Edinburgh Culture Minute 🪩 30 Sept - 7 Oct 2026

👋 Hello dear paying subscriber and welcome to your 144th weekly Culture Minute: a round-up of Edinburgh’s local creative news, arts happenings, events, jobs and opportunities. If I’ve missed anything please get in touch. Thanks as always to everyone who contributes!

👀 Most-viewed links from the previous Edinburgh Culture Minute:

1. 🌴 New autumn events in the Botanics' Palm Houses.
2. 📆 Soundhouse Winter Festival returns to Traverse Theatre in November.
3. 🎤 Dylan Moran at Assembly Roxy on 27 November.
4. 🎹 What's on at Pianodrome in Bruntsfield.
5. 📖 Scottish International Storytelling Festival (21-31 Oct) programme.

🗞️ News

🏆 Nominations for this year's Creative Edinburgh Awards are open until Monday 5 October. It's the 15th anniversary of the awards, which celebrate the city's most inspiring creative individuals, organisations and projects. - Nominate your local heroes here.

Creative Edinburgh Awards 2026

Creative Edinburgh Awards 2026 Application Form

🎨 Planned cuts to creative programmes at Edinburgh College of Art are of 'deep concern', warns Lyndsey Jackson, Executive Director of the Royal Lyceum Theatre. - Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco, The Herald.

"The planned closure of Textiles and Performance Costume courses at Edinburgh College of Art is of deep concern to those of us invested in the future of Scotland’s cultural life and creative workforce, and Edinburgh's status as a cultural city." - Lyndsey Jackson, Lyceum.

Meanwhile the Edinburgh Assay Office published an open letter, saying:

"At a time when artificial intelligence is changing the nature of work, we should place greater value on skills developed through making. Jewellery and silversmithing demand judgement of materials, dexterity, patience and the ability to turn an idea into a physical object. Technology may assist makers, but these human skills cannot simply be generated by a machine. We should be investing in the teaching and transmission of craft skills, not closing one of the places where they are learned."

• More than 11,000 people have signed the petition, titled: 'Save the Craft and Design Courses at Edinburgh College of Art', including actor Hugh Bonneville among others.

Sign the Petition

Save the Craft and Design Courses at Edinburgh College of Art

Change.org

Leading Edinburgh theatre condemns ‘deeply concerning’ design programme closures

The executive director of the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh has spoken out against the cuts, saying they are of “deep concern” to creatives…

The HeraldJosh Pizzuto-Pomaco

⮑ University principal Peter Mathieson insisted: "We are reducing the number of courses but we are not stopping subjects or closing things down. We're taking steps that we believe are in the best interests of the university right now but also into the future."

💰 Rising costs of performing at the Fringe and a 'lack of investment' could risk the festival abandoning Edinburgh for another UK city, Summerhall Arts boss Sam Gough has warned, saying: "It's something higher on my risk register now than it ever has been." - Exclusive by Jane Bradley in The Scotsman.

Fringe ‘could pop up anywhere’ if Edinburgh does not cement solid base, warning

Summerhall Arts boss Sam Gough said the Fringe was not likely to move in the coming years, but warned it could go past a “point of no return”.

The ScotsmanJane Bradley

🖼️ National Galleries of Scotland has unveiled its 2027 exhibition programme. It includes: Turner in January, Your Art World, Surrealism, Woodcut Women: British Prints Inspired by Japan and more. Anne Lyden, Director-General of the National Galleries of Scotland, said: "We are particularly proud to offer free tickets for under-18s, in line with our new strategy. We hope this will help children and young people continue to discover, enjoy and be inspired by their national art collection." - More details here.

📚 Portobello Book Festival is on Friday, Saturday and Sunday this weekend. It's entirely free and volunteer-run. On the line-up:

• Crofter, writer and presenter Peter MacQueen on Scotland’s native dog breeds.
• Ocean rowing brothers Ewan, Jamie and Lachlan Maclean talk about their record breaking, non-stop and unsupported journey across the Pacific Ocean to raise over a million pounds for clean water charities.
• Doug Johnstone in conversation with Mary Paulson-Ellis.
• Find the full programme here.

