city centre – Page 23 – The NEN

Royal Scottish Academy exhibitions programme announced for 200th anniversary year

In 2026, the Royal Scottish Academy, one of the oldest and most prestigious cultural institutions in the UK, will be 200 years old.

An independent artist-led organisation with links to every part of Scotland and beyond, the Royal Scottish Academy is planning a unique celebration involving hundreds of artists, partners, galleries and institutions across the country and with an ambitious programme at their Edinburgh home; the largest and most expansive yet, including a major focus on women artists past and present.

Today, the RSA are delighted with the exhibition programme for the gallery spaces in Edinburgh, including major solo shows with RSA members past and present, including Joyce W. Cairns and Barbara Rae, a celebratory Annual Exhibition, the annual New Contemporaries moment for emerging Scottish artists, as well as fresh takes on the institutions collection; curated by a wide range of artists and experts from the RSA and across the Scottish artworld.

RSA Director Colin Greenslade said: “I am delighted to share the full gallery programme for our 200th anniversary year.

“There is truly something for everyone; the finest in Scottish contemporary art and architecture, made by those just beginning their careers, through to those with a revered, established practice.

“For the Summer we have an important retrospective by Joyce W. Cairns and we round off the year with a major new exhibition by Dame Barbara Rae. As a membership organisation with threads of activity across the sector, our group exhibitions for 2026 will explore our history, our legacy and our future.

“Complementing the vast range of associated activities of our partners across the length and breadth of Scotland, the exciting programme for the galleries here in Edinburgh will be an opportunity to learn more about our extensive support of Scottish artists’ and architects’ practice during this important anniversary moment”

More information can be found here about the UK wide celebrations which were announced earlier this summer.

In chronological order the RSA exhibitions are:

Generation

24 January – 8 March 2026

Curated by Richard Murphy RSA OBE, Generation explores the idea of the architectural family tree, bringing together the work of sixteen architects, all of whom formerly worked at the Edinburgh practice of Richard Murphy Architects and have since gone on to establish their own successful practices.

Richard Murphy acknowledges Ted Cullinan (1931-2019), Richard MacCormac (1938-2014), Isi Metzstein RSA (1928-2012), Glen Murcutt and Carlo Scarpa (1906-1978) as influential on his own practice. Now he is looking to the next generation to see how this legacy is continued.

Origin Stories

24 January – 8 March 2026

Everyone remembers their favourite teacher. For art students, the intensely creative environment of art school can make their tutors hugely important influencers and facilitators of their future careers.

Origin Stories will explore the web of artistic relationships that have manifested through the evolution of art teaching in Scotland. Since its foundation, the Royal Scottish Academy has put the support of teaching and training of artists at the heart of its endeavours.

Royal Scottish Academicians have been involved in the art teaching institutions that have evolved in Scotland over the last two hundred years.

Flowing from tutor to student, a fascinating lineage of influence can be traced from the nineteenth century to the present day, involving multiple interconnecting narratives via many hundreds of artists.

Curated by the RSA’s Head of Collections Sandy Wood, this exhibition will tell this previously untold story of influence and legacy, with artworks by some of the best-known names in Scottish art on view alongside those by emerging artists.

New Contemporaries (2022), artwork L-R Jack Whitelock, Jess Townley Hume, Josie Jones. Photo: Julie Howden

RSA New Contemporaries 2026

28 March – 22 April 2026

For 200 years the Royal Scottish Academy has been a champion of knowledge and education in the visual arts.

RSA New Contemporaries represents the Academy’s commitment to supporting and promoting emerging artists and architects in Scotland.

Now in its seventeenth year, it offers a unique opportunity to see some of the most promising talent in Scotland in one single, large-scale exhibition in the heart of Edinburgh. Supported by the RSA Blackadder Houston Bequest and showcasing 64 graduates selected from the 2025 degree shows, the exhibition is the best overview of the current outlook of emerging Scottish art and architecture.

The 2026 exhibition is convened by Michael Visocchi RSA, with assistance from his fellow Royal Scottish Academicians, and Architecture Convenor Christopher Platt RSA.

The 200^th Annual Exhibition of the Royal Scottish Academy

9 May – 14 June 2026

The Annual Exhibition of the Royal Scottish Academy is the largest and longest running exhibition of contemporary art in Scotland.

