For details of all activities and events at NEA this summer, click here or call NEA on 0131 315 2151.

Picturehouses Big Scream: exclusive screenings for parents or carers with babies under the age of one. Today’s film is Star Trek Beyond (12A): the latest film in the glorious reboot of the Star Trek series finds the crew of the USS Enterprise jumping ship after a series of increasingly aggressive attacks by unknown aliens. 10.30am, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0871 902 5723 or online.

Summer at Craigmillar Library – different activities every day throughout the holidays! Today: Video Game Tournament and Knitting & Craft Club. Please check the library’s Facebook page here (or call into the library) for full details, age groups and times. Craigmillar Library, 101 Niddrie Mains Road.

Meet the Glasshouse Staff: come along to the Plants & People Glasshouse and find out how staff grow Victoria amazonica. Find out more about the stunning collection of plants from the people who care for them; today it’s RBGE Tropical Grower Pat. 1-1.30pm, Plants & People Glasshouse, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Admission free with glasshouse entry (£5.50/£4.50/children under 16 & carers free).

The Big Friendly Read – Summer Reading Challenge Scotland: Roald Dahl Crafts: for ages 4-12 (children under 8 must be accompanied by someone over 12). 3pm today and every Thursday during the holidays, Ratho Library, School Wynd. Free.

Moredun Library Summer of Crafts. Today and every Thursday: Potter Madness. 1.30pm, Moredun Library, 92 Moredun Park Road. Free.

The Big Friendly Read – Summer Reading Challenge Scotland: events at Currie Library throughout the summer holidays. Today (and every Thursday & Tuesday): Roald Dahl Crafternoons – help build volcanoes, design your own fancy dress, create your own Mr or Mrs Twits’ beard and much, much more! For ages 4-12. 2.30pm, Currie Library, 210 Lanark Road. Free

Inspiring Impressionism: Nocturne Exhibition Tours (July). An early evening tour of the Inspiring Impressionism exhibition focusing on key aspects and artists who feature in the exhibition. 5.30-6pm, Royal Academy, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Purchase of exhibition ticket required (Friends of NGS free). There will be further early evening tours on 25^th August and 29^th September 2016. Image: Sunset, Charles-François Daubigny, 1874.

WHALE Arts Children’s Summer Programme: free art, crafts, dance, circus skills and films throughout the holidays. Today is WHALE’s Street Arts Family Festival! A fun-filled afternoon for all the family, with play activities, face painting, crafts and more – lots to see and do! 1-4pm, WHALE, 30 Westburn Grove, Wester Hailes. For more information click here, call 0131 4589 3267 or drop in to WHALE.

Water of Leith Visitor Centre Children’s Summer Events. Today: River Dipping – join staff IN the river for this favourite activity! Children must be accompanied by an adult. 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. For details of the centre’s summer and autumn programme – which includes events for all ages – click here.

Juno Calypso & Carolina Mizrahi: Second Self. An exhibition which not only presents an exciting and dynamic dialogue of modern day femininity, but presents the narrative in the most vibrant, colourful and mesmerising of ways. Emerging photographers Juno Calypso and Carolina Mizrahi confront the viewer with a challenging aesthetic of what it means to be feminine in today’s world. Beauty standards, media, and the notion of the ideal are questioned by these artists’ absurd representations of self through the portrayal of their alter egos. Private view tonight 6-8pm, then 10am-5pm Monday to Saturday, 1-5pm Sundays, Arusha Gallery, 13a Dundas Street. Ends 14^th August 2016. Image: Juno Calypso Luncheon Meat.