It’s almost time for the 2026 Portobello Book Festival!

In just a few days, this year’s festival will kick off at 10am on Friday with our first event, our Writing Workshop: Building a Character, at Portobello Library. On Friday and Saturday, most …

Portobello Book FestivalJoanne

🛍️ Also this weekend in Porty: Support the Makers: Makers Market is on Sunday at the town hall from 11am to 4pm. - More details here.

Makers Market - Portobello Town Hall — Support The Makers

Our vibrant Makers Market — a regular market celebrating creativity located in the Portobello Town Hall , right at the heart of the bustling Portobello community. Explore a thoughtfully curated collection of gorgeous handmade pieces, from accessories and jewellery to textiles, homewares, ceramics

Support The Makers

🗞️ October's issue of The List is out today. Cover star Gayle Rankin talks about her homecoming and the appeal of playing dangerous, complicated women, Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton put on their party hats for Arab Strap's 30th birthday, Afreka Thomson chats to the founders of the Traade shop in Portobello + an interview with Oedipus And The Mama’s Boys, the Edinburgh eight-piece courting comparisons with Black Country, New Road. - Read The List here.

📰 In case you missed it, Edinburgh-based arts newspaper The Skinny has been rescued, after being shut down earlier this month. Its publisher Radge Media CIC announced yesterday it had struck a deal with Scottish arts charity Outer Spaces. - More details here.

🎟️ Big tickets this week

👍 Thanks to the folks at Gilded Balloon, we've got another exclusive ticket discount for Culture Minute subscribers:

Every Friday, the Gilded Salloon venue hosts The Comedy Show, a classic night of stand-up comedy showcasing a changing lineup of comedians from across the UK. Expect Scottish favourites, TV legends, future stars and lots of laughs.

Minute subscribers get 25% off tickets (£7.50 + booking fee) with code MINUTE75 at checkout (up to 4 tickets per transaction). Tickets can be bought at: https://tickets.thegildedsaloon.co.uk/

📆 Every Friday, 8:30pm

📍 The Gilded Saloon

🎭 Upcoming acts include: Chris Weir, Tia Rey, Eva Peroni, Chris Thorburn, Krystal Evans, Kate Hammer and many more.

🎟️ Get 25% off tickets for The Comedy Show on Fridays at this link using the code MINUTE75.

🎭 What's on Edinburgh's stages this week?

Here's Thom Dibdin of All Edinburgh Theatre:

There's a bit of a musical tip to this week's theatre offerings, from Sarah Ruhl’s take on Eurodice, to Orkney songs in the first Play Pie & Pint of the season, Amber Davies giving her Elle Woods and a great big Scottish Hip Hop take on Wallace.

Getting the biggie out the way first. Legally Blonde is pretty much sold out at the Playhouse (ends Sat: tickets) except tomorrow (Thurs) matinee, when Davies’ dep, Hannah Lowther, plays Elle Woods.

Legally Blonde Tickets | Edinburgh Playhouse in Edinburgh | ATG Tickets

The iconic international West End and Broadway smash hit musical comedy Legally Blonde The Musical is back in fashion with a huge new production starring Amber Davies (Pretty Woman, 9 to 5 The Musical) as Elle!

ATG Tickets

The other biggie is Wallace at the King's Theatre (ends Sat: tickets), which has playwright Rob Drummond, rapper Dave Hook and director Orla O’Loughlin team up in this full scale expansion of what was originally a rather good piece of lunchtime theatre.

Wallace - Capital Theatres

Scotland’s largest independent theatre organisation, selecting and presenting world-class shows to entertain and inspire audiences of all ages.

Capital Theatres

Speaking of which, there are a few tickets left for The Whaler's Wife at the Traverse (ends Sat: tickets). An "★★★☆☆ Atmospheric" start to the PPP Lunchtime Theatre season according to Hugh, blending sea shanties, bawdy humour and Orcadian folklore.

