Edinburgh Culture Minute 🪩 18 - 24 March 2026
Tradfest & Hidden Door line-ups, tickets for Sigur Rós & Death Cab For Cutie, dance winter away at Balkanarama Spring Fling + Sue Perkins at the Festival Theatre
Welcome to the 123rd weekly Culture Minute: a round-up of Edinburgh’s local creative news, events, jobs and opportunities. As always, 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:
- 🤔 Tickets on sale for Louis Theroux at the Festival Theatre.
- 🏖️ This year's programme for Fringe by the Sea.
- 🟨 Edinburgh International Festival programme revealed.
- 📚 Book Lovers Bookshop on Melville Terrace wins Indie Bookshop of the Year.
- 🎭 🥧 🍺 Lunchtime theatre: A Play, A Pie and A Pint at the Roxy.
🗞️ News
🎻 The full programme for May's Edinburgh Tradfest has been revealed. It starts on Friday 1 May with the award-winning folk act Rura playing at Hangar 5, Potterrow. The programme includes live music, film, storytelling, workshops, talks and ceilidhs. Venues include Potterrow, the Traverse Theatre, Scottish Storytelling Centre and The Cameo. - Full programme details are here and there's a preview of the main performances in this video. Douglas Robertson and Jane-Ann Purdy, co-producers of Edinburgh Tradfest say:
“At Soundhouse we have a very broad definition of traditional music and are always most excited by those artists carrying it forward in new and innovative ways. This year’s line-up is packed with trail-blazing musicians from the USA, Ukraine, Sweden, Ireland and India alongside a broad programme of Scotland’s finest. We’re certain that Edinburgh Tradfest ‘26 will be the best yet!”
🪩 Details of this year's Hidden Door festival have been announced. It is due to return to The Paper Factory at the Gyle. Headlining on Friday 5 June: Norwegian singer-songwriter, record producer, and novelist Jenny Hval. On Saturday 6 June: Skye natives Valtos fuse folk and electro with their DJ/live hybrid project High Water Mark. Then Fred Deakin of Lemon Jelly takes over on the Saturday night. - Tickets and more details here + there's more coverage by Thom Dibdin of All Edinburgh Theatre here.
Thom Dibdin
🎭 A one-off performance in memory of magician and illusionist The Great Lafayette is planned on the anniversary of the 1911 Edinburgh Empire Theatre fire which claimed 11 lives. - Exclusive by Brian Ferguson in The Herald.
🎭 Union Theatre, a new Edinburgh-based independent theatre company operating in the amateur sphere, was launched on Friday, when it announced that its first production will be the Scottish premiere of Mary, by Rona Munro. - Thom Dibdin, All Edinburgh Theatre.
"Union Theatre is born out of a dream to see a thriving Fringe theatre scene in Edinburgh year-round, and to begin to bridge the gap between amateur and professional."
📕 Local creative mastermind Andy Irvine’s 5Things series returns this Spring. It’s a simple idea: 1 book, 5 things, lots of new ideas. - More details here.
🎟️ Big tickets this week
🇮🇸 Atmospheric post-rock Icelandic act, and the soundtrack to every BBC slow-motion trailer ever, Sigur Rós have announced a concert with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra at the Edinburgh Playhouse on 31 August. - Tickets go on sale at 10am on Friday.
🎸 Titans of indie/emo Death Cab For Cutie have announced a gig at the Corn Exchange on 20 September. - Tickets go on sale at 10am on Friday.
🎵 This week at The Usher Hall: Friday 20th: RSNO Season 25-26: St Mary's Music School Showcase and RSNO Season 25-26: Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony, Saturday 21st: Erskine Stewart’s Melville Schools Concert, Sunday 22nd: The Billy Joel Songbook performed by Elio Pace + Tues 24th: Harry Enfield and No Chums.
🎹 On Friday evening at Pianodrome in Bruntsfield: Eve Simpson Presents: In The Round with Dara Dubh, Lewis McLaughlin, and Mike McKenzie. - Tickets.
