AroundTown EVENTS
✽ FREE A Monument Walk in the Merchant City Fri 27 & Sat 28 Jul,
10.30am–noon. City Halls, Candleriggs, 353 8000. An exploration of local public artworks with art historian Ray McKenzie. MCF.
✽ FREE The Merchant City, Slavery and Abolition Fri 27–Sun
29 Jul, 12.30pm & 3.30pm. City Halls, Candleriggs, 287 8980. A guided tour through Glasgow exploring the city’s connections through the tobacco and sugar industries to slavery and abolition. MCF.
✽ FREE Tales of the Necropolis Fri 27 Jul, 6–9pm. St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art, 2 Castle Street, 287 8980. Historical storytelling from The Friends of Glasgow Necropolis. MCF.
✽ FREE Debate and Launch Fri 27 Jul, 7pm. African-Caribbean Centre, 66 Osborne Street, 287 8980. A public debate on the legacy of slavery from the 18th century and a guided walk around the audio installations to celebrate the opening of the
audio trail of Merchant City (available to download from glasgowmerchantcity.net from Sat 28 Jul). MCF. FREE Talk of the Steamie: Jimmy Reid Sat 28 Jul, 2–3pm. People’s Palace & Winter Gardens, Glasgow Green, 276 0788. Bob Thompson shares his memories of the 1971–72 shipyard occupation and work-in.
✽ FREE 1001 Comics: Who Are The Geniuses Who Transformed Comics Forever? Sat 28 Jul, 3pm. CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. Talk on some of the most influential graphic novelists throughout history, by the editor and co-author of 1001 Comics You Must Read Before You Die, Paul Gravett. FREE Impressionists at the Burrell Tue 31 Jul, 12.30–1pm. Burrell Collection, 2060 Pollokshaws Road, 287 2550. Art history lecture. FREE Specialist Tour: Little Marvels – The Insect Collection Tue 31 Jul, 2.30–3.30pm. Glasgow Museums Resource Centre, 200 Woodhead Road,
MULTI-ARTS EVENT MERCHANT CITY FESTIVAL Various venues, Glasgow, Wed 25–Sun 29 Jul
Back for its 11th year, the 2012 Merchant City Festival’s programme brimmeth over with film, comedy, theatre, music, dance and street/ visual art and design.
Interactive performance company Mischief La-Bas present a premier of their latest work, The Zoo (Ingram Street Car Park, 28 & 29 July), fusing science with art. The performance follows Professor Hildeberg and his famous hibernating Antarctic Zoo, bringing to life creatures which had previously only existed in his imagination.
Artistic director Ian Smith explains: ‘Mischief La-Bas have
presented their own work at several previous festivals, including such delights as the Festival of Fudge and Harbuck & Futtock (Milliners of Distinction).’ The company view the festival as a great place to try out new
material. ‘Helping to organise the Professor’s visit is a real honour for the company, as we know the Merchant City Festival audiences are always open-minded, inquisitive and responsive to adventurous programming,’ Smith says. ‘The Surge programme generally promises to feature a good mixture of interactive weirdness, which always appeals to folks like us.’
This year’s festival will host 300 events in 75 venues across the city, the five-day fest will incorporate the aforementioned Surge and Roofless festival events as part of the street arts strand (various venues, 25–29 Jul), as well as gigs programmed by Celtic Connections (Old Fruitmarket and City Halls, 25–29 Jul), two days of dance at Merchant Square (28 & 29 Jul), a music stage in Glasgow Cathedral Precinct (28 Jul) and street games at the Tron (28 & 29 Jul). Also look out for the 2012 Experience strand of the festival, celebrating the Olympic Football Tournament being held in Glasgow (various venues, 25–29 Jul), as well as the plethora of food and drink stalls as you potter from event to event. Download the programme from the festival website, or check out
the full listings over at list.co.uk. (Lauren Mayberry) ■ merchantcityfestival.com
38 THE LIST 19 Jul–2 Aug 2012
South Nitshill Industrial Estate, 276 9300. Take a peek at the museum’s hidden collection of creepy crawlies, including now- extinct species. Workshops FREE Arts & Crafts Scrapbooking Thu 19, Tue 24 & Tue 31 Jul, 1–3pm. Glasgow Women’s Library, Mitchell Library, 15 Berkeley Street, 248 9969. Women-only scrapbooking sessions. Pizza-making Classes Fri 20 Jul, 6.30– 8.30pm. £26.50. Fanelli’s, Unit 4 Merchant Square, 62 Candleriggs, 552 0139. Join one of Fanellis’ chefs to learn the delicious art of pizza-making.
