NORTH Edinburgh community activists are taking their message to town this afternoon with two events taking place at art galleries in the city centre.
The events have been built around artist and filmmaker Steve McQueen’s RESISTANCE photo exhibition, which runs at the Modern 2 gallery on Belford Road until 4th January.
First up, community stalwarts Anna Hutchison and Willie Black will reflect on campaigns past and present in a panel discussion in the National Gallery at 12.45.
With so many years of campaigning experience Anna and Willie have a host of stories to share and, having known the pair for the best part of thirty years, I’ll be there to try to keep the event running to time!
The free event is sold out, but you can still register to watch online.
Later in the afternoon, two North Edinburgh groups have been working together on an ambitious project that encapsulates North Edinburgh’s spirit of resistance.
The result of the collaboration is the Solidarity Wins: Creative Resistance in North Edinburgh exhibition, which opens at The Portrait Gallery on Queen Street from 2pm today (details below).
It promises to be very good and it’s free – don’t miss it!
PICTURE: Craig McLean, Outside Drylaw Police station, community campaign GRASP protesting against Police harassment and violence, 2001
The Resistance exhibition chronicles 100 years of protest across Britain from 1903–2003. Using the exhibition as a starting point, activists Willie Black and Anna Hutchison alongside chair Dave Pickering, editor of the North Edinburgh News and Information Worker at Granton Information Centre, discuss North Edinburgh community activism, campaigns and actions, and their relationship and solidarity with local, national and international protests and change.
All tickets for the live event have been snapped up, but you can watch the discussion online in a streamed version of the live event.
Ticketholders will be sent a joining link before the event to either watch live or view the recording later.
SOLIDARITY WINS: CREATIVE RESISTANCE in NORTH EDINBURGH
Solidarity Wins: Creative Resistance in North Edinburgh Exhibition Launch
2pm – 4pm
National Galleries of Scotland, The Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street, EH2 1J
Celebration with food, song and creative activities in the Contemporary Space of the Portrait Gallery. Art works, archive films and research material gathered by Art for Grown Ups and Royston Wardieburn Arts & Culture Group.
Join us for an afternoon of creativity, community and conversation celebrating North Edinburgh’s spirit of resistance.
As part of the Resistance exhibition, the National Galleries of Scotland’s Community Development programme has been working with North Edinburgh groups to create responsive work inspired by the area’s long history of community resistance.
Workshops have included song writing, poetry, photo-montage and exploring photographer Craig MacLean’s back catalogue of North Edinburgh activism, all of which will result in an riso-graph exhibition at the Portrait gallery in November.
As well as this North Edinburgh Arts worked with Local Cinema to programme films as part of their ‘Local Resistance’ programme.
Each screening event included a creative element, one of which included the Resistance choir performing their collaboratively penned song ‘Solidarity Wins: A Song for Greater Pilton‘, along with some well known songs on power of solidarity and friendship.
Thanks to song writing facilitator and choir leader Penny Stone and Tinderbox Jed Milroy and artists Sam Rutherford, Jj Fadaka and Megan Rudden, and all those involved so far!
The programme is a partnership with North Edinburgh Arts Art 4 Grown Ups and Royston Wardieburn Community Centre’s Arts and Culture Group.
IMAGE (above): Collaborative piece by Art 4 Grown Ups members, framed by Muirhouse anti-racism campaign image, 1991.
If anyone is free 2 – 4pm today, it’s the launch of ‘Solidarity Wins: Creative Resistance in North Edinburgh‘ exhibition at the Portrait Gallery, which has been a collaboration between North Edinburgh Arts’ Art 4 Grown Ups project and Royston Wardieburn Community Centre’s Arts and Culture Group (writes HOLLY YEOMAN).
Together they have reflected and responded to North Edinburgh activism and campaigns over the years. There is a community lunch catered by Empty Kitchens, Full Hearts and we will be singing our anthem ‘Solidarity Wins: A Song for Greater Pilton‘ at around 3pm-ish(!)