A yearly barometer of Scottish art, the exhibition has been at the heart of the Academy’s activity since its founding in 1826. For 200 years, the exhibition has captured art and architecture at a moment in time, reflecting the world as it has changed with the Industrial Revolution, two world wars, the invention of the telephone and the birth of the internet.

The 200^th edition of the Annual Exhibition will be a melting pot of contemporary art from across Scotland and further afield, with all artworks shown side by side in the Academy’s grand Neoclassical galleries in the heart of Edinburgh.

This year’s Exhibition Convenor is artist Annie Cattrell RSA, assisted by Architecture Convenor Fergus Purdie RSA. This significant year for the RSA also marks the tricentenary of the birth of James Hutton (1726–1797), the ‘father of modern geology’.

Reflecting on the RSA’s philosophical and physical foundations (with the building constructed on ancient volcanic rock), Cattrell’s curation will explore the RSA’s rich and layered development over time. She has invited artists interested in ideas of geology and the passage of time, including Martin Creed, James Geurts, Cathie Pilkington and Stephen Skrynka, to take part in the exhibition.

Architecture Convenor Fergus Purdie will reflect on the themes of identity and beginnings by inviting his fellow Academicians to design an imagined, alternative building for the RSA in Glasgow. Sam Ainsley RSA has been commissioned to design banners for the iconic columned façade of the Academy building.

Chaos & Control: Printmaking in Scotland Now

27 June – 26 July 2026

This timely survey exhibition will explore the contribution of printmaking to the landscape of contemporary art in Scotland.

Described by Niki de Saint Phalle as ‘controlled chaos,’ printmaking encourages collaboration, offering artists opportunities to share knowledge and working practices.

Printmaking studios have been community hubs for artists in Scotland since the first open access workshops opened in the 1960s and 70s. Whilst other visual arts organisations have struggled to secure funding and support in Scotland in recent years, printmaking studios continue to thrive, with strong artist-led memberships and affordable art at the centre of their purpose.

Curated by acclaimed printmaker Ade Adesina RSA and the RSA’s Head of Programme Flora La Thangue, the exhibition will give visitors the opportunity to view artworks by the foremost names in contemporary Scottish printmaking, as well as lesser-known and emerging artists pushing the boundaries of contemporary printmaking techniques.

Joyce W. Cairns: A Personal Odyssey

1 August – 2 September 2026

The Royal Scottish Academy will mount a wide-reaching exhibition exploring the career of acclaimed artist Joyce W. Cairns as part of its 200^th anniversary celebrations.

As the first woman to be elected President of the RSA and an influential educator to generations of Scottish artists, Cairns has long been an important voice in Scottish art. A major exhibition of her practice is long overdue.

Joyce W. Cairns PPRSA, Bonjour Matelot

This exhibition will explore major bodies of work from across Cairns’ career, with the haunting characters of her Aberdeen harbour scenes on view alongside monumental paintings from her seminal War Tourist project.

Early works from the artist’s days as a student at Gray’s School of Art will be on view alongside her distinctive figurative painting, pulling from memories of her childhood and her home in the once fishing village of Footdee.

The exhibition will trace the progression of Cairns’ intensely personal, autobiographical style of painting and position her as a linchpin in the trajectory of contemporary Scottish art.

Born in Edinburgh, Joyce W. Cairns PPRSA studied painting at Gray’s School of Art, Aberdeen (1966-71), and at the Royal College of Art (1971-74).

Following a fellowship at Gloucester College of Art and Design, she studied at Goldsmiths College, University of London. In 1976 she returned to Aberdeen to teach Drawing and Painting at Gray’s until 2004 when she left to complete a substantial body of work culminating in the exhibition War Tourist at Aberdeen Art Gallery. Cairns was President of the Royal Scottish Academy from 2018 to 2022.

This 26: Contemporary Scottish Art and the Academy

12 September – 11 October 2026

Every year the Royal Scottish Academy supports hundreds of artists through awards, residencies, exhibitions and scholarships.

Since the start of this century, the Academy has given over £5.5 million to artists, many of whom have used the financial support as a springboard for professional success and artistic acclaim.

Curated by Edward Summerton RSA and Amy Cameron, This 26 will look at the recent history of the RSA’s artist opportunity programme, presenting works by 26 artists, one selected for each year of this century so far.