🪗 This year's Balkanarama Spring Fling is at The Caves on Friday from 10.30pm. It's always a feel-good feast for the senses. - Get a ticket here.
🎤 BAFTA Award winning Rab C Nesbitt actor Gregor Fisher is at the EICC on Saturday night. - There are a few tickets left here.
🍰 Returning to Edinburgh with her first show in more than a decade, Sue Perkins will be at the Festival Theatre on Sunday evening. - Tickets here are.
📆 This weekend at Out of the Blue drill hall in Leith:
- 💸 Fri + Sat: Scotland's Economics Festival.
- 🕯️ Sat, 10,30am: Wax Ring Carving Workshop – Sculpt Your Own Signature Ring.
- 📸 Sat, 11am: Classic Cyanotype Workshop.
🇯🇵 Escape to Japan with the Leith Kino weekly community cinema night at Leith Depot on Sunday. This week's screening: 'unhinged time-loop comedy River (2023).' - More details here.
📆 Find the city's comedy listings on Boom Edinburgh.
🎭 What's on Edinburgh's stages this week?
Here's Thom Dibdin of All Edinburgh Theatre:
Welcome to another busy week on Edinburgh's stages with prime theatre from established local companies Strawmodie, EPT and EUTC, from newcomers Encapulus and from tourers Ayr Gaiety, Raw Material and the Children’s Theatre Partnership.
Not to forget the Big Musicals tickets for One Day: The Musical at the Lyceum (★★★★☆ Accomplished ends Sun 19 Apr: tickets), the last week of Matilda the Musical at the Playhouse (★★★★☆ Huge energy ends Sat: tickets) and a brief few nights for Talk it Out from the EU Footlights Showchoir at the Pleasance Theatre (Thurs-Sat: tickets).
The hot theatre ticket is Strawmoddie's take on Beth Henley’s Crimes of the Heart at the Roxy, (Thurs - Sun: tickets), previewed here: Strawmoddie go American Gothic but it is a close run thing.
Also highly recommended are Stewart Laing's reimagining of George Bernard Shaw's Saint Joan for Raw Material at the Traverse (ends Sat: tickets) and Ayr Gaiety's take on Sailmaker at the Studio (ends Sat: tickets).
Of adaptations, there are a couple. Local amateurs EPT have The Ladykillers at the Church Hill Theatre (ends Sat: tickets), adapted from the 1955 Ealing comedy, so plenty of laughs here.
Then the hugely successful tour from the Children’s Theatre Partnership of The Boy at the Back of the Class, adapted from the book by Onjali Q. Raúf, is at the Festival Theatre (ends Sat: tickets).
No adaptation for the EUTC at the Bedlam, who have Billionaire in the Basement, about three students who are at a loss with what to do when they kidnap Mark Zuckerberg, written and directed by Aidan Roberts-Turner (ends Fri: tickets).
Sadly, there are no tickets left for Encapulus's Witches Corner at the Storytelling Centre (Sun), but the company return to the Augustine United Church in April with Unhinged (tickets).
For more details of these and all forthcoming shows, check Æ's listings pages, all linked here.
📌 Edinburgh Culture Minute Community Noticeboard
🧩 People and Places Puzzle - 'On 16 March we published solutions to fiendish puzzle which has annoyed readers since end of Jan. This link links to another at foot of article so newcomers can still pit wits without seeing answers. Quite understand if not your Cup of Tea.' - More details here, shared by Broughton Spurtle.
🔥 Hearth Fire Sessions: nights of ancient myth, contemporary storytelling, and post-folk music
Tomorrow, Thu 19 March - 'Come celebrate the Spring equinox and World Storytelling Day at the first Hearth Fire of 2026! A feast of tales and tunes will be served by host Dougie Mackay, guest storytellers Beverley Bryant and Linda Perttula, and musician Esther Swift.'
7.30pm to 10pm | Scottish Storytelling Centre, EH1 1SR - More details here, shared by a Minute reader.
🎭 The Pajama Game [Weekly]
Tomorrow, Thu 19 March - 'A fun musical set in a Midwest pajama factory. Featuring a local cast, a live band and fabulous songs.'
