Edinburgh Culture Minute 🪩 11 - 17 February 2026
First 350 Fringe shows go on sale, Tradfest line-up revealed, Typewronger bookshop's all-nighter for tax bills & alternative Valentine's events
👋 Welcome to the 118th weekly Culture Minute: a round-up of Edinburgh’s local creative news, events, jobs and opportunities. If I’ve missed anything please get in touch. Thanks to everyone who contributes!
👀 The most-viewed links from last week’s Edinburgh Culture Minute:
- 🖼️ Jupiter Artland's spring/summer programme.
- 🌯 A busy month of events at The Pitt.
- 🇮🇪 Kneecap announce Liquid Room gig.
- 📚 Line-up announced for Artists' Bookmarket at Fruitmarket. (14 & 15 Feb)
- ☠️ Artists stage a 'funeral for AI' at Stills gallery.
🗞️ News:
🎭 The first batch of this summer's Edinburgh Festival Fringe (7 - 31 Aug) shows have been announced. Tickets went on sale at midday today for 350 shows across 100 venues, spanning cabaret and variety; children’s shows; comedy; dance, physical theatre and circus; music; musicals and opera; spoken word; and theatre. - Full details and some highlights are on the Fringe blog here, while Chortle has a venue-by-venue summary.
- 🔭 The line up for this year's Edinburgh Science Festival (4 - 19 April) is due to be announced tomorrow at 10am. I'll include a link in the morning's daily Minute newsletter.
🏖️ Meanwhile in North Berwick, there's 10% off Fringe by the Sea tickets bought before Friday. Announced so far: Kool & the Gang, Belle & Sebastian. Capercaillie, Ben Fogle and Colonel Mustard & The Dijon 5. Enter the code FEELTHELOVE at checkout. The festival's next acts announcement is due later this month.
🎶 The music line-up for this year's Edinburgh Tradfest festival (1 - 11 May) has been announced, including Rura on the opening night at Potterrow. The rest of the festival's performances, including workshops, folk films, and storytelling will be announced on Tuesday 17 March. - Read more on the event's website here.
- ⮑ Douglas Robertson and Jane-Ann Purdy, co-producers of Edinburgh Tradfest, said:
“It’s such a tonic for a dreich February to look forward to the warmth of May and such a dazzling line up of trad and traditionally-inspired music at Edinburgh Tradfest. We have carefully curated a programme that has something for everyone. Included are the very best musicians from Scotland who are currently carrying our traditions forward in myriad exciting ways. We are also delighted to be welcoming a wide variety of touring musicians from Ireland, India, Sweden, Ukraine, Canada and the United States. Whether you love song, tunes or beats, jazz influences, classical inspiration or a straight ahead Strathspey, we have you covered.”
🎹 The west end's Downstairs at Betty's piano, singing and cocktail bar is reopening on Friday. - The bar shared the news here.
🇺🇸 The Edinburgh-based platform Eventree, which helps festivals manage accreditations and event workforces, has been appointed by the USA's Burning Man Festival in what's being reported as 'a major international win for UK event technology'. - Kizzy Allott, Event Industry News. Find out more about Eventree, which is based on Dublin Street in the New Town, on its website here.
🎟️ Big tickets this week:
📚 It's a stellar line-up for Gutter magazine's 33rd issue launch night at The Portobello Bookshop on Tuesday 17 February. In conversation with managing editor Malachy Tallack and prose reviews editor Rebecca Smith will be: Ali Millar, Billy Letford, Lindsay Johnstone and Dawn Wood. - More details and tickets here. See you there!
📒 At Fruitmarket this weekend: The Artists’ Bookmarket annual celebration of artists’ book culture. The event runs over two days with stalls laid out to showcase a wide array of work, alongside a busy events and workshops programme. - Full details are here.
🎸 Rockgrass pioneers Hayseed Dixie play the Liquid Room on Saturday. - Tickets.
🎸 Dropkick Murphys have just announced at gig at the Corn Exchange on 27 June. - Tickets go on sale on Friday.
🎤 Eliza Carthy & Special Guests will perform the Songs of Martin Carthy at the Assembly Roxy on Sunday evening. - More line-up details here.