200 Years

17 October – 15 November 2026

Taking cue from the 200^th anniversary of the founding of the Royal Scottish Academy, 200 Years will celebrate the rich history of Scottish art in all its forms over the last two centuries.

Reflecting the centrality of the Academy to the development of Scottish art, the exhibition will include works created by Royal Scottish Academicians since its founding in 1826.

The exhibition will give visitors the opportunity to explore paintings, sculptures, drawings and prints by the foremost artists working in Scotland over the last 200 years.

James Good Tunny, Interior of the Great [Octagon] Room in the shared National Gallery, RSA Annual Exhibition 1860, RSA Collections

Ade Adesina RSA in front of Revolver II and Revolver III, Photo Alan Dimmick

Barbara Rae: Charting South

21 November 2026 – 24 January 2027

In the wake of the hugely popular exhibition Barbara Rae: The Northwest Passage in 2018, the Royal Scottish Academy will present a major, new exhibition.

The Northwest Passage was the culmination of Barbara Rae’s travels following in the footsteps of her namesake, the explorer John Rae. The resulting body of work drew on the intense colour and light of the Arctic in monumental, luminous paintings.

Her interest piqued by the history of exploration, in late 2022 Rae took her work from one pole to the other, travelling to Antarctica to trace the ill-fated journey of explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton during the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition (1914-17).

This exhibition presents a significant body of new work by Rae, relating to locations along Shackleton’s route, including South Georgia and Elephant Island.

Born in Falkirk, Dame Barbara Rae RSA RA studied painting at Edinburgh College of Art (1961-1965). Travelling to France and Spain on a postgraduate scholarship, her early work drew upon trends of abstraction and mixed media practices in European art at the time.

Since her first solo exhibition in Edinburgh in 1967, she has gone on to exhibit worldwide. She was elected Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1980 and became a full Member in 1992.

In 1996 she was elected a Member of the Royal Academy. She holds honorary doctorates from Napier University, Aberdeen University and the University of St Andrews; and is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College.

Barbara Rae was made a dame in the New Year’s Honours 2025.

Dame Barbara Rae RA RSA in front of her work Exit (2015), photo Gareth Wardell.

Forever Edinburgh launches new Resident Days as a celebration of Edinburgh residents

Forever Edinburgh has announced the launch of Resident Days, a brand-new initiative giving people who live in the capital exclusive opportunities to enjoy free or discounted access to local attractions, tours and experiences.

This is running alongside the Resident Rewards programme – which offers residents access to exclusive deals and discounts all year.

Resident Days builds on the success of Resident Rewards Edinburgh: Gives Back, which saw Forever Edinburgh, OneCity Trust and local tourism businesses offering hundreds of free experiences for those facing challenging circumstances in our city and the St Andrew’s Day: Resident Special, which gave special discounted rates for key Edinburgh attractions for Scotland’s national day.

Resident Days will give Edinburgh residents exclusive rewards including a range of free and half-price access to leisure, hospitality and cultural experiences across the city from almost 30 organisations.

The initiative will run across four dates between September 2025 and January 2026, starting with World Tourism Day on Saturday 27 September 2025, which will see offers like half price green fees at Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society, free tours at Scotch Whisky Experience and two for one tickets for the Ghostly Tales of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile tour from Mercat Tours.

A set amount of each offer is available, so residents need to be quick to snap them up.

Later days are:

Carers Rights Day – Friday 21 November 2025 – exclusively for unpaid carers in Edinburgh
St Andrew’s Day – Sunday 30 November 2025
Burns Night – Sunday 25 January 2026

Resident Days are part of Forever Edinburgh’s Resident Rewards programme and have been designed to thank local people for their role in supporting the city’s visitor economy.

By showcasing Edinburgh’s world-class tourism offering, the initiative also highlights the businesses that make the city a global destination.

Cllr Jane Meagher, leader of the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “This is a fantastic initiative that puts residents at the heart of our visitor economy.

“Edinburgh is rightly celebrated around the world, but it is the people who live here who give the city its character and warmth.

“Resident Days are a way of saying thank you, while encouraging communities to discover and enjoy the amazing experiences available right on their doorstep.

“We hope this makes such trips more affordable and accessible, and encourages people to enjoy being a tourist in their own city.”

Tamsin Job, Head of Visitor Experience at Port of Leith Distillery, said: “Here at Port of Leith Distillery and Lind & Lime Distillery we love being part of the Residents Rewards Programme.