✽ FREE The People’s Tower Mon 23–Fri 27 Jul, 10am–5pm (workshops);
Sun 29 Jul, 11.30am–4pm (finale – the tower is positioned on Brunswick Street). Merchant City, 559 4925 You’re invited build a giant cardboard tower with help from artist Olivier Grossetete and UZ Arts. Email recruitment@conflux.co.uk to get involved. See Big Picture, page 13. Part of SURGE Festival and MCF. The End is the Beginning Tue 24 & 31 Jul, 1–4pm. £20 (£15). The Lighthouse, 11 Mitchell Lane, 276 5365. The final two in a series of workshops (suitable for adults and children from age 8+), exploring design and movement inspired by the Bauhaus theatre.
✽ FREE Team Girl Comic Workshop and Exhibition Thu 26 Jul, 7–11pm. The Scotia Bar, 112 Stockwell Street, 287 8980. Try your hand at comic drawing under the guidance of the women from Team Girl, plus there’s an exhibition of the original artwork from some of the published issues of the comic. Over 18s only. MCF. Mixed Media Art Workshop Sat 28 Jul, 10.30am–4pm. £30 including entry to the exhibition. Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Argyle Street, 276 9599. After getting inspiration from the Essence of Beauty exhibition, create original artworks using traditional methods.
✽ FREE Glasgow Harvest Sat 28 Jul, noon–4pm. Greyfriars Garden, Shuttle Street, 433 2722. Public arts charity NVA builds on the success of the last Glasgow Harvest with an event celebrating the opening of a new community garden space, Greyfriars Garden. Expect gardening, food to share, live music, cookery demonstrations and tastings. MCF.
✽ FREE Green’s Styling Extravaganza Sat 28 & Sun 29 Jul, noon–4pm. King Street, 552 5319. Watch retro hairstyling demos by Green’s Hairdressers. MCF. FREE Get Dancing! Sun 29 Jul, 11–11.40am & noon–12.40pm & 5–6pm. Merchant Square, 71–73 Albion Street, 287 8980. Dannsa lead Scottish Step Dance workshops with live music and a family ceilidh (from 5pm). MCF.
EDINBURGH Activities & Events Pentlands Walking Festival Until Sat 21 Jul, times vary. Prices vary. Pentland Hills, pentlandhills.org Walks and activities for all ages, centred on the Pentland Hills.
✽ It’s Funtime Sat 21 Jul, 7.17–9.45pm. £7. The Bongo Club, Moray House, 37
Holyrood Road, 558 7604. Razzmatazz game show/pub quiz hybrid. Register your team online – and do it early, as places go fast. This time it’s an ‘Empire Games’ special. FREE Royal Pursuits Sun 22 Jul, 11am–3pm. Holyrood Park, 652 8150. Relax like a royal with all manner of traditional activities in Holyrood Park, from coursing with whippets and Scottish deerhound to archery and falconry.