The exhibition will run till April, and we welcome community groups who might want to visit. If interested please email hyeoman@nationalgalleries.org
Dates: Thursday 27 November to Monday 1 December 2025
www.soundhousewinterfest.com
There is just one week to go before the Soundhouse Winter Festival kicks off in Edinburgh, thanks to support from The National Lottery through Creative Scotland.
The Festival Programme is packed with big names and up and coming bands from across Scotland including 2024’s Scottish Jazz Vocalist of the Year Niki King; experimental folk band Constant Follower who were longlisted for this year’s Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award; genre blending spoken word artist, rapper, and rising star Bee Asha; and guitarist Chris Amer and his Sextet (Matt Carmichael, Fergus McCreadie, Gus Stirrat, Stephen Henderson and Mhairi Marwick) performing music from their new collection Making Peace With What Is.
The festival’s programme also includes early evening concerts with harpist and lead vocalist Dara Dubh performing fan favourites and new tracks from her forthcoming album, who will be joined by Toni McVey on drums, Eve Simpson on keys/vocals and Brad Phillips on doublebass.
Also performing will be multi-instrumentalist and folk singer Cahalen Morrison performing songs from his forthcoming album with Fergus McCreadie (keys) and Corrie Dick (drums); and jazz saxophonist Rachel Duns whose music ranges from blues and soul, to the psychedelic sounds of the 1960s.
In addition, award-winning Scottish composer and guitarist Graeme Stephen will present his score for the 1927 silent film Metropolis, performed by Stephen on guitar and a classical string quartet led by Fiona Winning on viola with Tom Hanky (violin), George Smith (violin), and Robert Irvine (cello).
Graeme will also be giving a non-participatory masterclass in Developing Concepts for Composition, Improvisation and Practice, for learners to explore creative ways to turn their ideas into compositions.
Milele Collective who will perform as part of this year’s Spotlight concert. This young five-piece includes Alex Handyside (guitar), Zoe Downs (saxophone), bass player Ashwari Panesar, Finlay Mayers-Porras (drums) and Laura Oghagbon (vocals).
Over the weekend, audiences will also be treated to an afternoon concert from Scottish/Egyptian instrumentalists and composers The Ayoub Sisters who rose to stardom after their debut album premiered at No.1 in the Official Classical Charts.
Plus, three emerging artists playing in this year’s Spotlight concert, showcasing the very best up and coming jazz musicians in Scotland.
They include the Milele Collective a young five-piece making waves on the Scottish scene with their jazz, latin and afro grooves; guitarist and double bass player Timmy Allan who won the BBC Scotland Young Jazz Musician of the Year Award in 2024 and this year’s Alan McAuley Jazz Award; and The Ewan Johnston Trio formed of pianist Ewan Johnston, Christopher Quinnon on bass and BBC Scotland Young Jazz Musician of the Year Roan Anderson on drums.
In addition, cellist and improvisor Simone Seales will be giving an Improvisation Workshop for beginners on how to make sound without musical notation, open to amateur or experienced instrumentalists, vocalists or musicians from any other discipline.
Douglas Robertson and Jane-Ann Purdy, co-producers said:“After last year’s multi-genre celebration of the Scottish music scene, we are delighted to be back for our second annual Soundhouse Winter Festival.
“We’ll be presenting jazz, pop, rap, classical, soul, funk, folk, trad, and many points where those categories intersect. It will be heartwarming, life affirming and a great antidote to the November blues.
“We extend a warm welcome to all: come and be part of Edinburgh’s great music-loving community.”
Alan Morrison, Head of Music at Creative Scotland said: “The closes and wynds of the capital are about to come alive as the Soundhouse Winter Festival returns to Edinburgh with another excellent array of rising stars and familiar faces.
“This compact and perfectly curated programme offers plenty of opportunities to discover new talent across an extended weekend in November, with must-see gigs each and every day.
“Organised by the same people as Edinburgh’s rejuvenated Tradfest, the quality of music is guaranteed to be top-level, with something to suit all tastes.”
