THIS week Drumbrae library saw a lot of great gaming, including some cool creations like a powered beacon in Minecraft and a spectacular volcano!
Next week we have some crafty events which are so popular they’ve already been booked up, but our usual Friday Craft and Lego Time will still be on and open to everyone of suitable age.
Keep an eye out for our updates on food delivered to the sharing shelf and any extra news we’ve got to share.
There’s something for everyone this summer at the National Galleries of Scotland, with lots of free events in Edinburgh across the National, Portrait and Modern to discover.
Dive deeper into the Galleries exhibitions with ticketed tours from the experts. Explore the fascinating stories behind the art with tours and talks. Be swept away with magical music performances in the Portrait and National. Bring the whole family along for fun accessible events or try your hand at creating your own art in the joyous Drawing Room workshops.
To book your place for an event visit What’s on | National Galleries of Scotland.
Visitors can get an insight into the exhibitions, acquisitions and collections with captivating talks from National Galleries of Scotland’s curators and guest speakers in person at the National and streamed free online.
Delve into the wondrous imagination and spectacular installations of leading contemporary artist Do Ho Suh with guest speakers Amie Corry, Director of Publications for Do Ho Suh and independent curator Fatoş Üstek.
Be whisked away to the sun, sea and society of the late 19th and early 20th centuries in a special opening talk for An Irish Impressionist: Lavery on Location with Professor Kenneth McConkey. For those fascinated by Scottish history, join Jim Phillips, Professor of Economic and Social History at the University of Glasgow and author of Scottish Coal Miners in the Twentieth Century.
Looking at the Before and After Coal exhibition, he will explore the meaning and relevance of the strike 40 years on. Uncover the new works in Scotland’s national collection with a special look at the rare Encounter by Remedios Varo 1959, the first oil painting by the artist to enter a public collection in the UK.
Be immersed in magical free live music events all while soaking up the beautiful art and surroundings of the Portrait and National gallery. With performances from Live Music Now musicians, including clarinet quartet The Four Keys, Mexican guitarist Morgan Szymanski joins Scottish violinist Roo Geddes and Mexican singer-songwriter Lavinia Negrete.
In July, celebrate American Independence Day with the Phoenix Duo. Edinburgh-based Sangstream Folk Choir perform a programme of songs about the challenging lives which miners and their families have faced over the centuries inspired by the Before and After Coal exhibition.
Experience the galleries with a tour guide and learn the fascinating history and stories behind the art. Get to know the artworks and themes in the new Scottish galleries at the National in the Scottish Art in Focus tours which take place every month on Saturday afternoon.
Learn more about the changing landscape of Edinburgh and Scotland and the people who made it all happen. For those wanting a more detailed look into Edinburgh’s evolving cityscape and how it captivated the imagination of artists, join the Inside Out: Edinburgh Old and New walking tour.
Those taking a trip to the National Galleries of Scotland’s summer exhibition at the Royal Scottish Academy, An Irish Impressionist: Lavery on Location, can join the Sunday Afternoon Tour on Sunday 28 July. The tour travels through the key themes from the extraordinary life of the Belfast-born artist, from Scotland to New York via Paris and Morocco.
Indulge your own creative energy with The Drawing Room workshops. Offering a unique space to playfully explore creativity and drawing, with absolutely no experience necessary to get involved in these hands-on making sessions. These joyous sessions bring fresh, relevant and accessible approaches to drawing from some of Scotland’s most exciting artists
Be inspired by the empowering world of Woman in Revolt! at Modern Two, with the workshop looking at how mark-making can also be conceived as sculpture, installation, video, writing, textiles and more.
For those unable to make it to the gallery there is the opportunity to get involved online via Zoom with The Drawing Room Kitchen Table. Exploring some favourite experimental drawing exercises and techniques, aimed at boosting drawing confidence.
There are free family activities for all ages and stages to enjoy, as well as accessible events for visitors with specific access needs. Weekly Family Friday events let your children’s imaginations run wild.
With mornings dedicated to little ones expect interesting textures, lights, sounds and sensory art-fun. Later in the afternoon older kids can get involved in the trails, new play activities and, of course, hands-on making with artists. Sensory-Friendly Sundays for families with children with additional support needs, ensure a quiet, comfortable space is available at all times.
For adults, discover fascinating audio-described and deaf led British Sign Language tours for visitors with a visual impairment.
With events for exhibitions including Woman in Revolt!, Do Ho Suh and Vermeer. With the opportunity to meet other people, see artworks in the gallery and take part in creative activities. All with access to a comfortable quiet space.
