Edinburgh Culture Minute 🪩 10 - 16 June 2026
Kate Adie at Fringe by the Sea, free St Andrew Square garden cinema this weekend, Roger Taylor at the Usher Hall, Leith Festival + a big summer for The Edinburgh Society of Unapologetically Imperfect Mothers
Welcome to the 132nd weekly Culture Minute: a round-up of Edinburgh’s local creative news, events, jobs and opportunities. Sorry it's a day late this week. A lot to catch up on, hence such a busy newsletter. 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:
- 📚 Who's at August's Edinburgh International Book Festival.
- ⚓️ Edinburgh Shanty Night has a Fringe show.
- 🎤 New local podcast on the history of real life in the capital.
- 🎤 Fringe preview shows at Monkey Barrel Comedy.
- 🗳️ Màiri McAllan replaces Angus Robertson as Culture Secretary.
🗞️ News
🎪 Just announced: Kate Adie CBE, one of the world's most respected and experienced journalists, has been added to this year's Fringe by the Sea festival line-up. The 'From Our Own Correspondent' presenter will be at the Big Top venue on Saturday 8 August. - Tickets on sale here.
🖼️ Work is starting on The Art Works, a major new free gallery planned for Granton. National Galleries of Scotland is getting £56 million from the Scottish Government to begin construction. - Rachel Ashcroft, The Art Newspaper.
- ⮑ Director-general Anne Lyden recently told The Herald that the new venue could be Scotland’s equivalent of the new V&A East Storehouse in London (which really is spectacular):
🌸 The line-up for this summer's Botanics Lates events is out. They're listed in this Instagram post and tickets for the Friday 19 June + Friday 14 August events are here.
🎭 With the King’s Theatre due to reopen next month, a new exhibition showcases stories from its past. 'The Grand Old Lady and Her Neighbours' opens at Barclay Viewforth Church on Monday and runs until Friday 19 June. It features local people sharing local history and their connections to the theatre, alongside new work by photographer Anneleen Lindsay. - More details here.
🎟️ This year's musical production of One Day has been confirmed as the highest-grossing play ever staged at the Royal Lyceum Theatre. One superfan saw it 14 times during its seven-week run, reports Jane Bradley in The Scotsman.
✍️ All Edinburgh Theatre is the only outlet that covers every Fringe theatre show made in Edinburgh. It's now open to volunteer reviewers to join the team for August's Fringe. - Find out how to get involved here, or drop an email to all Edinburgh Theatre's editor Thom Dibdin: alledinburghtheatre@gmail.com
🎧 Catch up with even more local cultural musings in this month's EFHM Culture Show, hosted by Katie Hawthorne and Katie Goh. It's due to be broadcast on EHFM.live today at 2pm and includes news of the show's fifth birthday party, the city's independent food writing/food zine scene and... whisky.
EHFM
🎟️ Big tickets this week
🎞️ The big outdoor screen is going up in St Andrew Square for the free Square Cinema event from Friday to Sunday. It begins on Friday with a 'Patrick Swayze marathon' featuring The Outsiders, Dirty Dancing, and Point Break. Saturday's daytime family screenings are Zootropolis 2, The Adventures of Tintin, Wicked: For Good, Labyrinth and live-action remakes of Lilo & Stitch and How To Train Your Dragon. Then Hollywood blockbusters and cult classics including Back to the Future, F1 – The Movie, One Battle After Another and Bridesmaids. - The full film schedule is here.
- The cast of the 'Back to the Future The Musical' will also be there with a DeLorean car on Saturday.
🥁 Queen drummer and songwriter Roger Taylor has announced a show at the Usher Hall on 22 September. - Tickets go on sale on Wednesday 17 June at 10am.
🎤 Singer Sienna Spiro, who has four million followers on TikTok, has announced a gig at the Corn Exchange on 22 February next year. - Tickets go on sale at 10am on Thursday 18 June.
🎸 Mull Historical Society are playing La Belle Angele on Saturday night. - Tickets here.
🎤 Following an award-winning and sold-out run at the Fringe last year, Alison Spittle is at Monkey Barrel Comedy tonight. - Tickets.
🎟️ At The Queen's Hall this weekend:
- Friday: An Evening with Toyah Willcox: Songs and Stories.
- Saturday: An Evening with Julie Fowlis.
🐣 Nature broadcaster and writer Lucy Lapwing is leading a nature walk with 'in the field' birdsong lessons, setting off from the Portobello Bookshop at 10am on Saturday 20 June. - Tickets here.
🎭 What's on Edinburgh's stages this week?