“Offering great discounts through Resident Days allows us to give back to our fabulous Edinburgh community. Using the rewards at our distilleries allows residents to experience our working gin and whisky distilleries, right here in Edinburgh.

“We have something for everyone, from tours and retail, to hospitality in our amazing Port of Leith Distillery Bar and space for events and meetings too.

“This initiative means we can offer reduced rates to first timers, repeat visitors and anyone who wants to give it a go. We love being part of this reward that lets locals discover, explore and enjoy everything Edinburgh has to offer.”

Kerry Sloan, Respitality Manager at Shared Care Scotland, said: “Shared Care Scotland is proud to be collaborating with Forever Edinburgh and VOCAL Carers Hub to create the first Resident Days focused on carers in the capital, which will help to mark both Carers Rights Day and celebrate 10 years of our social tourism short breaks service, Respitality.

“Social tourism plays a key role in making these experiences possible, helping to break down barriers and ensure that everyone – regardless of circumstance – can access the wellbeing benefits of leisure, connection and discovery.

“We hope that the Carers Rights Days celebration provides a vital opportunity for unpaid carers to not only rest, recharge and engage with their local community, but to also feel recognised and valued for the contribution they make to our society.”

Full details of participating venues and how to claim rewards will be available on Forever Edinburgh’s dedicated Resident Day microsite at:

www.edinburgh.org/residentdays

This project is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Specsavers Edinburgh team highlight importance of eye health this National Eye Health Week

Specsavers at Shandwick Place in Edinburgh is celebrating it’s over two decade long commitment to promoting better eye health in the local community this National Eye Health Week (22^nd – 28^th September).

As a locally owned and run store, Specsavers Shandwick Place is dedicated to supporting the health and wellbeing of people in the area. The high street retailer is keen to raise awareness about the importance of regular eye checks this National Eye Health Week, which runs from 22^nd – 28^th September 2025.

With figures from the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) revealing that one in five people will experience sight loss in their lifetime*, Specsavers Shandwick Place is urging locals to prioritise their eye health.

Store director, Aly Uka says: ‘Many people don’t realise that sight loss can often be prevented or treated if a condition is caught early.

“Regular eye tests are essential for everyone, even if you think your vision is fine. Eye tests are not just about glasses, they can detect serious conditions like glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and even high blood pressure or risk of stroke.’

National Eye Health Week highlights how preventative care and early diagnosis are crucial in reducing unnecessary sight loss.

According to RNIB, 250 people in the UK begin to lose their sight every day, and this number is expected to rise as the population ages*.

Eye health can also be affected by screen fatigue, especially as more people spend time on devices. Specsavers recommends following the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break to look at something 20 feet away to help reduce strain and preserve vision.

As a long-standing part of the Shandwick Place community, Specsavers is focused on highlighting that essential health services must be accessible and visible to everyone.

For more information on Specsavers Shandwick Place or to book an appointment, call the store on 0131 240 8860 or visit:

https://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/shandwickplace.

Specsavers have several other stores in and around Edinburgh, including:

Leith
Blackhall Sainsbury’s
Nicolson Street
Gyle Centre
Fort Kinnaird
Straiton Sainsbury’s
Cameron Toll
Morningside
Edinburgh Home Visits

The Scottish Gallery to present a landmark double exhibition: ’50 Years of Naboland’ and ‘The Behrens Family’

2 – 25 October 2025 | The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh

This October, The Scottish Gallery is proud to present a landmark double exhibition: 50 Years of Naboland and The Behrens Family. Together, these parallel shows celebrate one of the most original artistic journeys of our time, while also revealing the extraordinary breadth of creativity across three generations of the Behrens family.

For half a century, Reinhard Behrens has constructed and voyaged through his mythical land of Naboland. With its submarine expeditions, dreamlike seascapes, and imaginative cartographies, Naboland has become both a place and an odyssey. It is an astonishing body of work that defies convention and redefines storytelling through art.

This immersive exhibition will transform two floors of The Scottish Gallery into Naboland itself, offering audiences the chance to step inside Behrens’ unique universe. The exhibition will also be accompanied by a new publication from The Scottish Gallery which will provide further insights into the mythology, imagery and enduring significance of Behren’s extraordinary creation.

50 Years of Naboland will position Reinhard Behrens rightly as one of the most original and visionary artists of his generation.