To find events or discover more visit: What’s on | National Galleries of Scotland
National Galleries of Scotland events June-July 2024
Tours
Workshops
The Drawing Room Kitchen Table #42 (online) Wednesday 10 July, 6–6.45pm. Online via Zoom.
Lectures and Talks
Music
Live Music Now: Phoenix Duo Thursday 4 July, 6–6.30pm. National. Free but ticketed
Family and Accessible events
A bumper summer of family fun awaits at Conifox Adventure Park where a host of eclectic events is scheduled to entertain everyone, from fans of fairies, Peter Pan and pirates to American car enthusiasts.
The amusement starts on June 29 with a magical evening of open-air theatre and a performance of David Walliams’ Awful Auntie. Adapted for the outdoors by Heartbreak Productions, the thrilling tale includes owls, ghosts, chases, escapes and motorcycle rides as heiress and orphan Stella Saxby outwits her awful Aunt Alberta and her giant owl.
Performed over two hours and suitable for age five years and upwards, it is an outdoor, all-weather event and attendees should bring picnic blankets or chairs.
FoxFest, specially designed for children and families, follows on July 2 and 3. Festival-goers can soak up the atmosphere in the Event Field during a bumper weekend of entertainment featuring: Magic Gareth, a family magic show; Ray Bubbles, world record-holding soap bubble artist; Comedy 4 Kids Club, a hilarious show for a family audience; Fun Scientists with the UK’s Number 1 science presenter, crazy experiments and crowd interaction; Dupa Lipa, a dazzling Dua Lipa tribute act and Rogue Circus including amazing acts by mirror men, stilt walkers and fire performers.
There are standard and VIP tickets available plus additional activities such as a funfair, climbing wall and face painting.
The following weekend, July 10, sees the Adventure Park rev up for the return of its American Car Show, which celebrates some of the best vintage and supercars from the United States. Don your cowboy boots and dance to the DJ’s sounds or grab a snack from the BBQs as you check out the motors. The Adventure Park and Activity Centre are also open alongside this event.
The car show is swiftly followed by a week of Dynamic Dinosaurs from July 11-17. Back bigger and better than ever, visitors can get up close and immerse themselves in a prehistoric world. Discover amazing fossils in the dig pit, meet friendly baby dinosaurs, see the Dinosaur Rangers introduce amazing “live” dinosaurs and listen to some fascinating facts and stories in a fun-packed 45-minute show. Pet the dinos and grab a photo or watch them as they roam around.
On July 23 the open-air theatre is back for llyria Theatre’s wonderful production of Peter Pan and takes place during the Conifox Cove Pirate Weekend of July 22-24. Suitable for ages five and upwards, the play starts at 5.30pm with a running time of approx. 1hr 40 mins. Again, picnic blankets and chairs are recommended for the all-weather event.
The performance is just one aspect of an unforgettable weekend when the infamous pirates of Conifox Cove take over the Adventure Park. Packed with pirate adventures, sea shanties and buried treasures, visitors can meet and interact with the spectacular inhabitants of Conifox and live out their own pirate story.
Head into the maze to the land of pirates, bumbling buccaneers and whole cast of colourful characters. Solve the interactive treasure trail for an exclusive prize – best of all, Conifox Cove is included with entry to the Adventure Park.
The Magic Forest comes to Conifox on Aug 5-7 with a Fairy Weekend, where the Fairy Godmother and her friends will be joining the team from the magical land of Fairy. Head into the magical forest maze and follow the interactive trail, meet the fairies and follow the clues to discover the Garden of the Fairy Godmother.
Once you find it, stop to hear stories and experience the wonderful world of the Magic Forest. And there will be prize for all children who can follow the magical trail and find their way!
James Gammell, Managing Director of Conifox Adventure Park, says: “We’ve had the most amazing fun dreaming up this fabulous programme of events and we can’t wait to see the reactions of all our visitors.
“There really is something for everyone this year. We’ve packed a lot in, but then we’ve had a lot of catching up to do over the last couple of years, and we’re making up for everything that we all missed out on – and more. It’s going to be just a fantastic summer of fun.”
For more details about all the events mentioned and to find ticket prices and terms and conditions, visit https://www.conifox.co.uk/whats-on/
For more information on Conifox Adventure Park see https://www.conifox.co.uk/
The National Trust for Scotland is offering visitors the opportunity to spend their summer exploring the nature, beauty and heritage of Scotland, with a different site to discover each day, alongside lots of fun-packed summer activities to try across Edinburgh and the surrounds.