Booking link for tickets – soundhousewinterfest.com
The 2025 Soundhouse Winter Festival returns from Thursday 27 November to Monday 1 December at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh, thanks to support from The National Lottery through Creative Scotland.
The festival showcases musicians either from, or based in Scotland, and runs over St Andrews Day and the Fair Saturday weekend. The programme includes some of Scotland’s finest jazz, and trad musicians, a showcase of emerging new musicians, music workshops for adults and young people, and a silent film accompanied by live music.
Headliners include experimental folk band Constant Follower led by songwriter Steven McAll playing tracks from their latest album Let the Healing Begin which has recently been added to the long list for the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) award, 2024’s Scottish Jazz Vocalist of the Year Niki King; genre blending spoken word artist, rapper, and rising star Bee Asha; andguitarist Chris Amer and his Sextet (Matt Carmichael, Fergus McCreadie, Gus Stirrat, Stephen Henderson and Mhairi Marwick) performing music from their new collection Making Peace With What Is.
In addition, award-winning Scottish composer and guitarist Graeme Stephen will present his score for the 1927 silent film Metropolis, performedby Stephen on guitar and a classical string quartet lead by Fiona Winning on viola.
The quartet is completed by Tom Hanky (violin), George Smith (violin) and Robert Irvine (‘cello). Graeme will also be giving a non-participatory masterclass in Developing Concepts for Composition, Improvisation and Practice, for learners to explore creative ways to turn their ideas into compositions.
Other highlights over the weekend include harpist and lead vocalist Dara Dubh performing fan favourites and new tracks with Tony McVey on drums, Eve Simpson on keys/vocals and Brad Phillips on doublebass.
Multi-instrumentalist and folk singer Cahalen Morrison performing songs from his forthcoming album with his freshly minted trio; and jazz saxaphonist Rachel Duns, whose music ranges from blues and soul, to thepsychedelic sounds of the 1960s.
Over the weekend, audiences will also be treated to an afternoon concert from Scottish/Egyptian instrumentalists and composers The Ayoub Sisters who rose to stardom after their debut album premiered at No.1 in the Official Classical Charts.
Plus, three emerging artists playing in this year’s Spotlight concert, showcasing the very best up and coming jazz musicians in Scotland.
They include guitarist and double bass player Timmy Allan who won the BBC Scotland Young Jazz Musician of the Year Award in 2024 and this year’s Alan McAuley Jazz Award; The Ewan Johnston Trio formed of pianist Ewan Johnston, Christopher Quinnon on bass and Roan Anderson on drums; and the Milele Collective a young five-piece making waves on the Scottish scene with their jazz, latin and afro grooves.
In addition, cellist and improvisor Simone Seales will be giving an Improvisation Workshop for beginners on how to make sound without musical notation, open to amateur or experienced instrumentalists, vocalists or musicians from any other discipline.
Douglas Robertson and Jane-Ann Purdy, co-producers said:“After last year’s multi-genre celebration of the Scottish music scene, we are delighted to be back for our second annual Soundhouse Winter Festival.
“We’ll be presenting jazz, pop, rap, classical, soul, funk, folk, trad, and many points where those categories intersect. It will be heartwarming, life affirming and a great antidote to the November blues. We extend a warm welcome to all: come and be part of Edinburgh’s great music-loving community.“
Alan Morrison, Head of Music at Creative Scotlandsaid: “The closes and wynds of the capital are about to come alive as the Soundhouse Winter Festival returns to Edinburgh with another excellent array of rising stars and familiar faces.
“This compact and perfectly curated programme offers plenty of opportunities to discover new talent across an extended weekend in November, with must-see gigs each and every day.
“Organised by the same people as Edinburgh’s rejuvenated Tradfest, the quality of music is guaranteed to be top-level, with something to suit all tastes.”
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”
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 200th 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 200th 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 200th 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 200th 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.
Local Labour politicians have come out against the proposal to list the Brunton Theatre building.