Local grassroots outfit Gutter Theatre return to the Roxy tonight with this week's hot tip: Sarah Ruhl’s Eurodice (ends Sat: tickets). A take on the Orpheus myth Rhul turns the whole thing on its head in a telling exploration of love, loss, language, and memory.

Scottish Ballet is back at the Festival Theatre with Crystal Pite’s Emergence (Thu-Sat: tickets) a "breathtaking fusion of classical ballet and raw, insect-like movement that casts dancers as swarming creatures in a darkly beautiful universe".

Emergence - Capital Theatres

Scotland’s largest independent theatre organisation, selecting and presenting world-class shows to entertain and inspire audiences of all ages.

Capital Theatres

The National Theatre of Scotland has a couple of events. Firstly: a word to the wise: get your briefs ASAP for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, their co-pro at the Lyceum (Fri - Sun 18 Oct: tickets). It is very close to selling out.

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie | Lyceum

‘Give me a girl at an impressionable age, and she is mine for life’ At the Marcia Blaine School for Girls, junior-school teacher Miss Jean Brodie is fa

Lyceum

Second is an NTS@20 event at Filmhouse with Future Acts + Q&A (Sat: tickets) in which the  future has been foraged by six writing and directing teams for a series of interlinked shorts, which also screen on BBC platforms in early 2027.

Future Acts + Q&A

This screening&nbsp;will&nbsp;be followed by a Q&amp;A with directors Hope Dickson Leach and Rianne White, hosted by Tamara Van Strijthem.A cinematic collage of six surprising, Scottish short stories pitching audiences into the future.&nbsp;Future Acts is created by a team of celebrated and award-winning Scottish theatrical and film talent.Produced by National Theatre of Scotland, in association with Shakehaus productions and distributed in cinemas across Scotland by Cosmic Cat.In partnership with BBC Scotland&nbsp;Supported by The Weir Charitable TrustThe National Theatre of Scotland has joined forces once more with BBC Scotland to create a special hybrid project focussed on the future, created by a young and more experienced team of leading Scottish theatre-makers, filmmakers, actors and artists.The future has been foraged by six writing and directing teams for a series of interlinked modern shorts; AI, cultural identity dating, queer love, climate change and cloning; the personal and the political, are all playfully explored.The six shorts embrace theatrical and filmic genres and have been sited in distinctive Scottish locations including a bunker, a bed shop, a beer garden, a coastal path and a caravan.&nbsp;&nbsp;FILMS FEATURED:Bed to the FutureWriter/Director:&nbsp;James LeyPerformed by&nbsp;Martin Quinn&nbsp;and&nbsp;Jay NewtonA young Scottish queer couple visit a futuristic bed shop where a simulator promises to reveal the perfect future for their relationship. Only it’s not quite what they had imagined.Un-StaticWriter:&nbsp;Natali McClearyDirector:&nbsp;Josefa CelestinPerformed by&nbsp;Maureen Carr&nbsp;and&nbsp;James DawoudA young man summons a Unicorn in search of answers about identity, belonging and purpose, embarking on a magical journey between the weight of the past and the promise of the future.BrothWriter: Lesley HartDirector: Sally ReidPerformed by Carmen Pierracini and Ryan J MackayAfter an on-air meltdown derails her career, former news anchor Rona Lawson is sent to report from a disappearing coastline. There, an unexpected friendship helps her discover that the future is not yet written.SmokeWriter: Kieran HurleyDirector: Rianne WhitePerformed by Nicolette McCormack with narration by Shirley MansonThis evocative and visually striking film explores the urgency and fear at the heart of the climate crisis.OptimumWriter: Uma Nada-RajahDirector: Stewart LaingPerformed by Ross Mann and Anna Russell-MartinTwo strangers meet for a date in a Glasgow beer garden. An AI system has declared them to be optimally matched. There’s no need for guess work or uncertainty. But can an algorithm really predict love?Still AliveWriter/Director: Hope Dickson LeachPerformed by Keith Fleming and Nadia AlbinaHector wakes up, cloned into a younger body by a dubious biotechnology company, his only company, a temp worker, at the end of a very long shift. He soon discovers that a second chance at life may not be everything he hoped for.The National Theatre of Scotland is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2026 with a programme that acknowledges the game-changing theatre that has defined the Company’s output over the last two decades. Hybrid digital and broadcast theatre-making has been pioneered by NTS during this time including the guerilla live film project, Five Minute Theatre (2005), the Scottish BAFTA winning drama Adam, also in partnership with BBC Scotland, and The Strange Undoing of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde in 2021/22 which premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, following a live capture at Leith Theatre which was streamed into cinemas.In 2020, NTS pivoted to become a digital production company when theatres were closed during the Covid 19 pandemic.&nbsp; During this time, the Company partnered with BBC Scotland and BBC Arts to create Scenes for Survival, an unprecedented series of short sharp digital artworks in response to the lockdown. These were shared across partners’ platforms, and a selection was made available on iPlayer. Their reach exceeded 20 million views across social and broadcast channels and were acknowledged as an incredible response to the times Scotland the world experienced six years ago.&nbsp;Future Acts follows on from this project, exploring hybrid digital storytelling that focuses on script, story and performance. Starring Martin Quinn, Jay Newton (<i>Bed to the Future</i>); Maureen Carr, James Dawoud (<i>Un-Static</i>); Carmen Pierracini, Ryan J Mackay (<i>Broth</i>); Nicolette McCormack, Shirley Manson (<i>Smoke</i>); Ross Mann, Anna Russell-Martin (<i>Optimum</i>); Keith Fleming, Nadia Albina (<i>Still Alive</i>)

