AroundTown EVENTS
PREVIEW CELTIC FESTIVAL BELTANE FIRE FESTIVAL Calton Hill, Edinburgh, Mon 30 Apr
Fire, processions and rituals – all sounds a bit Wicker Man, right? Beltane Fire Festival, however, is not remotely cult-related and Christopher Lee (nor Nicolas Cage, ahem) will not be anywhere in sight at this annual celebration of changing seasons and Celtic culture. 2012 marks the 25th year of the carnival of light, which now attracts
over 12,000 revelers keen to see the spectacular fire display on Edinburgh’s Calton Hill. The event, run by the charity Beltane Fire Society, begins with over 300 performers leading the crowd on a procession, performing a traditional narrative used to welcome summer.
Matthew Richardson, chair of Beltane Fire Society, explains: ‘The
performance has two main characters – the May Queen, who represents the mother earth, and the Green Man, who represents nature and the energy of summer. The festival takes the form of a procession around Calton Hill following the Green Man in his winter form, meeting various groups along the way, such as the Red Men and their Beastie Drummers. It ends with a ritual killing and rebirth of the Green Man, stripped of his winter guise and resurrected in his spring form. We then light the bonfire on the hill, representing the heat and light of the summer. ‘It was an old Celtic tradition where people at this time of year would
build two large bonfires and they would drive all their livestock between them, believing the heat and smoke would purify the animals and get rid of any parasites.’
The Caves will host the special 25th anniversary Grand May Day Ceilidh after-party, with traditional ceilidh tunes as well as reggae, dubstep, drum’n’bass, house and techno from Riddim Tuffa, Bass Alliance, Anonymi, Covalent, Nisha Pannu and C.H.I.L.L.Y & P.J. (Lauren Mayberry) ■ Advance tickets available from The Hub, Ripping Records and Ticket Scotland (£6), as well as a limited number on the night (£8). beltane.org
FREE Books in Focus: Aubrey Beardsley Thu 3 May, 6pm. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art Two, 73 Belford Road, 624 6268. A look at the work of the late 19th-century illustrator. Booking essential. FREE Philosophy in Pubs Tue 8 May, 7pm–9pm. The Kilderkin, 67 40 THE LIST 26 Apr–24 May 2012
Canongate, 556 2101. Informal discussions on a range of philosophical topics, open to all. Forum on the Consequences of the Arab Awakening Wed 9 May, 6.30pm. £5 (£3). The Augustine Church, 41–43 George IV Bridge, 331 4469. Dr Cecelia Clegg chairs this forum on the huge changes in the Middle East. FREE Recreating Magnificence Thu 10 May, 1pm. RCAHMS, John Sinclair House, 16 Bernard Terrace, 662 1456. Peter Yeoman examines the research background to the Stirling Castle Palace project. Booking essential. FREE The Geometry of Fear: British Sculpture 1950–1955 Mon 14 May, 12.45pm. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art One, 75 Belford Road, 624 6200. Senior curator Patrick Elliott talks about the work of Eduardo Paolozzi, William Turnbull, Lynn Chadwick, Reg Butler and Kenneth Armitage in its historical context. FREE Write Shoot Cut Mon 14 May, 7pm–9pm. The Banshee Labyrinth, 29–35 Niddry Street, 558 8209. Monthly short film networking night taking open submissions for screening and discussion. FREE The Nation: Live – Work Tue 15 May, 12.45pm. Scottish National Gallery, The Mound, 624 6200. Find out about the gallery’s recent project in Clydebank.
FREE Portrait Gallery Architecture Tours Sat 19 May, 2pm. Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street, 624 6560. Monthly tours of Sir Robert Rowand Anderson’s splendid building. Booking essential. FREE Museums at Night Lecture: Sandy Gall Sat 19 May, 6pm. Surgeons’ Hall Museum, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Nicolson Street, 527 1649. Broadcaster Sandy Gall gives a talk on his recently published book, The War Against the Taliban: Why it All Went Wrong in Afghanistan. Booking essential. An Introduction to Modern Art: Looking Mon 21 May, 10.30am. £12 (£10). Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art One, 75 Belford Road, 624 6560. Develop an understanding and appreciation of modern art. Booking essential. FREE Rosslyn Chapel Tue 22 May, 1pm. RCAHMS, John Sinclair House, 16 Bernard Terrace, 662 1456. Talk about stone conservation at Rosslyn Chapel. Booking essential. FREE Blazing with Crimson: Markers and Messages in Portraits of Highland Dress Wed 23 May, 12.45pm. Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street, 624 6200. Talk by Hugh Cheape challenging some assumptions about the ‘invented’ character of some Scottish traditions. The Edinburgh Lectures: Who Speaks for the Dead? Thu 24 May, 6.30pm. £5. National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, booking via Usher Hall: 228 1155. Forensic anthropologist Professor Sue Black explores how clues to identity can be gleaned from the bodies of the living as much as from the dead.