Alongside Naboland, The Scottish Gallery is delighted to present The Behrens Family, a showcase of creativity that spans painting, sculpture, music, film, automata and more.

This family exhibition includes works by:

Reinhard Behrens

With its submarines, strange coastlines, and dreamlike cartography, Reinhard’s work invites us to consider travel, place, and the persistence of wonder.

Margaret Behrens Smyth

Margaret Smyth, painter, brings a quiet lyricism to her work. Her paintings, often rooted in nature and memory, offer a meditative counterpoint to the narrative drama of Naboland. Together, Reinhard and Margaret’s artistic lives have formed a deeply generative partnership that has nurtured creativity across generations.

Kirstie Behrens

Kirstie Behrens is an accomplished printmaker specialising in etching and drawing. A graduate of Duncan of Jordanstone, Dundee, her practice is grounded in careful observation and process, with a particular sensitivity to mark-making and material. Her work reflects her mother’s quietude and her father’s precision, offering a contemplative and refined perspective on the world.

David Behrens

David Behrens is a trained musician blending music, sculpture, and movement in his kinetic automata and mobiles. He channels a playful intelligence into his artistic practice, with each mobile or automata animated by a sense of narrative and mechanical poetry. While David’s art shares his father’s sense of invention, his speaks with a distinct voice shaped by sound, rhythm, and cinematic vision.

Together, these four voices offer a kaleidoscopic view of artistic inheritance, innovation and collaboration, demonstrating how creativity can flourish within and across generations.

Christina Jansen, Director of The Scottish Gallery, says: “It is time that Reinhard Behrens is recognised for his astonishing art odyssey.

“50 Years of Naboland is not just a retrospective, it is a journey into imagination itself. Alongside the wider Behrens family, this exhibition affirms their collective brilliance and unique contribution to contemporary art.”

Missing girl: Have you seen Pantica?

Officers are continuing to appeal for information to help trace a 12-year-old missing from Perth. Pantica Sali, also known as Garofita, was reported missing on Friday, 19 September, 2025 from the Victoria Street area.

It is understood she travelled to Edinburgh and was last seen in the city’s St James Quarter, around 1pm on Wednesday, 17 September, 2025.

She is described as being around 5ft 6in tall, of slim build, with long, dark hair.

When last seen, she was wearing a black dress, white trainers and hooped earrings. She was also carrying a supermarket carrier bag.

Inspector Jill Dolan said: “Concerns are growing for Pantica’s welfare as time passes and extensive enquiries to trace her are ongoing.

“We are speaking to relatives and friends, carrying out door to door enquiries and reviewing CCTV footage in our efforts to trace her and we continue to ask for the help of the public.

“I would appeal to anyone who has seen Pantica or who has any information on her whereabouts to contact us.

“Additionally, we would ask Pantica herself to get in touch to let us know she is safe.”

Anyone with information can contact Police Scotland on 101 quoting reference 1182 of Friday, 19 September, 2025.

Save the Date: Edinburgh Diwali celebrates 10th anniversary

Sunday 2nd November 2025

TEN YEARS OF UNITING COMMUNITES AND CELEBRATING DIVERSITY

Join us in celebrating a decade of light, culture, and community as Edinburgh Diwali marks its 10th Anniversary on Sunday 2nd November 2025.

This year’s landmark event promises a spectacular celebration featuring a vibrant parade through Edinburgh’s New Town, music, dance and cultural performances, the return of public fireworks displays to Princes Street Gardens at the Ross Bandstand, and much more.

Since 2015, Edinburgh Diwali has showcased the spirit of the Indian festival of lights and Scotland’s rich multicultural tapestry by bringing together communities to celebrate diversity. Started as an initiative by the Lord Provost of Edinburgh and Indian diaspora from the city, Edinburgh Diwali has gone on to become one of the UK’s most prominent public Diwali celebrations, attracting around 10,000 spectators to the parade and performances in Edinburgh’s city centre.

Last year’s celebrations lit up the city with incredible energy, featuring unforgettable performances covering classical to contemporary from across cultures from more than 200 performers, notably Scottish Regiment Band, the electrifying Edinburgh Bhangra Crew, dynamic dance troupes Bollyfeat and Dance Ihayami, and a headline performance from the sensational Kaykay & Co., the London based British Asian fusion band. This year’s 10th anniversary celebration promises to be even bigger, with details of the full programme to be revealed nearer the date.