Summer officially starts today, 21 June, shortly followed by the school holidays, and families will be looking for inspiration to fill those long summer days. The Edinburgh area alone offers a wealth of opportunity for the summer months, with sites including the Georgian House and Newhailes House in Musselburgh.
New and existing members of the conservation charity can visit its 129 sites for as little as £5.25 for adults and £9.80 per month for families, equating to just 17p or 32p per day, making it a great value option for excitement-filled days, all while contributing towards the conservation of Scottish heritage.
From paddling and kayaking at Kintail, to conquering Ben Lomond, whirling through the Wild Wood at Crathes Castle, going down the rabbit hole at Brodie Castle’s Playful Garden, minding your Ps and Qs at Robert Smail’s Printing Works, or drinking in the breath-taking views at Glencoe National Nature Reserve, summer fun abounds with the National Trust for Scotland.
The Trust also recently relaunched its initiative with Young Scot which offers anyone aged 11-25 with a Young Scot National Entitlement Card the chance to visit National Trust for Scotland properties, such as the tranquil Malleny Garden and the carefully restored Gladstone’s Land on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile for just £1.
For families searching for budget-friendly ways to keep children amused during the holidays, the Trust has a packed programme to help with summer holiday planning. Events taking place across the Edinburgh area include Doghailes on 31 July at Newhailes House, a fun dog event for all the family with competitions, food and drink and lots of activities for furry four-legged friends.
For those looking to embrace the health and wellbeing benefits of the outdoors there’s no shortage of breath-taking views to discover and gardens to enjoy.
Inveresk Lodge Garden is a peaceful spot tucked away in a charming village near Musselburgh while Malleny Garden is the place to go to see heritage roses sat beneath 400-year-old-yew trees.
Additionally, for people looking to soak up some culture and discover more about Scotland’s heritage, the Trust holds a wealth of stories and objects which have been passed down through the centuries at some of Scotland’s most notable historical homes, large and small.
The Georgian House in Edinburgh’s New Town has an interesting collection of paintings, costumes and period furnishings, while the immersive visitor experience at Gladstone’s Land takes you through three centuries of the building’s history.
Under an hour outside the city, you’ll also find The Royal Burgh of Culross where you can experience the paranormal in an after-hours tour of Culross Palace, or, if you prefer a more peaceful experience, Dollar Glen provides a serene green escape.
And if all of that isn’t enough, The Trust is also hosting a programme of events throughout the summer, including:
Philip Long OBE, Chief Executive of The National Trust for Scotland, said: “The last two years have been a difficult time for us all, but our charity was pleased that our countryside and gardens were able to provide respite to many.
“As the country gets back on its feet post-pandemic, we look forward to welcoming new and returning visitors to our places and helping them to make the most of a summer free of travel restrictions and lockdowns.
“At the Trust we pride ourselves on creating memorable experiences. Whether attending one of our creative events, enjoying an engaging historical tour or taking part in an adventure activity, there are lots of ways to enjoy all that Scotland has to offer.
“We want to inspire everyone who spends time at our places and encourage even more people to discover the National Trust for Scotland. With so many of our beautiful places, spread all over Scotland, visitors could explore a different one every day of the summer holidays and still have more to discover. We look forward to welcoming back regular visitors, reconnecting with those we’ve missed over the past few years, and welcoming new audiences this summer to experience nature, beauty and heritage.”
Established in 1931, the National Trust for Scotland cares for, shares and speaks up for Scotland’s magnificent heritage.
Membership, which provides funding for Scotland’s largest conservation charity, can be purchased online from just £9.80 per month for families, £5.25 for adults and £3 for children.
For more information on the National Trust for Scotland and to plan your summer itinerary, visit: www.nts.org.uk.
‘Anything Grows’ as Dandelion spreads across Scotland – from islands to villages and cities, people are being encouraged to ‘Sow, Grow and Share’
· More details of Dandelion programme revealed as activity gets underway
· Miniature vertical farms called ‘Cubes of Perpetual Light’ become music installations carrying 12 specially commissioned works by 15 Scottish & international artists including Craig Armstrong, Arooj Aftab & Maeve Gilchrist, and Jason Singh
· The music cube installations are set to tour to locations across Scotland, including the V&A Dundee, Edinburgh Book Festival, the Kelburn Garden Party & Inverness Botanic Gardens
· Cubes will also tour to other locations around Scotland on specially adapted bikes, taking Dandelion’s cubes into the heart of communities across the country
· ‘Free for All’ events encouraging everyone to ‘Sow, Grow and Share’ will see 75,000 free vegetable plugs given away to members of the public
· A short film marks the beginning of Dandelion and follows the story of musician and crofter Pàdruig Morrison to the island of Heisgeir, considering sustainable growing into the future
Dandelion gets underway today [28 April 2022], a major creative programme demonstrating the power of collective action through an ambitious ‘grow your own’ initiative that aims to reach hundreds of thousands of people throughout Scotland and further afield.