Here's Thom Dibdin of All Edinburgh Theatre:
The big event of the week is the Edinburgh amateur premiere of Dear Evan Hanson at the Church Hill Theatre (ends Sat: tickets), where Room 29 Theatre are performing for the first time.
It's a "★★★★☆ Accomplished" production according to Æ reviewer Hugh Simpson, who was particularly impressed by the performances in what he points out is a problematic show, in terms of both themes and structure.
This is the final week of Sweat at the Lyceum (ends Sat: tickets) which Hugh said is "★★★★★ Unmissable". Expect strong ideas, great performances, smart direction and a beautifully realised production design, in this tale of modern industrialised America.
Just in time for the World Cup, this week's A Play, A Pie and a Pint at the Assembly Roxy is The Corinthian (ends Sun: tickets). The play concerns Andrew Watson, the world's first Black international footballer, who led Scotland to defeat England 6-1 in 1881. A "★★★★☆ Necessary" piece of lunchtime theatre according to Hugh.
More home-grown productions at Summerhall this weekend, with local youth company Strange Town staging three one hour plays in rep. Tickets for The Kind Complex by Isla Cowan, Heart of the Storm by James Beagon and Love Bites by Sam Siggs are all here.
Australian choreographer Joel Burke goes big in his Dracula at the Festival Theatre (Fri/Sat: tickets). This crowd-pleasing stuff, driven by music from the classical greats, which unleashes a collision of desire, torment and immortality.
The Scottish Storytelling Centre has a pair of good one-nights. Turan Ali's Queer Folks Tales returns on Friday (tickets) with guests stand-up Heather Kondak Ross, crime novelist Emma Christie and musician Raveloe. And Iddo Oberski's slow tour of his deeply personal Balancing in Freedom is on Saturday (tickets).
And finally, before next week Culture Minute drops, Union Theatre open Peter Arnott's Easter Uprising play, Shall Roger Casement Hang? at the Hill Street Theatre (Mon 15 - Fri 19: tickets), with Arnott himself doing a post-show Q&A on Monday. Should be very interesting.
More details in Æ's listings, all linked here.
📌 Edinburgh Culture Minute Community Noticeboard
🎪 EAT. SLEEP. LEITH. REPEAT. - 'Leith Festival's Gala Day (13 June) features a Global Food Garden celebrating Leith's diverse communities, while the Pageant & Tattoo (21 June) continues a cherished local tradition rooted in Leith's heritage and community spirit.' - More details here, shared by the organisers.
🎤 From School Gates to the Big Stage: Stockbridge mums land double award nomination & Fringe debut - 'Local Edinburgh mums behind The Edinburgh Society of Unapologetically Imperfect Mothers podcast land 2 Scottish Podcast Awards nominations: Best Comedy & Best Sex, Family & Relationships. Talent scouted by Just the Tonic they hit the Fringe in August' - More details here, shared by Lissy Dutch & Heather Duque, The Edinburgh Society of Unapologetically Imperfect Mothers.
🎥 Mavis Paterson Film coming to big screen - 'Ohwa Film are working on a trailer to be filmed in Edinburgh for FIRES IN THE HEATHER, a film inspired by cyclist Mavis Paterson. The film will be a dramatic feature, and there is a kickstarter underway to raise funds for the trailer.' - More details here, shared by Ohwa.
🤝 Carved, Woven, Fired [Daily]
Fri 12 June - ''Carved, Woven, Fired' will present ceramics, textiles and wood homewares created by over 20 skilled makers from Garvald's craft workshops.'
9.30am to 5pm | Garvald Makers, EH10 4QL | FREE - More details here, shared by Owen O'Leary.
📝 Poetry By The River [Weekly]
Fri 12 June - 'Poetry by the River, St Bernard's Well, Stockbridge. Hear a poem, do a small meditation on the river, and write a poem to a river-oriented prompt. All welcome. Drop in is fine.'
10am to 11am | St Bernard's Well, EH4 1PT | £6.00 - More details here from Lynn Davidson.
🎨 Shared Land [Weekly]
Fri 12 June - 'Shared Land pairs two artists inspired by Edinburgh and its surroundings. Sandra Vick's paintings explore landscape, natural change and human impact, while Simon Rivett's drawings capture the city's urban spaces through light, shadow and composition.'
11am to 5pm | Upright Gallery, EH10 4HP | FREE - More details here, shared by Ian Farmer, Upright Gallery.
🖼️ WANDERLUST Exhibition Opening: Analogue Photography & Art from NYC and Edinburgh - by Mira Knoche
Fri 12 June - 'OPENING Fri 12 Jun, 5-8pm | Dates 12-21 Jun: Showing analogue photography, paintings & etchings from New York and Edinburgh. Reflecting on the artist's year in NY, the show invites a slow way of looking and cross-cultural celebration. All welcome!'