🎵 What's on for the rest of this month at the Queen's Hall: Saturday 14th: Two Mr Ps in a Podcast: Live – Let That Be A Lesson…, Thursday 19th: SCO 25/26: Baroque Inspirations, Friday 20th: THE CLASSIC ROCK SHOW 2026, Saturday 21st: Edinburgh City Orchestra: Dvořák's Cello Concerto and Mahler's 1st Symphony, Sunday 22nd: SCO 25/26: Maxim and Friends, Monday 23rd: Kathryn Williams Mystery Park Tour, Thursday 26th: Randy Feltface – Gimmick, Friday 27th: Lucy Rose + Saturday 28th: Alex O'Connor.
🎵 What's on for the rest of this month at the Usher Hall: Friday 13th: RSNO Season 25-26: Love & Fairy Tales Rachmaninov & The Mermaid, Saturday 14th: The Ultimate Boy Band Party Show, Sunday 15th: Chinese New Year Celebration, Monday 16th: Get Organised - Music From Nordic Countries, Wednesday 18th: The Elvis Years, Thursday 19th: The George Michael Legacy, Saturday 21st: Talking Sopranos (featuring two of the Soprano’s cast members, Steve Schirripa (who played Bobby Bacala), and Emmy Award Winner Michael Imperioli (who played Christopher Moltisanti)), Monday 23rd: Emerging Artists: Haver Quartet, Tuesday 24th: Disney in Concert: The Sound of Magic, Thursday 26th: SCO: Benedetti plays Mendelssohn + Saturday 28th: Boyzlife.
🎨 There's a 'Galentines Landscape Collage Workshop' at OOTB Abbeymount Studios on Friday from 6.30pm. - More details.
🎨 At Out of the Blue Drill Hall in Leith this weekend: Love is in the air this Valentine’s weekend so join us at the Drill Hall for special screening of All That Heaven Allows (on Saturday) and Sing Street (on Sunday). Plus food from the Drill Hall Cafe.
📌 “Thurs 12 Feb @ 6pm: "I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ART, BUT I F*CKING LOVE THAT!" is a FREE 30 minute talk/discussion at Scott Lawrie Gallery for anyone wondering what contemporary art is all about. Ignorance encouraged, plus free drinks at half time! 2 Chuckie Pend (lane behind Filmhouse) EH3 8BG” - Thanks to Scott Lawrie for sharing this. (Great to hear so many Minute readers enjoyed the last event!)
📲 Find even more local listings on Boom Edinburgh and in Naomi Head's Good Egg Project newsletter, which has a focus on writing news and events. It's like an enhanced version of this newsletter (honestly) but in much more depth and width (geographically).
The Good Egg Project
🎭 The Edinburgh Playhouse is offering backstage tours related to this month's ongoing shows. - Full details here.
🎭 What's on Edinburgh's stages this week?
With your local listings, here's the one and only Thom Dibdin of All Edinburgh Theatre:
It’s a big week, with midterm student theatre mayhem from the big three Edinburgh Uni companies, cracking comedy at the Festival, from those Goes Wrong rascals, Mischief, and some weekend shows that aren't quite love, actually.
The EUSC kick off the student shows with a "★★★☆☆ Expansive" Romeo and Juliet at the Pleasance (ends Friday: tickets).
There's more Shakespearean flavour at the Church Hill, where the EU Footlights have Cole Porter's musical comedy Kiss Me Kate (ends Sat: tickets). And back home at the Bedlam, the EUTC take on Chekhov's The Seagull (Ends Sun: tickets).
All, no doubt, much more professional than the Cornley Amateur Dramatic Society's take on Dickens at the Festival Theatre, in Mischief's hilarious Christmas Carol Goes Wrong (ends Sun: tickets).
Cupid gets a serious debunking at the Traverse on Friday with [UN]Lovable (tickets), five short works-in-progress from Not So Nice!, while Tricky Hat have The Flames, a devised piece from their over-50 company (Sat: tickets).
Two Edinburgh-based performers return with solo shows about gay love in different eras. Mark Kydd's 1945-set Our Martin in the Background (★★★☆☆ Reflective) is at the Storytelling Centre (Sat: tickets), while Conor O'Dwyer is at the Studio with his contemporary Homo(sapien) (★★★★☆ Wholehearted) (Fri/Sat: tickets).
