🪩 Edinburgh Culture Minute: 20 - 26 March 2024
New campus for Leith School of Art, Sarah Hopfinger returns to Summerhall, this week's gigs including The Get Down at Leith Arches + dozens of new festival jobs
Welcome to the 38th edition of the Culture Minute, a weekly round-up of Edinburgh’s local creative news, events, jobs and opportunities. It’s for paying subscribers only, so thank you for supporting this. Thanks to everyone who contributed!
🆕 News & happenings this week
🎨 Leith School of Art has announced it will open a second campus building in a local grade-B listed building. The acquisition of 66 Albion Road means the charity will expand its programming of new courses from academic year 2024-25. The independent art school was founded by Mark and Lottie Cheverton in 1988. Tragically the Chevertons were killed in a car accident in 1991. But friends kept their art school dream alive, now employing around 40 members of staff. The school said:
“This grade B listed building was formally used as a printing works and offers spacious accommodation with beautiful light perfect for teaching and studio practice. By way of a rather lovely symmetry the owners printed the original prospectus material for Mark and Lottie Cheverton in the early days of the School!”
⮑ The new campus is scheduled to open in September this year.
🫱 Award-winning Queer Disabled artist Sarah Hopfinger returns to Summerhall on Friday and Saturday with her acclaimed dance-theatre piece Pain and I.
⮑ It coincides with a new immersive art installation that takes over Dance Base during Sarah Hopfinger’s role as Artist in Residence. This culminates with a movement workshop on Saturday designed to embrace diverse bodies, disability, and those with chronic pain.
🎞️ Cinetopia's monthly documentary club returns on 30 March with KIM'S VIDEO + a director's Q&A at The Cameo. Directors David Redmon and Ashley Sabin will give an audience Q&A after the screening and join in for post-film discussion at the Cameo Bar. Organisers added:
“In the spirit of video rental store joy, we're also running a mystery DVD/VHS swap box on the evening: Bring your most obscure DVD, drop it in the box and collect a surprise new one to take home!
⮑ Tickets are here.
🎻 St Mary’s Music School has announced a two-part expert coaching and teaching vocal programme for budding young singers. Described as the first of its kind in Scotland: the Changing Voices Programme and the Senior Vocal Programme run concurrently with the school's academic classes. A vocal taster day will be held on 5 May.
🎨 If you’re searching for some studio inspiration, you can visit a recreation of Eduardo Paolozzi's Leith studio just now at The National Gallery of Scotland’s Modern Two on Belford Road. Comedian Phil Jupitus popped by recently and described it as ‘possibly my favourite room in the world’. He said:
“The apparent chaos I have always seen as an organically choreographed and aesthetically catalogued 3D sketchbook. I have come to realise that I function if not at my best, then certainly my most contented when amongst the disorganisation of untidiness. Were Eduardo at my side in this room I bet I could pick up any object, and he could justify its retention. I say this, fully aware that to some, this room is complete anathema. That it would be nothing but a hindrance to creativity, or just living productively or happily. I truly envy the tidy.”
🖌️ Edinburgh’s Virgin Hotel has launched 'Unicorn Studio' programme. Charlie Yates is the first artist-in-residence, which is based in an Old Town turret. - Brian Ferguson, The Scotsman.
🎭 Local youth theatre company Strange Town have just announced a trilogy of new plays at the Traverse in June. - Thom Dibdin, All Edinburgh Theatre.
🎺 There are ten days to go until the Tinderbox Orchestra’s latest live performance. It’s a collaboration with Loud Poets at Central Hall (Tollcross junction) on Saturday 30 March. Here’s a preview video:
🎶 This week’s live shows:
Voodoo Rooms - Full listings here.
⮑ Saturday - Idlewild frontman Roddy Woomble performs in The Ballroom with Almost Nothing.
Roxy Assembly Theatre:
⮑ Monday 25 March: We Are For Palestine.
Summerhall:- Full listings here.
⮑ Friday night: MICROSTERIA from 10pm to 3am in the Dissection Room.
Sneaky Pete’s - Full club listings here + gig listings here.
Scottish Storytelling Centre - Full listings are here.
⮑ Thanks to the SSC team for getting in touch to share this:
Hearth Fire Sessions is an eclectic night of ancient myth, contemporary storytelling, post-folk music, and physical artistry. Steeped in the traditions of Scottish storytelling, we evoke the warm atmosphere of peat-smoked hearthsides and ceilidh house revelry, presenting timeless motifs relevant to a discerning modern audience.
Join host Dougie Mackay as he invites a different selection of Scotland’s finest storytellers, songwriters, musicians, and performing artists to each bi-monthly Hearth Fire Session to create an innovative showcase of Scotland’s contemporary culture. Our guests for March are performance artist Jusztina Hermann, storyteller David Hughes and musician Jemima Thewes.
La Belle Angele - Full listings here.
The Bongo Club - Full listings here.
O2 Academy (Corn Exchange) - Full listings here.
Liquid Room - Full listings here.