Following the arc of the growing season, from now until September 2022, Dandelion brings together science, technology, art and music to inspire people to ‘Sow, Grow and Share’ – not just food, but music, ideas and knowledge. Commissioned by EventScotland and funded by the Scottish Government, Dandelion is Scotland’s contribution to UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK.
Dandelion aims to make growing your own food as easy and accessible as possible to people of all ages and from all backgrounds, with events and activities taking place all over Scotland in an entirely free programme, from the remotest islands to the centres of cities.
In addition to Dandelion’s previously announced Unexpected Gardens – specially-created edible gardens in 13 locations from North Uist, to Leven and Stranraer – and two three-day Dandelion Festivals in Glasgow and Inverness, more details about the programme of events are revealed today.
The programme culminates in September with a cultural reimagining of Harvest for the 21st century, featuring hundreds of celebrations across Scotland.
To mark the start of its programme, with planting and growing getting underway at Unexpected Gardens across the country, Dandelion has released a specially commissioned short film, telling the family story of one of its founding members and reimagining future ways of growing across Scotland.
75 years ago, the grandparents of crofter and musician Pàdruig Morrison established an experiment in off-grid rural living on Heisgeir in the Outer Hebrides, growing their own food and living sustainably off the land.
The short film charts Pàdruig’s return to the island in 2022 as Dandelion explores high-tech growing in specially created grow cubes alongside traditional growing methods, which will see the cubes travel to different communities all over the country.
The film also features a new score specially composed by Pàdruig for Dandelion.
Cubes of Perpetual Light – where technological innovation meets art
At the centre of Dandelion is a meeting of art and science through the creation of hundreds of unique miniature vertical farms, called the ‘Cubes of Perpetual Light’.
The 1m x 1m cubes are designed to foster accelerated growing and have been developed to grow hundreds of seedlings under LED light, combining design craft, traditional horticultural expertise and technological innovation, manufactured by Liberty Produce.
The Cubes will travel the length of Scotland, demonstrating accelerated growing in unexpected places. From schools to market squares, to Unexpected Gardens – they will bring the inspiration to ‘Sow, Grow and Share’ to the community, inspiring conversations about how we can grow food sustainably now and in the future.
As well as growing thousands of plants, specially designed ‘show cubes’ will come together to create striking musical installations featuring programmable light and quadraphonic sound. Each cube will integrate with multiple speaker systems, showcasing specially commissioned music from a collection of Scottish and international artists.
The music has been created for this particular environment around themes of sustainability, to encourage listeners to think more deeply about how, where and why plants grow.
Commissions include new music from artists including Craig Armstrong, Ravi Bandhu, Arooj Aftab & Maeve Gilchrist, Jason Singh, Claire M. Singer, Manu Delago, Auntie Flo, Amiina & Kathleen MacInnes, Pàdruig Morrison, Trio de Kali, Maya Youssef and Fergus McCreadie.
Each new music piece is commissioned by Dandelion with additional support for international work from British Council Scotland.
These ‘show cubes’ will come together to create special installations hosted by venues and festivals throughout Scotland, including V&A Dundee, Edinburgh International Book Festival, Kelburn Garden Party and Inverness Botanic Gardens.
In another tour, four musical growing cubes carried on four cargo bikes will also travel around Scotland in August, with a preview at Falkirk’s Kelpies on May 14 as part of the Falkirk Science Festival.
Visiting locations from Glasgow to Edinburgh, Greenock, Hawick, Forres, Stranraer, Inverness, Wick, the bikes will introduce audiences to accelerated growing and bring the Dandelion programme to town centres, school playgrounds and green spaces cross the country.
Each site will be visited by the bikes for one day, with a two-day tour being staged at Inverness and Wick.
Music Director for Dandelion, Donald Shaw said: “Just as plants can grow from tiny seeds, great music can grow from small ideas that we nourish till they bloom into full art forms.