Filmhouse Edinburgh

A few shows drop early next week. The Steamie at the Kings (from Mon: tickets), The Void at the Traverse (Tue/Wed: tickets), and The Archers (yes, the Radio 4 folk) at the Playhouse (Mon: tickets). These and other coming shows are on Æ's listings pages, all linked here.

The Archers: Live at 75 Tickets | Edinburgh Playhouse in Edinburgh | ATG Tickets

Don your best hat, dust off your prize-winning jam recipe and join us for an unforgettable celebration of 75 glorious years of BBC Radio 4’s The Archers.

ATG Tickets

📌 Edinburgh Culture Minute Community Noticeboard

🎉 Big Victory for Local Arts in Edinburgh. Cultural wins are rare, so let’s celebrate them when they arrive - 'After intense lobbying community arts organisations based in Craigmillar and Wester Hailes have won significant new funds and will now be able to bid for funding from the Visitor Levvy pot.' - More details here, shared by Mike Small, Bella Caledonia.

A significant win for community-based arts in Edinburgh

Cultural wins are rare, so let’s celebrate them when they arrive. Community-based cultural organisations have welcomed a significant shift in Edinburgh’s cultural investment after the City of…

Bella CaledoniaLauren McKenna

🎥 Edinburgh filmmakers launches final crowdfunding push for original live cinematic concert. - 'What if a love story could be performed live? Ask Me Again is an original Edinburgh-made romance brought to life through film, violin and piano. Created by local filmmakers and musicians, it will come to Edinburgh and Glasgow this November!' - More details here, shared by Max Chan.

🎭 Scottish Opera: Opera Unplugged
Fri 02 October - 'Opera Unplugged offers a welcoming and entertaining way to discover opera from the inside. Come along and experience opera in a completely new way.'
7pm to 8.30pm | The Royal Scots Club Edinburgh · New Town | £12 - More details here, shared by a Minute reader.

🌍 We Eat the Earth book launch & open studio!
Sat 03 October - 'On Saturday 3 October, join artist Crystal Bennes for an open studio & launch event for her new artist's book, We Eat the Earth: How fertiliser sows inequality, fuels wars and destroys the planet.'
2pm to 5.30pm | Outer Spaces Studios · Tollcross | FREE - More details here, shared by Crystal Bennes.