This special milestone edition of Edinburgh Diwali will take place 13:00 – 19:00 on Sunday 2nd November 2025. The event is free to attend and open to all, encouraging people from across Edinburgh and the surrounding area to participate in this family-friendly festival of light.

For further information about Edinburgh Diwali, visit:

edinburghdiwali.co.uk or facebook.com/edinburgh.diwali.

Scottish International Storytelling Festival – Programme Announced

● International Guest Storytellers from Norway, Finland, Sweden, Iceland and Germany

● Tales by Scotland’s Travelling Community

● Over 60 Go Local Events

● Dark Tales for Halloween and the Brothers Grimm

TODAY (Wed 10 Sep) with support from the Scottish Government’s Festivals EXPO Fund and Creative Scotland Multi-Year Funding, the Scottish International Storytelling Festival launched its 36th festival programme.

The Scottish International Storytelling Festival (22 October to 1 November 2025) organised by TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland), is the world’s largest annual celebration of storytelling.

This year’s theme ‘Lights of the North’ explores Scotland’s northern identity through sharing tales from the world’s northern arc, which bridges Finland to Iceland and connects Germany to Norway, with Scotland in between.

Over the 11 days of the festival, some of the North’s most celebrated storytellers will join leading voices from Scotland to bring a feast of traditional storytelling to Edinburgh and to venues across Scotland.

International guest storytellers including Anna-Maria Toivonen from Finland; Georgiana Keable Jerstad and Mimesis Heidi Dahlsveen from Norway; Hjörleifur Stefánsson from Iceland; Jerker Fahlström from Sweden; and Suse Weisse from Germany; will share tales of Vikings, Huldufólk (or the hidden people from Iceland), trolls, the dark northern winters and some of their favourite traditional folktales.

Joining them, will be some of Scotland’s most celebrated storytellers, who will present new work themed on the ‘Lights of the North’, and their own twist on some classic tales including:

● Of Stars, Bears and the Beginning of Time (Wed 22 Oct) presented by storyteller Riikka Palonenand accompanied by folk musician Richard Clarke. Riikka will take audiences on a mythical journey through the celestial origin stories of the Fenno-Baltic tradition.

● The People of the Sea (Thu 23 Oct) inspired by David Thomson’s remarkable work about selkie myths and coastal voices told by Ruth Kirkpatrick and Colin Urwin.

● Selkie: Past, Present, Future (Fri 24 Oct) with Niall Moorjani and Ailsa Dixon who explore what it is to be human through three queered and reimagined selkies set in the past, present and future.

● Land of Many Waters (Sat 25 Oct) with Eileen Budd, David McAlmont and Debbie Armour whopresent stories inspired by Scottish rivers and waters, the stories they carry and their fragile eco-system.

● He Sits on the Rock of Joy (Sun 26 Oct) with storyteller Linda Perttula and singer-songwriter Aino Elina who combine their own teenage memories, with ancient poetry and ethereal vocals in the search for a connection to this Finnish epic.

● Da Winters O Shetland (Sun 26 Oct) with storyteller and comedian Marjolein Robertson, who takes us on a story arc across the dark night of a Shetland winter.

● Gullrun’s Saga: A Viking Story (Thu 30 Oct) with storyteller Svend-Erik Engh and Scottish musician Neil Sutcliffe who present an original story inspired by the Icelandic sagas.

Classic tales with a twist include:

● Claire Hewitt presenting the magical tale of The Swan Woman with Anna-Maria Toivonen.

● Mark Borthwick retelling the tale of The War of the Birds.

● Sarah Wedderburn-Ogilvy, Isobel O’Donovan, Daiva Ivanauskaitė-Brown and Trinidad Cabezón Droguett reimagining the forgotten tale of St Enoch through the journey of four women making their lives in Glasgow.

● Monica Madas and Erin Farley using puppetry and song to tell the epic tale of Triduana and her journey to take Saint Andrew’s bones to Scotland.

● Tania Allan and Craig McCulloch’s take on traditional Selkie myths and the parallels between the silence and captivity found in deafness.