The Cathedral Collection: Gallery Ten presents an installation of works by renowned international glass artists Monica Guggisberg & Philip Baldwin, whose modern, minimalist aesthetic provides a dramatic juxtaposition against the backdrop of St. Mary’s ornate Gothic architecture. The Cathedral Collection will include new works from their frames series, mobiles, and large scale boat sculptures, including a nine meter long version recently exhibited at the Grand Palais in Paris, and the Applied Arts Museum in Frankfurt. Baldwin & Guggisberg’s 37 year partnership in the medium of glass has brought them international recognition as one of the most collected and prized collaborations in the world. They have recently moved their residence and studio to the Welsh countryside after many years in Switzerland and Paris. The Cathedral Collection will be the first time their work is shown in Scotland. Preview tonight 7-8.30pm, then daily until 19^th September 2016, St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, Palmerston Place.

PAINTING 123: Correspond. A touring exhibition of 35 UK based contemporary painters, all recent participants in TURPS contemporary painting programme in London. In bringing their paintings together for the first time, the artists hope to initiate new conversations between works and further examine parallel concerns. 10am-4pm Monday to Friday, 12 noon-4pm Saturdays, Interview Room 11, Ocean Terminal Level One, Ocean Drive. Ends 27^th August 2016.

Edinburgh In The Shadows: after a spectacular run at the 2015 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Alec Beattie & Max Scratchmann return with a stunning sequel to their hugely successful spoken word show about the darker side of Edinburgh’s history! 2.30pm, Portobello Library, Rosefield Avenue. Please reserve your free place by dropping into the library or via Eventbrite here.

Matt Donovan and Hallie Siegel: History Machines – a talk and exhibition preview. Exhibiting artists Matt Donovan and Hallie Siegel talk about the new work in their exhibition, and the themes that inspire their wider artistic practice. Known collectively as Donovan & Siegel, the artistic duo hails from Toronto. Their work often interrogates the notion of language – the different forms it has taken, and the way in which it has developed throughout the course of human civilization. In History Machines, Donovan & Siegel explore the status of printed text in the contemporary world, examining the issues that arise when printed words are translated into digital domains and making explicit many of the truths underlying our everyday encounters with digital text – truths that might ordinarily be overlooked. The exhibition also features a variety of pieces that merge sculpture, graphic design, poetry and storytelling. Haikube, for example, stands as a kind of ‘poetry-generation machine’. Donovan & Siegel examine how texts can be reinvented during the act of reading, and how reading often demands a degree of creative input. The talk will be followed by a preview of History Machines. Talk 6-7pm, preview 7-8.30pm, Edinburgh Printmakers, Union Street. Free but talk is ticketed, please book via Eventbrite here. No tickets required for preview. Exhibition ends 22^nd October 2016.

Jonathan Owen: Jonathan Owen’s work involves the systematic transformation of readymade objects and images. He is interested in making by reducing and removing, and in the controlled collapse of existing objects as a method of production and reactivation. His sculptures begin as relics of another time: 19th Century marble statues and busts that he re-carves into disjointed, re-invigorated versions of their original selves. Owen’s Eraser Drawings, made using found book pages, can be considered as carvings in two dimensions. Most recently these have been drawn from publications of cinema history; film-stills, portraits of stars or documentary images on-set. In painstakingly erasing the foreground figures he creates a new narrative, leaving a ghostly echo of what was there before. This presentation accompanies and contextualises Owen’s public artwork for the nearby Burns Monument, commissioned for Edinburgh Art Festival 2016. 10am-5pm today and 29^th July (closed 30^th & 31^st July), then 11am-5pm Tuesday to Saturday in August, Ingleby Gallery, 6 Carlton Terrace. Ends 28^th August 2016. Image: Jonathan Owen Eraser Drawing (Portrait of Audrey Hepburn), 2016 (partially erased book page).

Keith Edwards Quintet: ‘Hard Bop’ swinging arrangements by Keith Edwards (sax) with Donald Corbett (trumpet/flugelhorn), Robert Pettigrew (piano), Jay Kilbride (bass) and Bill Kyle (drums). Their sets include original compositions by trumpeter Corbett, some rarely heard jazz tunes, and pieces by British Jazz legends Tubby Hayes, and Scots trumpet legend Jimmy Deuchar. 9pm (entry from 8pm), The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street. £5/£4 on the door: please note this venue is strictly cash only.