✽✽ The School of Life: Live Tour Thu 24 May, 7pm. £20. The Hub,
Castlehill Royal Mile, theschooloflife.com An evening of ‘fast and furious enlightenment’, with advice and discussion on love, work, money and more. Speakers include John Paul Flintoff and Alain de Botton. Booking via the School of Life website only. See de Botton interview, page 6. Workshops Mike Dolbear Drummers Masterclass Thu 26 Apr, 1pm. £10. The Jazz Bar, 1 Chambers Street, 220 4298. A chance to learn tips directly from the much respected drummer. Advance tickets from edinburgh@drumcentral.co.uk. FREE Easel Sketching in the Gallery Thu 26 & Fri 27 Apr, 2pm–4pm. Scottish National Gallery, The Mound, 624 6200. Artist-led drawing session. Photography for Beginners: Exploring History Fridays until 25 May, 10.15am–12.15pm. £12 (£10). Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street, 624 6560. Stand-alone sessions with photographer Luke Watson, exploring photography’s relationship with history. Booking essential. Photography for Beginners: Exploring Camera-less Techniques Fri 27 Apr, 11 & 18 May, 2.30pm. £15 (£12). Scottish National Gallery, The Mound, 624 6560. Photographer Luke Watson shows you how to draw with light, using pre-digital techniques such as the pinhole camera, photograms and cyanotype. All materials are supplied and places are limited. Booking essential. Botanical Art Society: Studio Days Sat 28 Apr & Sat 12 May, 10am–3.30pm. £10. Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2937. Use the quiet surroundings of the Botanics’ Teaching Lab as a place for painting. Booking essential. An Introduction to Modern Art: A Practical One-Day Class Sat 28 Apr, 10.30am–3.30pm. £30 (£25). Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art Two, 73 Belford Road, 624 6200. Artist Rosie Lesso introduces you to some of the techniques used in the modern masterpieces on display in the gallery. Lothene Sword School Sundays, 2pm–4pm. £tbc. Bruntsfield Links,
lothene.org Lessons in 16th-century longsword and short sword combat. Life Drawing After Hours Tue 1 May, 6.30pm. £20 (£18). Scottish National Gallery, The Mound, 624 6560. Artist-led drawing sessions. Booking essential. Absolute Beginner Sewing Workshop: Shopper Bag Sat 5 May, 10am–1pm. £35. Materialise, 28 Lady Lawson Street, 07860 245696. Learn a few basics and employ them in the making of a handy shopping bag. Price includes all materials and refreshments. Castle Secrets Printmaking Workshop Sat 5 May, 10.30am–3.30pm. £18. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. Sketch corners of the castle, then work up your designs using press-print, monoprinting and Rhenalon etching. With artist Tessa Asquith-Lamb. Landscape Painting for Beginners Sun 6 & 13 May, 10am–4pm. £20 (£18; under 16s £16). Holyrood Park, 652 8150. Iona Leishman, Historic Scotland’s first artist in residence, offers a two-day beginners’ course in landscape painting, in picturesque Holyrood Park. FREE Discovering Family History at NLS Tue 8 May, 6pm. National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 623 3918. Delve into your family’s past. Includes a short tour of the library. FREE The Drawing Room Thu 10 May, 5.30pm. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art One, 75 Belford Road, 624 6410. Experimental drawing session inspired by works in the collection. Booking essential. Introduction to Printmaking Thursdays, 10 May–7 Jun, 6pm. £155 (£105). Edinburgh Printmakers, 23 Union Street, 557 2479. Five-week course for absolute beginners, covering three low- tech types of printmaking: drypoint, collagraph and relief printing. FREE Camera Club Thu 10 May, 7pm. Sofi’s, 65 Henderson Street, 555 7019. Monthly camera club for all abilities offering friendly discussion and advice on a monthly theme. Sewing Workshop: Clasp Purse Sat 12 May, 10am–1pm. £20. Materialise, 28 Lady Lawson Street, 07860 245696. A workshop suitable for beginners or those with some sewing experience, resulting in a handy and beautiful clasp purse. Dr Sketchy’s Anti-Art School Sun 13 May, 3pm. £7 (students £6). The Jazz Bar, 1 Chambers Street, 220 4298. The event where cabaret meets life drawing, and this month is a steampunk special – expect corsetry, top hats and talk of airships. Third International Commedia Dell’Arte Seminar/Workshop Sat 19 May, 10am–5pm. £55 including lunch. Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 30–36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, 07974 030220. Malachi Bogdanov leads a day-long workshop in Commedia dell’Arte performance. Booking essential. Saturday Could Be Creative Writing Day Sat 19 May, 10.15am–1.15pm. £12 (£10). Scottish National Gallery, The Mound, 624 6560. A tour of the permanent collection followed by a creative writing workshop. Saturday Life Drawing Class: Morning and Afternoon Sessions Sat 19 May, 10.30am–12.30pm & 2–4pm. £12 (£10). Scottish National Gallery, The Mound, 624 6560. Learn how others have portrayed the human figure, and then practise drawing from a life model yourself. Booking essential. Sewing Workshop: Unique Headpiece Sat 19 May, 2–5pm. £30. Materialise, 28 Lady Lawson Street, 07860 245696. Learn how to create your own unique headpiece or fascinator with the help of milliner Maggie Mowbray.
AROUND SCOTLAND Voluntary Arts Week 2012 Sat 12–Sun 20 May, times vary. Prices vary. Various venues, UK-wide, voluntaryartsweek.org Voluntary arts groups around Scotland are being urged to promote their talents with exhibitions, shows, taster sessions and rehearsals.