The festival is also packed with rich tales and songs from Scotland’s Travelling Community that have been passed down through generations. With Jess Smith and Jimmy Williamson sharing well known tales, and Marion Kenny paying homage to Duncan Williamson with a retelling of The King and The Lamp. This year’s Alan Bruford lecture will also discuss ‘Nackens’ (Scottish Gypsy Travellers) and how their folklore gives us unique insights into Scotland’s history and placenames. This will be led by author Dr Robert Fell who will be joined by Shamus McPhee to recount a tale about Balquhidder and how it got its name. Plus, piper Gary West, author of the Martyn Bennett biography Brave New Music, hosts a live event celebrating the Traveller ballads and stories which influenced the late musician’s work.

As we edge closer to Halloween,and the Samhuinn Fire Festival in Holyrood Park, the festival embraces the dark side of storytelling with Daniel Serridge and Heather Cartwright sharing stories and songs about the unnerving and haunted corpse roads in Cumbria, where the dead passed through on the way to their graves; Anna Lehr presents Dazwischen – a tale about death, birth and what lies between; Chair of the Scottish Storytelling Forum, and celebrant, Beverley Bryant leads a workshop on Mortality and Making and how we craft conversations about death whilst participants weave willow and make decorations for coffins; and Suse Weisse in association with Goethe-Institut, shares some of the Brother Grimm’s fairy tales and tales fit for The Bewitching Season on Hallow’s Eve.

For younger audiences and families there’s a packed programme of events over the October school holidays kicking off on Saturday 11 October, ahead of the festival’s main programme (22 Oct to 1 Nov). Family highlights include sensory storytelling fun with Fibi Cowley in A Dispute with a Butterfly told through puppetry; and sensory stories with Ailie Finlay in Tales of Cold Forests and Cosy Bears.There’s also percussive dancing from Tokyo-born stepdancer Kae Sakurai in BLOOM; a family ceilidh with the Minnow Ceilidh Band; songs and stories about dragons with Daiva Ivanauskaitė-Brown and Gaynor Barradell; and plenty of events outdoors including the return of the Botanics Storytelling Day and Macastory’s School for Skalds.

Plus, Allison Galbraith delights audiences with folk tales about our Scottish waters and will announce the winners of this year’s Words of the Wild nature writing competition run in partnership with the Scottish Wildlife Trust. Also, new for 2025, three emerging storytellers present their own work themed around shame, consent and survival, in association with FEST (Federation of European Storytelling).

This year’s workshop programmeis packed with tips on telling stories including a look at using BSL in storytelling and how facial expression and movement can help bring a story to life; tech and storytelling with the Scottish Storytelling Centre’s very own inhouse expert Roddy Simpson discussing how best to present storytellers on the stage; what music can add to stories; and the ethical considerations behind using recordings and archive material. Plus, Boglárka Klitsie-Szabad of the Hungarian Heritage House explores the rich repertoire of one of Hungary’s last traditional Roma storytellers Vilmos Csipkés; and Anna Lehr discusses classic fairy tales particularly those of the Brothers Grimm.

Throughout the festival, audiences can also enjoy relaxed Open Hearth gatherings of storytellers and musicians across four evenings in the Storytelling Centre’s Netherbow Theatre.

Go Local returns this year, with new voices from East Lothian and Shetland joining storytellers from all over Scotland throughout October and November to celebrate Scottish storytelling. From the Western Isles, to Dumfries and Galloway there will be over 60 Go Local events in this year’s programme, plus the international storytellers invited to participate in this year’s festival, will also perform in Glasgow, Kenmore, Aberfeldy and Dundee; and as guests at storytelling festivals in Orkney, Aberdeen and Dumfries and Galloway.

Finally, this year’s festival exhibition Stories Drawn from the Land, hosted at the Scottish Storytelling Centre will feature ink illustrations and ceramics by Hester Aspland, whose work is rooted in the realms of folklore, wild places, landscape and history. Hester is also the illustrator of this year’s festival programme.

Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said:

“The fantastic programme for this year’s Scottish International Storytelling Festival features something for everyone and brings together stars of Scotland’s storytelling scene with our north Atlantic neighbours to give light to dark winter nights through mystical stories and songs.

“The festival received £200,000 this year from our EXPO fund as part of a record increase in culture funding from the Scottish Government. We are proud to support this celebration of Scotland’s storytelling heritage and its important place on the world stage.”