Their opposition was stated in an open letter to Historic Environment Scotland where they claimed listing the current building would jeopardise plans to build a new theatre in Musselburgh.
The letter was signed by Labour MSPs Sarah Boyack and Martin Whitfield, East Lothian MP Douglas Alexander, Edinburgh East MP Chris Murray and Musselburgh Councillors Andy Forrest and Ruaridh Bennett.
The signatories raised concerns that “preserving the current building also preserves many of the issues it faces, including a lack of accessibility, concerns over safety and vital maintenance”.
The letter also reiterated the elected representatives’ commitment towards a new theatre space in Musselburgh that can continue the cultural legacy of the current building while providing better facilities to improve accessibility.
The current theatre was mothballed last October after it closed its doors in 2023 for the last time due to the presence of RAAC.
Commenting on the letter, Ms Boyack said:“I hope this letter illustrates to Historic Environment Scotland why we oppose the listing of the current building.Our driving priority must be the continuation of a theatre in Musselburgh – listing will jeopardise this.
“I am looking forward to working with the Brunton Theatre Trust and with HES to find a solution that ensures that Musselburgh residents get an accessible and functioning theatre space.”
● 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, visitsisf.org.uk
On Friday 22 August, the Scottish Parliament’s Festival of Politics hosted Dreaming of a Fairer Future for Culture, an inspiring event exploring the role of creativity in building a more equal and hopeful Scotland.
Chaired by Foysol Choudhury MSP, the discussion brought together an engaging panel of voices from across Scotland’s creative sector, including Katie Goh, Matthew Hickman, Claire Dufour and Jen Collins.
Together, they reflected on how creativity can drive equity, collaboration and shared resources, reimagining artists, art workers and cultural organisations as vital partners in shaping Scotland’s future.
A moving film by Indra Wilson, commissioned by Culture Counts, shared voices and aspirations of some of the people living in North Glasgow: “I am a son, a brother and an uncle.” “I am the guitar that my mother gave me.” Everyone has a story, and artists and creative minds can help us to tell them in a meaningful way.
Artist and writer Harry Mould urges us to remember that culture “isn’t caviar, it’s salt. You sprinkle it on everything because it brings out the flavour.”
The event focused not just on creativity but also on equity, shared resources and seeing artists, art workers and organisations as viable partners and collaborators.
Building on this, the discussion turned to the importance of collective action and connectivity. Speakers highlighted the many artistic projects already thriving in village halls and community spaces across the country, and the need for better data to capture and sustain this work.
As one participant put it: “Voices need to be heard, not just individual voices, but collective voices. That is how we can rally behind these efforts and make a difference.”
Reflecting on the event, Foysol Choudhury MSP said: “It was a privilege to chair this conversation, and to hear how deeply culture is rooted in people’s everyday lives, whether in community halls, local projects, or the shared stories that bind us together.
“When those voices unite, they do more than celebrate creativity: they challenge inequality, demand accountability, and help shape a fairer Scotland for all.
“I am grateful to everyone who shared their perspectives, and especially to Kathryn Welch of Creative Counts, whose vision and leadership were the driving force behind this important discussion.”
The event demonstrated that Scotland’s creative community continues to be a driving force for positive change, showing that culture is not a luxury, but an essential part of building a fairer society.
Outer Spaces is revitalising communities across Scotland by turning vacant commercial properties into vibrant creative hubs.
On Saturday 23rd August, a visit facilitated by the Scottish Contemporary Art Network (SCAN) brought Foysol Choudhury MSP to the Edinburgh Art Festival Pavilion at 45 Leith Street, where he met artists from the Project Cube Studio Programme and witnessed the initiative’s impact first-hand.
Since launching in 2021, the Scottish charity Outer Spaces has been transforming unused office buildings into hubs for creativity, collaboration, and the rise of new artistic voices.
To date, it has brought more than 120 vacant properties back to life, providing free studio space for over 900 artists working across disciplines such as painting, installation, and more.