Summerhall has a diverse couple of shows. Rosa Garland's "gorgeously gross" Primal Bog (Thurs: tickets) and Leith-based poet Hjarta's darkly humorous, raw and emotive personal story of the effects of schizophrenia The Rhinestone Cowboy (Fri/Sat: tickets).
More details on Æ's listings pages, all linked here.
📌 Edinburgh Culture Minute Community Noticeboard
📌 “Indie Leith bookshop Typewronger is pulling an all-nighter to pay their tax bill on Saturday 21st of February! From 9pm to 11am, the shop will remain open and feature a special time stamp for people to prove they were there for it. Come by for a unique browsing experience!” - Thanks to the Typewronger Team for sharing this.
📌 “Thursday 12 February - Gilded Saloon: Award-nominated comedian Robin Grainger hosts a night of standup and live podcast recording. Join him and some of the funniest comedians on the planet as they discuss their specialist subject.” - Thanks to Robin Grainger, standup comedian, for sharing this.
📌 “Independent Arts Projects has two new roles: Part time Associate Artist. Salary: £33,000 per annum pro rata. Deadline: 12 noon, Thursday 12 March. More details here. Part time International Producer. Salary: £33,000 per annum pro rata. Deadline 12 noon, Thursday 12 March. More details here.” - Thanks to Independent Arts Projects for sharing this.
📌 “Great Escapes is Rowan Paton’s first major exhibition at The Scottish Gallery. Working across painting, collage, and printmaking, and taking inspiration from music and poetry, Paton creates joyous visual worlds that are both imagined and intimately connected to her lived experience.” - Thanks to The Scottish Gallery for sharing this.
📌 “The Torrance Gallery is delighted to announce that their current Alan Cameron Retrospective exhibition is extended to 21st February due to popular demand. A 'last chance' to see this incredibly talented artists' original pastels, we are honoured to be hosting this beautiful show.” - Thanks to Fiona at The Torrance Gallery for sharing this.
📌 “2 desks available in creative coworking studio in Edinburgh’s West End. We’re a group of six freelancers & remote workers who share an office with meeting room and 24/7 access for only ~£200/month (incl. utilities). 6 months minimum contract, dog-friendly.” - Thanks to Denise Strohsahl (sandstonecastles marketing) for sharing this.
📌 “Sunday 15th February - Join award winning opera singer and voice teacher, Louise Macdonald, who is leading a series of Breathe well. Sing well. Live well. workshops for women at The Salisbury Centre, Edinburgh, 3.30pm - 4.30pm. Breathwork meets singing for a life-affirming experience!” - Thanks to the organisers for sharing this.
📌 “The UNESCO Week of Sound in Edinburgh returns from 16-20 February 2026, with a packed programme of concerts, talks, and workshops on the theme of music, technology, and society. All events are free, and take place in central Edinburgh.” - Thanks to Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh, for sharing this.
📌 “Sunday 15 February - Leith Kino is back this Valentine’s weekend with Tod Browning’s pre-Code classic, Freaks! Known by many within the Disability community as the “grandfather of disability horror”, Freaks was released in 1932. The screening will be introduced by Kino team member Charlie Little.” - Thanks to Leith Kino member Morvern for sharing this.
📌 “19 - 21 February, Festival Theatre Edinburgh - Scottish Opera presents the world premiere of Dai Fujikura and Harry Ross's The Great Wave: an extravagant story about artist Katsushika Hokusai and his famous woodblock print The Great Wave off Kanagawa, directed by Satoshi Miyagi.” - Thanks to Scottish Opera for sharing this.
📌 “Composer and artist Drexler (Adrian Leung), set to launch his latest album, Olympia-5, at the Pianodrome on February 21st. The event will be a hybrid of live performance and film screenings.” - Thanks to the organisers for sharing this.
📌 “Wednesday 18 February at the Filmhouse - Amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, three drag queens choose to stay. 'Queens of Joy' documents their efforts to stage a charity drag show in support of Ukrainian soldiers, embarking on a moving journey that is both deeply personal and political.” - Thanks to Scottish Documentary Institute for sharing this.