Donald Smith, Scottish International Storytelling Festival Director said: “I’m very inspired by the chemistry of this year’s programme. Northern stories come from the forests, mountains and oceans, while drawing on an eerie imagination, surreal humour and hidden connections between human and natural spirits. Inner and outer journeys collide with unexpected magic. And Scotland is a hub and a crucible of this unique northern brew!”

Performing at today’s launch, with musician Richard Clarke, storyteller Riikka Palonen said: “This festival is a very special and exciting time for me – as a relatively recent arrival on these shores, I feel honoured to be able to present the stories from my home land, here in the land of my new home.

The stories I will be telling are rooted in the celestial origins of our northern mythology – tales born of the stars – and just as the starlight brings its glow to the darkening nights, I hope my tales can also cast a little light and wonder, if even for a short while.”

The Scottish International Storytelling Festival takes place from Wednesday 22 October to Saturday 1 November. For those planning on attending multiple events, the Festival Supporter Pass (£24) offers discounted tickets to many festival events, at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, as well as a discount at the Scottish Storytelling Centre’s bookshop, Haggis Box Café and an invitation to the Festival launch event.

There will also be BSL interpretation available for D/deaf audiences at selected events.

To purchase tickets and browse the full programme, visit sisf.org.uk

Edinburgh hosts International Fair Trade Towns Conference

Last weekend, Edinburgh welcomed delegates from across the globe for the 18th International Fair Trade Towns Conference, a three-day event dedicated to strengthening the international movement for fair and sustainable trade.

The event opened on Friday 30 August with a reception at the City Chambers, chaired by Rachel Farey of the Edinburgh City Fair Trade Group. Among the speakers were Foysol Choudhury MSP, Labour’s spokesperson for Culture, Europe and International Development; Depute Lord Provost Lezley Marion Cameron; Thembisile Mnisi from Drakenstein Municipality in South Africa; and Louise Davies from the Scottish Fair Trade Forum.

Delegates also visited the Scottish Parliament, where they joined a Q&A session with Foysol Choudhury MSP and Sarah Boyack MSP.

The visit set the tone for the week, with Mr Choudhury opening the programme by reflecting on Scotland’s achievements: “In 2023, Scotland marked 10 years as a Fair Trade Nation, a milestone reflecting the dedication of communities, campaigners, and businesses working to make trade fair, just, and sustainable.

“Today, we continue to champion Fair Trade with pride, and I am delighted that Edinburgh is at the heart of that journey.”

This year’s conference theme, “Your Town, Our World: Fair Trade Communities & Local Action to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals”, framed discussions on how local initiatives can contribute to global system change. Delegates took part in interactive workshops on climate action, wellbeing economies, youth engagement, digitalisation and the power of storytelling in driving social change.

Closing the weekend, Mr Choudhury added: “Fair Trade has always shown us that local action can drive global change, and the stories we are hearing here in Edinburgh prove just that.

“I am proud that Scotland is hosting this conversation, and I look forward to seeing the collaborations and commitments that emerge from this weekend.”

Police Scotland: Three arrests following Edinburgh protests

There were three arrests following protests in Edinburgh yesterday, Saturday, 6 September, 2025.

Two men, aged 67 and 82, were arrested in connection with the Terrorism Act. A 63-year-old man was arrested in connection with a hate crime.

Enquiries remain ongoing into a number of offences relating to the Terrorism Act. Due to the large crowds present, we carefully assessed the circumstances and prioritised public safety and evidence gathering. This evidence is now being reviewed with further action expected.

Chief Superintendent David Robertson said: “While these protests were conducted peacefully and largely without incident, there were a number of offences identified relating to the Terrorism Act. Substantial evidence of these offences was gathered at the time which will form the basis of a post incident investigation.

“Police Scotland is a rights-based organisation and our role is to ensure public safety while balancing the rights of protesters who wish to peacefully demonstrate.

“Policing in Scotland has strong relationships with the public and we are grateful for the ongoing support of our communities.”

More than 400 Protesters were arrested in London.

Collective Gala this weekend

SUNDAY 7th SEPTEMBER 11am – 5pm

We are so excited to welcome you to our Gala Day next Sunday 7 September, 11am–5pm! Join us for a free day of art, music, tours, makers market and children’s creative play, and scroll down to view the schedule for the day.

You can already pre-book your tickets for Jean Bareham’s Democracy walking tour, and for Lisa Williams’ Black history walking tour!

Otherwise, everything is bookable on the day at our sign-up desk.

Click here for more access information about our site.