Foysol Choudhury MSP visited to Outer Spaces (EAF Hub 45 Leith Street)
Pic Neil Hanna
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The Pavilion also houses HOST, a new six-month residency co-presented by Outer Spaces and the Edinburgh Art Festival (EAF25). HOST gives early-career artists the chance to work in the heart of the city, offering a platform for visibility and growth with support that extends well beyond the festival season.
At a time when rising studio rents and limited opportunities leave many emerging artists struggling to find a place to work, Outer Spaces is breaking down barriers.
Its work supports artists to create and connect, sustains creativity as a vital part of a fair society, and accelerates Scotland’s cultural future by nurturing new voices.
Foysol Choudhury MSP visited to Outer Spaces (EAF Hub 45 Leith Street)
Pic Neil Hanna
07702 246823
Foysol Choudhury MSP said: ““It was inspiring to see so many talented young artists confidently presenting their work. Opportunities like this don’t just happen; they’re made possible because organisations like Outer Spaces and the Scottish Contemporary Art Network open doors, providing free studio space and a platform for artists to create, connect, and thrive.
“Too often, the high cost of studios and the shortage of opportunities mean that emerging artists struggle to find resources to create. That’s why initiatives like this are so important. They give artists the chance to develop their work, build confidence, be part of Scotland’s cultural sector and shape its future.
“My thanks to Outer Spaces and SCAN for the warm welcome and for the brilliant work you do to support creativity in our communities.”
Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Artistic Director Alan Cumming is set to host a fundraising event for the Theatre on Sunday 28 September, when he spends an entertaining evening in conversation with sports pundits Tam Cowan and Stuart Cosgrove, celebrating over 30 years of Scotland’s best loved (and self-proclaimed worst informed) football radio show, BBC Radio Scotland’s Off the Ball.
Whether you are a football fan or a Theatre lover (or both!) , join Alan as he delves into the history of this dynamic duo, and their unique style of football punditry which has brought joy each week to football fans across Scotland. The conversation will be followed by the chance for audience members to ask their own questions to Tam and Stuart.
Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Artistic Director Alan Cummingsaid: “I am a huge fan of Off the Ball even though I know and have very little interest in football.
“I guested on the show once (and can’t wait to again, hint hint), and my big brother – who is a football nut and was I think rather jealous of my proximity to Scotland’s fitba royalty – said ‘you just giggled the whole time’. And he was right. “Tam and Stuart are hilarious, irreverent, and even just the timbre of their voices and their vocabulary make me howl with laughter and I could listen to them all day.
“This fundraiser is a beautiful gesture by them to support me and my plans for my first season of work at Pitlochry Festival Theatre and a great chance for everyone who loves football and comedy to witness, in the flesh, these petty and ill-informed football titans!”
Tam Cowanadded: “I first suggested doing this fundraiser for the theatre when Alan Cumming was appointed artistic director as he’s been a great friend of Off the Ball with numerous plugs for the programme on both sides of the Atlantic.
“Me and Stuart appreciate the support (it’s not every day a James Bond baddie praises your work!) and, to reciprocate, I thought the least we could do was put on a wee freebie at Pitlochry Festival Theatre, just a few miles from where Stuart was born and bred.
“We’re really looking forward to a no-holds-barred petty & ill-informed evening of stories, jokes and memories – and we might even spill a few Off the Ball secrets for the punters who donate a few quid extra by splashing out on a VIP meet’n’greet ticket…!”
Pitlochry festival Theatre new Studio official opening.
An Evening with Off the Ball’s Tam Cowan and Stuart Cosgrove is scheduled as the first in a series of In Conversation fundraising events to be held at the Theatre over the next year.
These events will bring in much needed funds for the Theatre, a charity, which produces work here in Pitlochry at its on-site workshop and rehearsal rooms.
The funds from the evening will go to support the Theatre’s 2026 programme, which will be Alan Cumming’s first season of programming as Artistic Director, as well as the Theatre’s 75th Anniversary Season.
Further In Conversation events will be announced in the coming months.