FRIDAY 29th JULY 2016

North Edinburgh Arts Summer Programme: a packed timetable of activities throughout the holidays. This morning’s sessions (10am-12 noon) for ages 5-12 (two age groups) are: Fish Mobiles and Percussion within Dance; in the afternoon (1.30-3pm) it’s Film Club. North Edinburgh Arts, Pennywell Court, Muirhouse. Activities £1.50 per session (50p for Good Neighbours card holders), healthy snack provided. No booking required but sessions can be very busy, so please arrive early to secure a place. Film Club is free but you do need to register in advance. For details of all activities and events at NEA this summer, click here or call NEA on 0131 315 2151.

Cramond’s Roman Fort: more than sixty years of excavation have been carried out on Cramond’s Roman Fort and its surrounding area. With archaeology ranging from the Mesolithic period to the early nineteenth century, a more complex picture of the history of the area is emerging. John Dods gives a lecture on this fascinating subject. 10.30am, Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South. £8 (includes a special tour of the Castle, coffee and cakes); places must be booked in advance via the Usher Hall Box Office, Lothian Road, in person, by calling 0131 228 1155 or online here.

Play Talk Read Bus: Bessie the bus will be at the library today! Perfect for pre-schoolers, the free play buses make a lovely day out for you and your child. Downstairs there are games and activities; on the top deck, there’s a special Bookbug story time to give children the giggles or take them on a little adventure. The play buses aim to help children to have fun, enjoy learning and get more out of life, and to provide a change of scene for parents and carers. There are always plenty of other adults with children to chat to, and the friendly Play Leaders are there to help you enjoy yourself and feel more confident when you Play, Talk and Read. 10am-1pm and 2-4pm, Balerno Library, 1 Main Street. Free: all welcome.

Lunchtime Concert: Ana Margarida Silva (piano), Lisbon. 12.15pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free.

Waterstones Presents Secret Edinburgh: come and meet Hannah Robinson, author of Secret Edinburgh: An Unusual Guide. You may have thought Edinburgh had no more to reveal, but the city still keeps much hidden away in the most unexpected of places. An indispensable guide for those who thought they knew Edinburgh well, or who would like to explore the curiosities of this most secretive of cities. 12.30pm, Waterstones West End, 128 Princes Street.

Summer at Craigmillar Library – different activities every day throughout the holidays! Today: Friday Cartoons and Quiz Night. Please check the library’s Facebook page here (or call into the library) for full details, age groups and times. Craigmillar Library, 101 Niddrie Mains Road.

WHALE Arts Children’s Summer Programme: free art, crafts, dance, circus skills and films throughout the holidays. Today: a trip to Cramond Beach for ages 7+ – come and make some sand art! Booking is required. 1-3pm, WHALE, 30 Westburn Grove, Wester Hailes. For more information and to reserve your place call 0131 4589 3267 or drop in to WHALE.

Blackwell’s Edinburgh Presents an Afternoon with Antiques Expert Judith Miller. Is that ugly vase you hide at the back of the cupboard worth something? What about that toy from your childhood? That old piece of costume jewellery? Come along and find out! Judith Miller celebrates the publication of the new Miller’s Collectables Handbook and Price Guide 2016-2017. Judith began collecting in the 1960s while a student at Edinburgh University; she is an expert on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow and has co-hosted the popular BBC series The House Detectives, ITV’s Antiques Trail, and Discovery’s It’s Your Bid. 1-2.30pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Free tickets are available from the shop’s ground floor desk, by calling 0131 622 8222, emailing events.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk or via Eventbrite here.