“The cubes can demonstrate accelerated growing in a wide range of settings, both the expected and unexpected. Placed in a particular environment they create a micro-world within a world, allowing musicians and listeners to imagine a sonic landscape that surrounds us, providing a space for contemplation and for us to imagine a future where we sow, grow and share differently.”
Inspiring the nation to Sow, Grow and Share
Dandelion is also giving away hundreds of thousands of plant plugs at Free for All events in towns and cities across Scotland, inspiring people all over the country to ‘Sow, Grow and Share’.
Members of the public are invited to pick up their plants and can also enjoy a performance of harvest songs from across the world by a five metre ‘Flower Singer’ accompanied by other performers representing sun, wind and water. A team of growing specialists from Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) will be distributing the plants and are on hand to give advice and tips to those new to growing.
Kicking off on May 28 in Greenock, Free for All events will be delivered in communities for people who are new to growing.
The Free for Alls will visit Govan, Stranraer, Dundee, Leven, Falkirk, Edinburgh, Hawick and Argyll and Bute throughout May, June and July, encouraging everyone to get growing across the summer months.
In addition, the Dandelion Festival in Glasgow will host a Free for All on Sunday June 19. Taking place over three days, from Friday June 17, the first Dandelion Festival will take root at the heart of Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Park, with the second festival taking place in Inverness at the Northern Meeting Park, from Friday September 2 until Sunday September 4.
Across the weekend, the venues will be transformed with live music, interactive walkabout theatre, science and creative activities for all the family as part of a unique festival that dares to reimagine our relationship with food and the planet.
At both festivals, a spectacular Pavilion installation will form a ‘living’ stage-set, made from’ 60 Cubes of Perpetual Light’ brought together.
Artists including Rura, This is the Kit, Admiral Fallow, Newton Faulkner, Hen Hoose, Niteworks, Darlingside and Les Amazones d’Afrique are among the line-up for the free event Glasgow in June, with Inverness line-up due to be announced in June.
Running alongside the public programme, Dandelion engages the next generation of growers, with over 89,000 children and young people taking part in the Dandelion Schools Growing Initiative, which also started today.
The schools programme sees over 100 specially adapted grow cubes distributed to secondary schools, working in partnership with feeder primary schools, with 464 schools taking part across the country.
Pupils will become citizen scientists in the largest community-led growing experiment ever undertaken in Scotland, comparing future farming techniques with traditional growing, later sharing the food they have produced, alongside art, live music, and stories, at hundreds of playground Harvest events.
The Schools Growing Initiative is delivered in partnership with Keep Scotland Beautiful, a charity providing education initiatives for young people and educators which focus on environmental issues.
All Dandelion events are free to attend and non-ticketed. For full details of all events and activities including the Unexpected Gardens and Dandelion Festivals, visit dandelion.scot.
Culture Minister Neil Gray said: “The principles at the heart of the Dandelion projects and celebrations – of sharing ideas, knowledge and bringing together expertise for the common good – are more important than ever.
“The Dandelion events will seek to show the power of collective action, and its themes align with many of the ambitions of the Scottish Government.
“I would encourage everyone to check out the programme for activity near them, from enjoying one of the Unexpected Gardens, attending a festival, or having the chance to grow some of the hundreds of thousands of seeds and plant plugs being distributed at Free for All events in towns and cities across Scotland.”
Dandelion Futures Director, Fiona Dalgetty said: “Dandelion provides an extraordinary opportunity for people of all ages to come together to grow food and to celebrate all the ways in which our food is also connected to culture, music and song.
“The schools programme places the arts alongside science, technology, engineering, and maths to create an exciting cross-curricular STEAM project for pupils, teachers and the wider community to enjoy.”
Paul Bush OBE, Visit Scotland Director of Events said: “Dandelion is an incredibly diverse and exciting addition to Scotland’s events landscape this summer, fusing ideas and imagination from right across the creative spectrum.
“It’s wonderful to see artists, scientists, and technologists coming together to create a unique events programme that will inspire audiences and visitors right across Scotland to think positively about how we can all play our part in shaping a sustainable future.”
Martin Green, Chief Creative Officer for UNBOXED, said: “Dandelion is a brilliant coming together of artists, designers, technologists and scientists to make something special and important about what we eat, how it grows and what we can do ourselves, wherever we live.
“Through the cubes, the music and the opportunities to participate, Dandelion is sowing the seeds for all of us to think about and put into action how we create a sustainable future. I can’t wait to experience Dandelion alongside four other brilliant UNBOXED projects taking place in Scotland this year.’