General tickets for the fundraising event cost £25. VIP Meet and Greet packages are also available, allowing audiences members the opportunity to enjoy nibbles and drinks whilst chatting with Tam, Stuart, and Alan.
An Evening with Off the Ball’s Tam Cowan and Stuart Cosgrove will be on Sunday 28 September at 7pm at Pitlochry Festival Theatre. Tickets are available from the box office on 01796 484626 or online at pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com
To find out more about supporting Pitlochry Festival Theatre visit:
Asian Art Awards – Award Ceremony at MOXY Fountainbridge
Members of the Scottish Indian community were prominent among the winners of the 2025 Asian Art Awards at the Edinburgh Fringe. The awards have been running since 2014 and exist to bring Asian artists together at the Fringe and reward the best of them.
90 shows participated in 2025, up significantly from 55 in 2024.
The highly acclaimed “Kanpur: 1857”, written and co-performed by Edinburgh-based Niall Moorjani and which showed at the Pleasance, won the award for Outstanding Production.
Set at the time of the Kanpur uprising in India, this new play “comically satirises contemporary conflicts around gender, colonial violence, and making art in times of crisis”. The award was collected by the production’s musician, Sodhi.
Shows by Sanjay Lago (Love me Like a Chai Tea Latte [wearing the colourful shirt]) and Dance Ihayami, with their show Dansa Rickshaw, also won awards for Highly Commended performances (i.e. Runners Up). Sanjay is Scottish Indian while Dance Ihayami is “Scotland’s Indian dance company”. Like Sodhi, Sanjay is from Glasgow (“Ibrox, don’t judge me” he says).
Hahaha-Hamlet from Hong Kong, which played at the Paradise Green venue on George IV Bridge, won the award for Outstanding Show.
The award reviewers simply loved this “captivating reimagining of Shakespeare’s classic tale, blending original musical with dark humour [..and..] intertwining the struggles of contemporary Hongkongers with Hamlet’s timeless tale”.
Energetic, inventive and incredibly affecting with some reviewers moved to tears as the tales of Hamlet and Hong Kong coincided at the end. The whole cast were in attendance to receive the award [red and black t-shirts under their clothes] and they were delighted.
Mayuri Bhandari of the Anti “Yogi” took home the award for Outstanding Female while Jeremy Rafal won Outstanding Male for The Boy from Bantay “a heartwarming journey of growth and self-discovery”.
Mayuri was in attendance with her percussionist Neel Agrawal while Jeremy sent a video message to the audience. Both shows were hugely popular. At the Anti “Yogi” the audience were invited to “Join Mayuri Bhandari and Kali, the Goddess of Death every day as they navigate the absurdities of Western Yoga culture. Liberation, not Lululemon!”
The Outstanding Youth Performance was won by the show “Landscape of the Other Shore” from Shenzhen University which was also inspired by another European classic: Géricault’s painting and Georg Kaiser’s play The Raft of the Medusa.
The Asian Arts Special Award was shared between GENDAI TOKYO and Up-cycle Music by Creative Art of Korea. GENDAI TOKYO had a simply incredible laser show playing at WU Asia Pacific three times per night. Everyone who sees it simply loves it.
Up-cycle Music is a “response to climate change from a uniquely artistic perspective. They use waste to make music – cellos from abandoned equipment from rural areas, stringed instruments of thrown away plastic toys – and compose piano songs based on the characteristics of endangered animals, to ask vital questions about the climate crisis”.
Lyndsey Jackson from the Fringe presented the awards along with Richard Lewis and Chelsea Zhou of Asian Art Fund Scotland, the charity which runs the Asian Art Awards.
Winners – 2025 Asian Art Awards
Outstanding Show
Winner: Hahaha–Hamlet – Chai Wan Rabble (Hong Kong)
Highly Commended: 1Shoulder Pad: Galaxy Train, Japanese Musical Theatre (Japan)
Highly Commended: Practice of Zen – Theatre Ronin (Hong Kong)