LGBT Women’s Wellbeing Event: an inclusive & informal group to meet other LGBT women in a relaxed space. The event this month is You Oughta Know. Come and explore the LGBTQIA+ Proud City exhibition, followed by a drink on the Royal Mile. Weather permitting: Holyrood Park! 2pm, The People’s Story, Canongate Tolbooth. For more information please contact Alison Wren on 0131 652 3283 or email alison@lgbthealth.org.uk.

Edinburgh In The Shadows: after a spectacular run at the 2015 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Alec Beattie & Max Scratchmann return with a stunning sequel to their hugely successful spoken word show about the darker side of Edinburgh’s history! 2pm, Blackhall Library, Hillhouse Road. Please reserve your free place by dropping into the library, calling 0131 529 5595 or emailing blackhall.library@edinburgh.gov.uk.

Moredun Library Summer of Crafts. Today and every Friday: Art Club. 1.30pm, Moredun Library, 92 Moredun Park Road. Free.

Gilmerton Library Summer of Crafts. Today and every Friday: Tiger Tales. For ages 4-8. 2pm, Gilmerton Library, Newtoft Street. Free.

Roald Dahl Crafts: for ages 4-12 (children under 8 must be accompanied by someone over 12). 2pm today and every Friday during the holidays, Sighthill Library, 55 Sighthill Road. Free.

Lego Club: for ages 5+. 2.30pm today and every Friday, Corstorphine Library, Kirk Loan. Free.

The Big Friendly Read – Summer Reading Challenge Scotland: events at Stockbridge Library throughout the summer holidays. Dahl-lightful events suitable for all ages, with fun activities and the chance to make new friends. Today: Make fly away kites to escape The Witches! 2.30pm, Stockbridge Library, Hamilton Place. Free, no booking required – just come along.

Junior Knitting: come and learn some knitting skills with the library staff. For ages 7+. 2.30pm today and every Friday throughout the holidays, Balerno Library, 1 Main Street. Free: all welcome.

Around the World Crafts: for ages 4-12 (children under 8 must be accompanied by someone over 12). 3pm today and every Friday during the holidays, Ratho Library, School Wynd. Free.

Jo Spence: Spence (1934-1992) connected the personal with the political to explore how photography can represent and also construct reality. Through photography, teaching and writing, addressing subjects such as children’s rights, women’s rights, family, class and illness, Spence demonstrated an enduring commitment to her belief in photography’s ability to empower those that use and experience it. The exhibition will showcase different aspects of Spence’s photographic output. A presentation of self-portraiture dating from the last ten years of her life will include examples of photo therapy, a technique that she developed with Rosy Martin and began in 1984 in order to work through a number of personal histories relating to issues of sexuality, family and class. Documentary material from the 1970s will illustrate the educational workshops that Spence developed with her long-term collaborator, Terry Dennett, through their Children’s Educational Work, The Secret World of Children and Adventure Playgrounds projects. The exhibition will also include collaborative work produced in 1981 by The Polysnappers, a group that included Spence and three of her fellow Photography students at the Polytechnic of Central London, Mary Ann Kennedy, Jane Munro and Charlotte Pembrey. 11am-6pm Monday to Saturday, Stills, 23 Cockburn Street. Ends 16^th October 2016. Image: Jo Spence, Photo Therapy: My Mother as a War Worker, 1986-88. Collaboration with Rosy Martin. Copyright the Estate of Jo Spence. Courtesy Richard Saltoun Gallery.

Blackwells Edinburgh Presents Ross McCleary. Come and celebrate the publication of Portrait of the Artist As a Viable Alternative to Death, an exploration of the dark ruminations of The Artist. His work, his motivations, his relationships, and his unswerving commitment to the cause of Art. From the light and flippant, to the truly dark, the book considers ‘the unlimited possibilities and mysteries around us’ (Martin MacInnes Infinite Ground), is ‘exhaustingly beautiful’ (Ross Sutherland Emergency Window), and is narrated by someone equal parts ‘superior, stubborn, contrarian, petty, boastful, livid, contradictory, insecure, lonely, yowlingly funny and wrenchingly tragic.’ (Rachel McCrum Do Not Alight Here Again). Ross McCleary is one of the organisers of spoken word night Inky Fingers and the editor of podcast journal Lies, Dreaming. 6.30pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Free tickets are available from the shop’s ground floor desk, by calling 0131 622 8222, emailing events.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk or via Eventbrite here.

