Edinburgh Culture Minute 🪩 11 - 17 November 2026
Creative Edinburgh Awards on Friday, Push the Boat Out poetry festival begins, creatives unite against AI data centres + Dolly Parton gig for local kids' books
👋 Welcome to the 149th 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!
👀 Most-viewed links from the previous Edinburgh Culture Minute:
- 🏆 Creative Edinburgh Awards ceremony THIS FRIDAY, 13 Nov.
- 🎨 'Save Summerhall' petition (now at 14,000 signatures).
- 🎵 Acclaimed musicians to play mexdical fundraiser gig at Queen's Hall, Thursday 12 Nov.
- 📙 Argonaut Books event on 'Enshittification'.
- 📚 Laura Kuenssberg in town next month for book talk.
🗞️ News
🎤 Push the Boat Out, Edinburgh’s international poetry festival, begins on Thursday and runs until Sunday. - The full programme is here.
"I believe poetry helps us to live as best we can now in our uncertain world, while connecting us to dream a better one into existence." - Push the Boat Out director Emma Collins writes in The List.
🪫 Many of Edinburgh's creatives are planning to unite for the 'Stop AI data centres' march on Saturday. - They've teamed up to make this video about why they're protesting. There is a map of proposed data centres here and you can find details about Saturday's event here.
- Should they be using Instagram (a Meta owned-platform) to promote their cause? The protest organisers admit it's 'a tricky duality to navigate', but they add: "People are feeling understandably dejected about things and we need to reduce the barrier of entry to information and calls to action that can revitalise them." - Louis Cammell of The Skinny talks to the volunteer-run movement.
Article by Louis Cammell
🎆 'Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Corto.alto, Susie McCabe added to Edinburgh’s Hogmanay line-up' - Kevin Fullerton, The List.
🪩 A night of Dolly Parton-inspired music is promised by The Phoenix Choir at Ps and Gs church on York Place on Saturday 21 November. Love, Dolly! is a fundraiser for the Scottish Book Trust and Dolly Parton's Imagination Library UK. - Tickets and more details are here.
🏛️ Previously unseen archaeological discoveries, new research and 'significant loans' from across Europe will be part of the 'Roman Scotland: Life on the Edge of Empire' exhibition opening at the National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street on Saturday. - Full details are here.
📸 It's a full-circle moment: The speaker for November's CreativeMornings Edinburgh event is Ellie Morag, photographer and founder of The Storytelling Sessions. The organisers say: "Ellie’s the perfect person to speak about Devotion. She’s dedicated the last 15 years to photography. Her photography is rooted in capturing the beauty in everyday life. She’ll talk us through her ongoing project, Queer Love Stories: A Celebration of Joy, that explores the visibility, complexity and beauty in queer life and relationships." - Tickets will be available from 11am on Friday 13 November and the event's on Friday 20 November from 8.30am at The Melting Pot on Calton Road behind Waverley.
🎧 DJ and producer Hayley Zalassi is at Cab Vol on Saturday night. - Tickets.
🎉 Celebrate iconic Cowgate venue Sneaky Pete's 18th birthday party at Fruitmarket on Friday, 8pm to midnight. - The full line-up and tickets are here.
🎭 What's on Edinburgh's stages this week?
⭐️ Here's Thom Dibdin of All Edinburgh Theatre:
In a strong week for local companies, amateurs Allegro lead the way with The Little Mermaid, there's a rare outing for Saughtonhall Drama Club, two productions by student company Paradok, Kevin Quantum is at the Roxy and the brilliant Offspring festival of new work is at Summerhall.
But top tip is at Leith Dockers Club where Citadel revive their "★★★★☆ Enjoyable" piece of living history theatre, Getting Along with Gran, on Thursday for one day only (2.30 & 7pm). Email: jamesellison@blueyonder.co.uk for a ticket.
So, The Little Mermaid sees Allegro up at the Church Hill (ends Sat: tickets), inviting audiences of all ages to journey beneath the waves with Ariel as she follows her heart and discovers where she truly belongs.
At Saughtonhall they are getting the half-time coffee and biscuits ready for Coincidences Will Happen (ends Sat: tickets), a "comedy of errors, mainly of a family planning nature", they say.
Theatre Paradok, Edinburgh University's experimental theatre specialists, are at Augustine United Church. Ending tonight is 32 seconds (Wed: tickets), then there is GUNSLINGERS (Sun - Tue: tickets), examining queerness through dyke cowboys.