✽ FREE Edinburgh Festival Carnival Sun 22 Jul, 2–4pm. Princes
Street & Gardens, edinburghjazzfestival. com/carnival Immerse yourself in samba, New Orleans jazz, funky beats carnival dancing, DJs, pipe bands and more from all around the world. Part of Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival FREE Victoria’s Language Café Tue 24 & 31 Jul, 7pm. Victoria, 265 Leith
Walk, 555 1638. A meet-up for people interested in learning languages – just turn up and see if someone’s got the lingo you want to pick up, then have a chat. Café Voices Wed 25 Jul, 7pm. £5. Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. Bob Pegg tells a selection of dramatic Highland folk tales. FREE Green Crags Sat 28 & Sun 29 Jul, 1–4pm. Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2909. The city of seven hills has a lot of crags, and in those crags some amazing plant life takes root. Discover the rock whitebeam and the sticky catchfly in this family event with games and activities. All ages. FREE All Day Arthur’s Adventures Sun 29 Jul, 10am–3pm. Holyrood Park Education Centre, 1 Queen’s Drive, 652 8150. A challenging walk with strenuous inclines and rough terrain, but it’s packed full of fascinating facts about the history of Arthur’s seat. Wear appropriate clothing and walking boots. Bring a packed lunch and a drink. FREE Edinburgh Skeptics’ Skeptical Days Out Sun 29 Jul, 1.30–6pm. Various venues, see edinburghskeptics.co.uk Edinburgh’s Skeptics take their discussions out to various interesting sites around Edinburgh. This time, it’s a trip to hidden gem Saughton Park. Extreme Stunt Show Sun 29 Jul, 3pm. £6–£30. Ocean Terminal, Ocean Drive, Leith, 555 8888. Motorbikes and BMXs compete for your attention with crashing monster trucks Lil Devil and Extreme in this stunt show. The Body in Motion: Damage, Disease and Destruction Tue 31 Jul–Thu 2 Aug, 1pm & 3pm. £5 (£3). Surgeons’ Hall Museum, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Nicolson Street, 527 1649, book at uppergallery.eventbrite.com Tying in with the Olympics, the Museum is running some special tours exploring how the body copes under extreme pressure and illness. Ages 16+. Booking essential. FREE Sky Bar at The Point Thu 2 Aug, 6pm–midnight. Point Hotel, 34 Bread Street, 221 5555. The monthly opening of the Sky Bar, with its amazing views over the rooftops of Edinburgh. Exhibitions FREE Dreaming and Declaring American Independence Until Sun 16 Sep, Mon–Fri 10am–8pm, Sat 10am–5pm, Sun 2–5pm. National Library of Scotland, 33 Salisbury Place, Causewayside, 623 3918. An exhibition of printed materials relating to the history of America’s pursuit of freedom. FREE Going to the Pictures: Scotland at the Cinema Until Sun 28 Oct, Mon–Fri 10am–8pm, Sat 10am–5pm, Sun 2–5pm. National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, 623 3918. An exhibition depicting Scotland’s relationship with the cinema. FREE Human Race: Inside the History of Sports Medicine Until Sun 9 Sep, Mon–Sat 10am–5pm, Sun noon– 5pm. City Art Centre, 2 Market Street, 529 3993. An in-depth look at the human body as it prepares for and competes in sport, as well as an examination of how the limits of the body have changed over the years. Part of Edinburgh Art Festival FREE The Olympics in Britain: 1908, 1948 and 2012 Until Sun 12 Aug, Mon–Fri 10am–8pm, Sat 10am–5pm, Sun 2–5pm. National Library of Scotland, 33 Salisbury Place, Causewayside, 623 3918. A small display of books, brochures and reports relating to the three times the Olympic Games have landed in Britain.
Fairs & Markets
✽ FREE Edinburgh Jazz Festival Arts Market Sat 21 & Sun 22 Jul, 11am–6pm. Grassmarket, grassmarkets. co.uk Part of Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival. FREE Out of the Blue Flea Market Sat 28 Jul, 10am–3pm. Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 30–36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, 555 7100. Bargain buys including furniture, clothes, music and more.