The Rust Garden: Launch Event and Artists’ Talk. Exhibiting artists Matt Donovan and Hallie Siegel talk about the new work in their exhibition, and the themes that inspire their wider artistic practice. This launch reception celebrates Donovan & Siegel’s ambitious, organic and highly visible new artwork Rust Garden, commissioned by Edinburgh Printmakers for the building of Castle Mill Works. This artwork will monumentalize the heritage of Castle Mill Works and Fountainbridge’s industrial past, transforming a neglected and overgrown nook into an intimate garden space for contemplation. 7-8pm, Castle Mill Works, former North British Rubber Company HQ, Gilmore Park, Fountainbridge. Free and unticketed. In partnership with The Grove Community Garden and HERE + NOW. Part of Donovan and Siegel’s current exhibition History Machines at Edinburgh Printmakers (Union St) (see Thursday’s listings). Ends 28^th August 2016.

Still life with flying objects: a group exhibition bringing together new and existing work by artists including Tim Dodds, Susie Green, Emma Hart and Susan Mowatt. Thinking about objects and why we are drawn to make them, the show will present work by artists who paint, weave, make films and build. Liquid paint settles, takes form as a twig, shape-shifts into a piece of rope and later slips off as a snake; a tapestry keeps out the cold, hanging as a soft wall and holding collaged lumps in its weave; at home a camera pans scraping along the radiator, coming across an out of reach cobweb which reveals lost treasure. rhubaba By reaching under the bed, knotting the yarn and looking through the porthole, the artworks in the show consider what the stuff we surround ourselves with is, how it is made and where it ends up. Preview tonight 7-9.30pm, then 12 noon-5pm Friday to Sunday, Rhubaba, 25 Arthur Street. Ends 28^th August 2016. Image: LOST, Emma Hart, 2009 – 2011, HD Video Installation, Duration 19 minutes, Image courtesy of the artist.

Talbot Rice Gallery: New Exhibitions. (1) Alice Neel: The Subject and Me: the story of the turbulent events that shaped Alice Neel’s life, told through a retrospective of drawings and selection of late paintings. Emphasising the psychological perception that would allow Neel (1900-1984) to produce some of the most striking and resonant portraits of the twentieth century, the exhibition offers candid observations of sexuality, family, childhood, pain and poverty. It is also an important subjective document of life in post-war America. Associating with Andy Warhol and the Beat Generation, Neel tended to exist on the peripheries of society. Now seen from a contemporary perspective, when human interaction becomes increasingly mediated, her work seems to be able to open up a direct and accessible conversation about what happens when one person encounters another; (2) Jess Johnson: Eclectrc Panoptic. Teasing back layers of cognition, this exhibition reflects New Zealand born artist Johnson’s interest in science fiction, alternative universes and the slippery nature of perception and reality. The installation takes its genesis from the psychomagic group rituals conceived by the visionary filmmaker and comic book writer Alejandro Jodorowsky; and the technological themes of Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel Dune. Concealed within the space is Ixian Gate, a virtual reality artwork that can only be experienced through an Oculus Rift headset, plunging participants into the dystopic world of her drawings. In association with Edinburgh Digital Entertainment Festival. Please contact the gallery for opening times. Talbot Rice Gallery, University of Edinburgh, Old College, South Bridge. Image: Alice Neel Hartley and Ginny, 1970 (Acrylic on cardboard, 71.8×55.9cm). Courtesy of the Estate of Alice Neel.