⮑ Friday + Saturday, The Duellers play two nights in a row.
Leith Depot - Full listings here.
⮑ Friday: Hurry, US Highball and Jutland Songs.
⮑ Saturday: Pictish Trail.
⮑ Saturday: Deaf Mountain + Got Got Need.
⮑ Monday: Ableton User Group.
Leith Arches - Full listings here.
⮑ Saturday: The Get Down with Anne Cee and Lee Marvin.
Leith Dockers Club - Full listings here.
Queen’s Hall - Full listings here.
⮑ Saturday: Edinburgh Highland Reel & Strathspey Society - 1pm
⮑ Saturday: Adam Rowe: What's Wrong With Me? - 6pm
Usher Hall - Full listings here.
⮑ Friday: Nicola Benedetti.
Wee Red Bar - Full listings here.
⮑ Friday: Heavy Metal Ceilidh.
Assembly Rooms - Full listings here.
Bannerman’s - Full listings here.
EICC - Full listings here.
Old Town Pub Co has live music across all of its venues including Whistle Binkies, Stramash and The Mash House. - Full listings here.
📮 Something missing? Share your local events here.
🎭 What’s on Edinburgh’s stages this week?
Here’s Thom Dibdin of All Edinburgh Theatre.
In another varied week of theatre, the big opener is Rob Drummond’s brilliant Don’t. Make. Tea. from Birds of Paradise at the Traverse (Thurs/Fri: Tickets). I reviewed this dramatic exploration of the Kafkaesque insanity of the benefits system for disabled people back in 2022: ★★★★☆ Surprising.
The EUTC is taking on Shelagh Delaney’s groundbreaking A Taste of Honey at the Bedlam (Wed-Fri: tickets); this week’s portion of lunchtime theatre at the Traverse is Pushin’ Thirty, by Dundee’s Elfie Picket (Tue – Sat: tickets); and Sarah Hopfinger uses dance to explore chronic pain in Pain and I at Summerhall (Fri/Sat: tickets).
On a musicals tip, the EU Footlights Showchoir are down at the Magnusson Centre in the Edinburgh Academy with All Who Wander, (Thurs – Sat: tickets) and Stage Door Entertainment is holding a fundraiser for its Stage Door Fund, The Music of the Night, at Portobello Town Hall (Fri/Sat: tickets).
The Assembly Roxy has a couple of theatre-adjacent dates with An Evening With Sanjeev Kohli (Fri: tickets) and Scotland’s circus cabaret night Cirqulation 8: Power (Sun: tickets).
Still on stage, is Emma Rice’s ★★★★☆ Furiously funny Blue Beard at the Lyceum to 30 March (tickets) with an early evening Curtain Raiser exploring the play’s themes from LYT on Friday (tickets); and Hamilton continues at the Festival theatre to Sat 27 April (tickets). Our review (★★★★★ The storm’s eye) has handy tips on how to get tickets for what is mostly a sold-out show
And as you were asking, do have a look at our Preview & Listings Mon 18 – Sun 24 March 2024 for more information and full listings.
📌 Culture Minute news from the Community Noticeboard
⮑ Share yours using this form.
📌 “Lost in Leith and The Good Egg Project are proud to present The Inkubator: a five-week writing course to hatch new ideas. Join Leith-based writer Naomi Head weekly from April 2 to April 30 for a journey to set and meet your writing goals. Using various writing exercises and multi-media prompts to help you write you'll produce several pieces of writing and pick up skills to continue building your writing practice. For any questions, get in touch with Naomi at naomihead.com or via Instagram @naomieah_.” Naomi Head, facilitator, The Good Egg Project.
📌 “The Chicken Coop Writing Group is back on March 26 from 6-8 pm at Lost in Leith Bar. This month they'll be using dreamy, earthy activities to get you in the mood for Spring. The Chicken Coop is pay-what-you-can with a suggested donation of £3 for attendees payable via PayPal in advance or in cash at the door. For any questions, message Naomi on Instagram @naomieah_ or at naomihead.com.” - Sign up on Eventbrite here.
📌 “The Edinburgh Festival Chorus will perform Verdi’s Requiem with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra this Sunday, the 24th of March at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh. Their performance marks the 150th anniversary of the Requiem. This is also the last chance to see the Chorus before the Edinburgh International Festival in August.” - Thanks to the Edinburgh International Festival for getting in touch to share this. Ticket details are here.
📌 “Want to help make the Fringe more accessible? The Access Projects Officer role with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society closes on 25 March at 10am.” Thanks to Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society for sharing this. Full job details are here.
📌 “The highly-anticipated Catalan Film Festival returns for its ninth edition coming to cinemas across Scotland from March 20th – April 14th, 2024. This year the festival will pay particular attention to female desire and the taboos that surround this. The Catalan Film Festival will feature the latest Catalan films from award-winning features to the best short films with in-depth Q&As with our guest directors.” - Thanks to the organisers for sharing this.
🤝 Networking, jobs and funding opportunities
Here are the new opportunities, followed by the ‘still open’ list:
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