5pm to 8pm | St Margaret's House, EH7 6AE | FREE - More details here, shared by Mira Knoche.
🤣 I Fed My Dad to a Pelican
Sat 13 June - 'Hailed as 'more than your average comedy show,' Kayleigh tells the unforgettable tale of how, on Christmas morning 2010, she unwrapped the ultimate surprise: her dad wasn't her dad, and her real dad was... probably someone else.'
5pm to 6pm | The Gilded Saloon, EH1 1HB | £8.00 - More details here, shared by kayleigh arissol-jones.
🎶 Scottish Chamber Choir- All Night Vigil
Sat 13 June - 'Often referred to as Rachmaninov's "crowning achievement," the Vespers is a work of immense scale and emotional depth. Join one of Scotland's leading chamber choirs for a fabulous evening in the company of this master work.'
7.30pm to 10.30pm | Church of the Sacred Heart, EH3 9DJ | £16, £8 concessions - More details here, shared by Scottish chamber choir.
🎶 Concert Band on Monday Evenings [Weekly]
Mon 15 June - 'Wind Band/Concert Band. Flutes, clarinets, saxophones, French Horns, Trumpets, Trombones, Tubas, Percussion. Monday nights 7pm Friendly. Good range of music. Central Location. Tea at half time. Come and join us! Get in touch and find out more.'
7pm to 9.30pm | Morningside United Church, EH10 4DH | FREE - More details here, shared by Tom Jones. (That one?)
🎶 Och Vey + Chaia + Michael Alpert @ The Wee Red Bar
Tue 16 June - 'Edinburgh's premier anarcho-klezmer band are joined by New York Yiddish electronica artist Chaia & legendary klezmer musician Michael Alpert. A rare chance to see radical Jewish culture taken in all different directions, from punk to trad to techno.'
7pm to 11pm | The Wee Red Bar, EH3 9DF | £10 adv, £12 otd - More details here, shared by Och Vey.
🎤 Siren Song [Monthly]
Wed 17 June - 'A open-mic celebrating women's song and songwriting on the third Wednesday of every month. Join Sarah Macgregor and friends to celebrate the contributions made to music by women singers and writers. Open to ALL women's, men's, and nonbinary voices.'
8.30pm to 11pm | The Bowlers Rest, EH6 7BD | FREE - More details here, shared by Alice Caldwell.
🎶 Cinetopia Salon: EDEN by Mia Hansen-Løve + DJ Set
Thu 18 June - 'A cultural evening where cinema meets food & drink, music and great conversation! Enjoy EDEN on the big screen - a celebration of 90s French House culture - followed by live set from DJ Ann Tweak. Come early for French-style apero + free nibbles!'
6pm to 10.30pm | French Institute of Scotland, EH1 1RN | £10-£12 - More details here, shared by Cinetopia.
🪑 Watch The Table at The Traverse from 18 - 20th June
Thu 18 June - 'A bold new intergenerational dance theatre show asking who gets a seat at the table - and what unfolds once we're there? Blending movement, live music and text, The Table invites us to think about where we belong and how we show up for one another.'
7.30pm to 9.30pm | Traverse Theatre, EH1 2ED | £5 – £17 - More details here, shared by Lyra.
🎭 Revolution Days by Mariem Omari
Fri 19 June - 'Based on Arab-Scottish playwright Mariem Omari's experiences as an Aid Worker in the Middle East and North Africa, this is a compelling story of survival and hope. "Olivia Hemmati... is nothing short of extraordinary" ★★★★★ A Youngish Perspective.'
7.30pm to 9pm | Studio Theatre, EH8 9BL | £18 - More details here, shared by Wendy Niblock, Bijli Productions.
🎻 Midsummer Garden Party
Sat 20 June - 'Something special is coming! Free Midsummer Celebration, June 20th 5-8pm, Gracemount Mansion Gardens. Dance, live music, free food, crafts & world-class violin. Free, all ages, no booking needed, EH16 6FD.'
5pm to 8pm | Gracemount Mansion Development Trust, EH16 6FD | FREE - More details here, shared by Jane Hartley, Gracemount Mansion Development Trust.
⛰️ Newly-launched Desire Lines Collective calls for submissions from diverse outdoor writers & artists - 'We're a new organisation, newsletter and print journal supporting (and paying) women, nonbinary and gender-non-conforming mountain writers, artists and photographers. I know there are many talented outdoor/adventure creatives in Edinburgh/Scotland!' - More details here, shared by Natalie Berry, Edinburgh-based Editorial Director, Desire Lines Collective.
Natalie Berry