Kimihiro Yasaka and Nightingale: The Consulate General of Japan Presents An Evening of Music and Song. A wonderful evening with local singing group Nightingale, and Kimihiro Yasaka, a talented and award-winning young Japanese pianist. They will enthral you with a varied repertoire including works by Japanese and British composers and traditional Scottish music. 7pm, St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, Palmerston Place. Free but please book via Eventbrite here.

Voltaire Live Presents Aaron Wright & Guests. Singer/songwriter Aaron Wright has played at Glastonbury, Latitude, Hop Farm, Kendal Calling, T in the Park and Bennicàssim, and was invited by Paul Heaton to join the cast of his rock opera The 8th. Aaron’s album Flying Machine was released in 2015. Support: Cheyne Halliday, Annie Booth and Georgia Gordon. 7pm, Cabaret Voltaire, Blair Street. Tickets £5 + booking fee in advance from Skiddle.com here, £7/£5 on the door.

Guid Crack: Blessings and Curses. Can a blessing be a curse or a curse a blessing? Now there’s a conundrum! Join storyteller Kate Walker from Chatterbox Stories for Edinburgh’s monthly storytelling night, an evening of tales from a fickle world, where things may not be as they seem… but then again they might.. 7.30pm, Circus Café, St Mary’s Street. Entry by suggested donation of £5/£4.

Derailed Sense: a film about Vic Godard and Subway Sect. This summer marks the 40th anniversary of the punk explosion; Summerhall is celebrating this landmark by screening the Scottish première of the first ever documentary about this iconic band and its enigmatic frontman Vic Godard, a musical visionary who famously retired to become a postman. The film includes appearances from Irvine Welsh, Edwyn Collins, Viv Albertine and Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Graham Bendel (Billy Childish is Dead) and a 7″ singles only DJ set and bar. 7.30pm, Red Lecture Theatre, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. Tickets £10 from the Summerhall Box Office on 0131 or online here. Please note that tickets are limited to just 80 so early booking is advised.

The Outside Track: winner of Best Group in both the Live Ireland awards and the TIR awards, The Outside Track are one of the top Celtic acts in the world. A stunning synthesis of virtuosity and energy, their marriage of Celtic music, song and dance has been rapturously received around the world. Hailing from Scotland, Ireland and Cape Breton, its five members are united by a love of traditional music and a commitment to creating new music with this as a foundation; they effortlessly fuse traditional and contemporary with winning joie de vivre, blending fiddle, accordion, harp, guitar, whistle, step-dance and vocals with breathtaking vitality. 8pm, Netherbow Theatre, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43 High Street. Tickets cost £10/£8/£5 and may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 556 9579 or online here.

Picturehouses Culture Shock: Nicolas Winding Refn Presents. A special season curated by Nicolas Winding Refn, director of The Neon Demon and Drive. Today: Under the Skin (15). Scarlett Johansson drives around Scotland, picking up men and luring them to a very strange fate in this eerie, dreamlike and visually ravishing sci-fi. 9pm, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0871 902 5723 or online.

The Alyn Cosker Group: one of Scotland’s top drummers, Alyn Cosker is regularly featured with the SNJO, Tommy Smith’s groups, and many other top names. His spectacular soloing and outstanding brand new band promise an exceptional evening, with Davie Dunsmuir (guitar), Steve Hamilton (piano, now touring with US drums legend Billy Cobham), and electric bassist Colin Cunningham, playing new original compositions plus music from Alyn’s album Lyn’s Une. A groove based electric band with challenging yet accessible time signatures. 9pm (entry from 8pm), The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street. £5/£4 on the door: please note this venue is strictly cash only.

Paul Z AKA – DJ Denial. An eclectic mix of some the best music from the last 70 years. Come on a journey through Blues, Swing, Soul, Funk, Afrobeat, Punk, Electro Swing & Balkan Beats. Guaranteed to move your feet… 9pm, The Skylark, 241 Portobello High Street.