7.30pm to 10pm | Portobello & Joppa Parish Church, EH15 2DL | £18 / £9 - More details here, shared by Paul Cooke, Portobello and Joppa Parish Church Drama Group.
📚 Past Shelves: Histories of Queer Reading [Daily]
Tomorrow, Thu 19 March - 'The Past Shelves exhibition explores the impact of LGBTQ+ reading, publishing, and bookselling. The exhibition is inspired by Scotland's first LGBTQ+ bookshops, community experiences of reading and life in Scotland from 1980-2000. On til 3 May!'
10am to 5pm | Museum of Edinburgh, EH8 8DD | FREE - More details here, shared by Lavender Menace Queer Books Archive.
🌸 Spring Exhibition [Daily]
Fri 20 March - 'Spring is coming to Galerie Mirages, our spring time exhibition features beautiful , colourful Kantha textiles and mixed media paintings by artist Dee Payne.'
10am to 5.30pm | Galerie Mirages, EH4 1HL | FREE - More details here, shared by Galerie Mirages.
📸 Twenty Six: A Stills School Exhibition [Daily]
Sat 21 March - 'Join us for our annual Stills School Exhibition! 'Twenty Six' is a collection of work by the 2025 alumni of our free alternative photography school for 16-25 year olds. Come along to our opening celebration on Friday 20 March, 5-7pm 🎉.'
11am to 5pm | Stills, EH1 1BP | FREE - More details here, shared by Stills Centre for Photography.
🎶 Beat Generation Records [Weekly]
Sat 21 March - 'Beat Generation Records. Weekly DJ in store sessions leading up to Record Store Day on the 18th April. Vinyl old and new (house, hip-hop, soul, funk, disco rock, pop, indie etc) Check the socials for events.'
11am to 5pm | Beat generation records, EH3 9QJ | FREE - More details here, shared by George Reid, Beat Generation Records.
🎶 Treasures of the New World
Sat 21 March - '"Treasures of the New World" the vibrant musical heritage of Central and South America. Renaissance polyphony from New Spain and contemporary works from Latin America, Tickets at the door or online here.'
7.30pm to 9pm | Christ Church (Scottish Episcopal Church), EH10 4DD | £16; students £8 - More details here, shared by Scottish Chamber Choir.
📖 'Edinburgh collective Muted Minds launches 'one', a Kickstarter-funded anthology of collaboratively written experimental and accessible poetry. The book prints only if successfully funded and backers can pre-order and access limited edition rewards.' - More details here, shared by Muted Minds.
✏️ Acid House day party launching new Edinburgh interior design studio - 'Acid House Designs, a new Edinburgh interior design studio inspired by music culture &creative subcultures, launches April 4 with an Acid House day party at Flight Club (West Port Oracle), bringing together local designers, artists & DJs.' - More details here, shared by Acid House Designs.
🎨 New Art Exhibitions Venue - 'Hotel du Vin on Bristo Place has appointed a new art curator who has arranged an exciting calendar of solo exhibitions this Spring, starting with Scottish still life painter David Short from 23rd March. “Meet the Artist” Sunday 26th April from 3pm.' - More details here, shared by a Minute reader.
📖 PATRICK GALE: Love Lane, hosted by The Edinburgh Bookshop
Fri 27 March - 'We're delighted to welcome beloved, bestselling author Patrick Gale back to Edinburgh, as he joins Denise Mina to discuss his beautiful new novel, Love Lane - a searing portrayal of escape and the power of love, home and a family.'
7pm to 8.30pm | Christ Church (Scottish Episcopal Church), EH10 4DD | £10, £25 with Book - More details here, shared by a Minute reader.
🖌️ Studio Opportunities with EP Spaces - 'EP Spaces is Edinburgh Printmakers’ national network of affordable meanwhile spaces for artists and creative communities. We bring empty units back to life where artists can collaborate, experiment and present work. Spaces now available in Edinburgh!' - Thanks to Catherine Kelly, EP Spaces, for sharing this.
https://edinburghprintmakers.co.uk/workspaces/ep-spaces/