There's more experiment at Summerhall with Kolbrún Björt Sigfúsdóttir's Offspring Festival (Fri/Sat: details) with three new plays, two networking events and a scratch night.
Magic comes to Assembly Roxy with Kevin Quantum's Anti-Gravity (Sat: tickets) and, before that, the return of A Play, a Pie and A Pint lunchtime theatre with Lex Joyce's Zamboni (ends Sun: tickets).
Marc Brew's an Accident/ a Life is at the King's (Fri/Sat: tickets) a "richly theatrical dance memoir" of the moment that took him from ballet dancer to paraplegic in a second.
The Traverse has a couple of interesting shows. No Apologies (Thu/Fri: tickets) is a "radical mis-remembering of Nirvana’s iconic 1993 MTV Unplugged concert"; while Róisín Stack maps out alone time in No Woman is an Island (Fri/Sat: tickets).
Stef Smith's new adaptation of gothic horror The Haunting of Hill House is at the Lyceum (ends Sat: details), but it's returns only, so you'll just have to read Hugh's review: "★★★☆☆ Visually impressive" he says.
Opera buffs will be having it large at the Festival Theatre, where Scottish Opera have Puccini's final work, Turandot, (ends Sun 22: tickets), while Whitney fans will be in the aisles dancing at the Playhouse for tribute act: Queen of the Night (Sat: tickets).
Full details of these and all future productions on Æ's listings pages, all linked here.
📌 Edinburgh Culture Minute Community Noticeboard
🧵 Bookbinding & Cross Stitch Notebook Workshop
Sat 14 November - 'Join us, Hayley & Jen, at Slow Progress Records where we will show you how to make your own cross-stitched and hand-bound notebook.'
11am to 2pm | Slow Progress Records & Coffee · Old Town | £42.00 - More details here, shared by Hayley Nodzak and Jen Ouson.
🖼️ Collage Workshop: Creating Magical Worlds
Sat 14 November - 'Step into a world of imagination! Join us for a playful collage workshop inspired by magical realism and surrealism. Cut, layer and transform everyday images into strange, dreamlike worlds. All materials provided. No experience needed!'
2pm to 4pm | The Salisbury Centre · Southside | Sliding Scale - More details here, shared by Khadea, The Salisbury Centre.
🎬 Wee Filmhouse: Inside Out and Drop-in activities
Sun 15 November - 'Join us for a special screening of Inside Out, part of the Wee Filmhouse series, run in collaboration with Edinburgh Medical School to mark 300 years of medical education in Edinburgh. Stay after the film for free, hands-on family fun!'
11am to 2pm | Filmhouse · Tollcross | £6 - More details here, shared by The University of Edinburgh.
📚 Love, Dolly - fundraising concert for the Scottish Book Trust & Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
Sat 21 November - 'If you love books & music (and Dolly Parton), this fundraising concert is for you: the Phoenix Choir will perform Dolly's songs, Argonaut Books will have a curated stall of books, and ticket proceeds will be donated - we hope to see you there!'
1pm to 3pm | Ps & Gs (St Paul's & St George's) Church · New Town | from £5 - More details here, shared by The Phoenix Choir.
🎶 Unicornis: plainsong, polyphony and the music of Ola Gjeilo
Sun 22 November - 'An afternoon of plainsong, polyphony and music by Norwegian composer Ola Gjeilo, performed by Chapter House Singers at the Church of the Sacred Heart.'
3pm to 4pm | Church of the Sacred Heart · Tollcross | £10 - More details here, shared by Flora, Chapter House Singers.
🎶 Handel's Leading Ladies
Fri 27 November - 'Soprano Nardus Williams joins Dunedin Consort and director John Butt for an evening of Handel and Bononcini, exploring the drama, passion and virtuosity of 18th-century London opera, where rival divas captivated audiences. Pre-concert talk, 6.30pm'
7.30pm to 9.30pm | Greyfriars Kirk · Old Town | £6 - £32 - More details here, shared by Dunedin Consort.
🌠 A Ladder To The Stars
Tue 08 December - 'A charming, heartfelt show for ages 3-6 told through a gentle, magical mix of puppetry, original music + story-telling. Meet Olive. A bright-eyed little girl who makes a birthday wish upon a twinkling star🌟 (£1 tickets available if eligible!)'
10.30am to 11.15am and 1.30pm to 2.15pm | Traverse Theatre · Tollcross | £1 - £14.50 - More details here, shared by Erin McClelland, Traverse Theatre +1 more session — see all times.
👻 Call for submissions - scary sound art in a pitch black room - 'Sounds for the Dark's Halloween event is on 18/11/26 at Leith Depot. We're looking for submissions of sound art under 10 minutes that is horror themed or scary to be played in a pitch black room. The only rule is nothing my mum would call music! (Deadline: 15 Nov, email to: soundsforthedark@gmail.com)' - More details here, shared by Sounds for the Dark.
🤝 This week’s local creative jobs and opportunities. Find your future here...
💼 Media Sales Executive - 'The List magazine is looking for someone with a passion for selling arts, culture & entertainment who will be responsible for growing revenues from a range of clients across media, promotional, publishing and event related List activities. (Salary: Base salary + competitive bonus. Deadline: 15 Nov)' - Thanks to Sheri Friers for sharing this. Apply here.
🟡 Edinburgh International Festival is looking for someone to be its Executive Assistant to the Festival Director. Salary: £45,000 to £47,000. Deadline: 30 November. - Apply here.
🎭 Assembly Theatre is recruiting a year-round Roxy Production Manager to support its busy city centre arts centre, Assembly Roxy. Salary: £33,500 - £35,000. Deadline: 18 November. - Apply here.
🏴 TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland) is looking for a Digital Marketing and Communications Officer. The role is 0.8 FTE (28 hours, 4 days per week) and the pay is £26,460 per annum (£33,075 pro rata). Deadline: 18 November. - Apply here.
📘 The Scottish Book Trust charity is hiring a Writing Communities Co-ordinator (Writer Development). It's a part time, permanent role and the pay is £12,435 (£27,200 FTE). Deadline: Sunday 15 November. - Apply here.
🧶 Dovecot Studios is looking for a new Visitor Sales & Marketing Officer. Pay: £27,976 (Real Living Wage). Deadline 30 November. - Apply here.
👍 STILL OPEN ↴
💰 Craigmillar-based Drake Music Scotland is seeking a Fundraising Officer. Salary: £28,000. Deadline: 12 November. - Apply here.
🎵 The Scottish Chamber Orchestra is seeking a Head of Concerts and Projects. Salary: £43k-£46k. Deadline: 17 November. - Apply here.
🎭 The Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh is hiring a Commercial Operations Assistant. Pay: £13.45 per hour. Deadline: 17 November. - Apply here.
🎵 The new National Centre for Music on Calton Hill is recruiting for an Events Officer. Part of the description says: "The initial focus of the role will be on events responding to community interests and needs around the heritage of the building, the landscaped gardens, and related cultural heritage topics. It is anticipated that many, but by no means all events will be musical in output." Pay: £30,000 per annum (pro rata @ 0.6 FTE = £18,000) Part-time (0.6 FTE). Fixed term for three years. Deadline: 18 November. - Apply here.
🎬 The National Film & Television School is looking for a Director to lead the newly established NFTS Sean Connery Institute in Scotland. Salary: £90,000. Deadline: 18 November. - Apply here.
🎼 The Scottish Chamber Orchestra is hiring an Assistant Orchestra Manager based in Edinburgh. Pay: £32,500- £35,000 depending on experience. Deadline: 18 November. - Apply here.
🎨 Leith School of Art is recruiting for a Drawing & Painting the Figure tutor for its Thursday evening Short Course. Pay: £33.70 per hour. Deadline: 22 November. - Apply here.
🏴 The organisers of Hands Up for Trad are looking for a Scots Language Week Administrative Producer. Pay: £25 per hour. Deadline: 23 November. - Apply here.
🎭 The Traverse Theatre is looking for a skilled Artistic Administrator to provide dedicated administrative and coordination support to the organisation. Salary: £27,976. Deadline: 23 November. - Apply here.
🎤 Love Music charity is looking to appoint an experienced singing leader to join its Sing for Wellbeing Schools artistic team. Pay: £300 and £220 per day plus travel expenses. Deadline: 10am on 25 November. - Apply here.
🎭 Lung Ha Theatre Company (based on Grindlay Street) is seeking a Development Officer to lead on fundraising and sustainability ambitions. Pay: £12,000 per annum (14hrs per week, £30,000 FTE). Deadline: 30 November. - Apply here.
🧵 Studio Nine Edinburgh seeks Freelance Sewing Teachers. Pay: £18 per hour. Deadline: 30 November. - Apply here.
👀 Find more local roles on the Creative Edinburgh jobs & opps board.
💌 Thanks to everyone who contributed to the 149th edition of The Edinburgh Culture Minute. Thank you for reading and subscribing. Please share this email to help it reach more people who want to have a good time!