🖼 Building Branches: Collective Witness - Art exhibition about Palestine [Until Sun]
Sat 10 October - 'Building Branches: Collective Witness brings together visual art, testimony and collective reflection in response to more than three years of widely documented violence, loss and ongoing injustice in Palestine. 9am-5pm on 10-11 October.'
9am to 5pm | Collective Space · Canonmills & Broughton | FREE - More details here, shared by Edinburgh Palestine Community Wellbeing Group.

🎤 Caitlin O'Ryan: 'At What Point' Poetry Tour
Wed 14 October - 'Join Caitlin O'Ryan (Outlander) for an evening of raw, powerful and deeply relatable poetry from her debut collection, At What Point. Known for her viral performances and BBC Woman's Hour appearance, expect love, fury, heartbreak, humour and hope.'
6.30pm to 8.15pm | Assembly Roxy · Old Town | £17.25 - More details here, shared by a Minute reader.

🎶 Songs You Know, Harmonies You'll Love [Until Sat]
Fri 23 October - 'A concert of familiar songs, brilliant harmonies and musical surprises as The Rolling Hills Chorus is joined by Vocality, Trondski Beat, Lickety Split and Forth Harmonic, bringing a fantastic range of vocal styles and performances to the stage.'
7.30pm to 9pm | Polwarth Parish Church · Bruntsfield | £12 Concession £6 - More details here, shared by Rolling Hills Chorus.

📚 Pentlands Book Festival [Until 25 Nov]
Mon 26 October - 'Free local festival with great line-up including Kate Atkinson, Jenni Fagan, Alistair Moffat and many others. https://pentlandsbookfestival.org/ Tickets available from 1 October. Donations welcomed https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/pbf2026'
6pm to 9pm | From Colinton to Balerno · Colinton | FREE - More details here, shared by Pentlands Book Festival.

Pentlands Book Festival: 26 Oct - 25 Nov 2026

Running annually since 2015

Pentlands Book Festival: 26 Oct - 25 Nov 2026

🎨 Inside & Out Art Exhibition at Colinton Arts Gallery [Until 03 Dec]
Thu 29 October - 'Two very different ways of seeing the world come together in this vibrant exhibition by local artists David Short and Susie Collingbourne. From still life to Scottish landscapes, discover colour, character and the joy of original art. Opens 29th Oct'
10am to 5pm | Colinton Arts · Colinton | FREE - More details here, shared by a Minute reader.

🎭 Jane Austen's Emma [Until Sun]
Thu 10 December - 'Jane Austen's timeless story comes to Edinburgh this Christmas! Enjoy the matchmaking mischief & tangled love stories. Expect quick wit, bold characters, a dash of chaos, and plenty of heart from Strawmoddie's new adaptation of this regency classic.'
7.30pm to 10.30pm | Pleasance Courtyard · Southside | £18, £15 concessions - More details here, shared by Strawmoddie.

🎶 Marcas Mac releases new music video for O Rionnag gu Rionnag - 'Edinburgh-based Gaelic singer-songwriter Marcas Mac an Tuairneir has launched the music video for his new single O Rionnag gu Rionnag, a Gaelic pop song exploring love, distance and connection.' - More details here, shared by a Minute reader.

🎭 Submissions Now Open For Professional Actors, Writers and Directors Seeking Representation - 'Ignis Artist Agency books are open to new members. For professionals who would like to be represented by a cooperative agency and taking greater ownership of their careers while building a collaborative community for Scotland’s creative talent. (Deadline: 07 Oct)' - More details here, shared by Annabel Logan, Ignis Artists Agency.

📖 Gateway Writing Festival 2026 Crowdfunder - 'A festival that celebrates bold new writing and supports early-career artists in developing their work for the stage, has officially launched a crowdfunding campaign on https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/invest-in-the-gateway-writing-festival-2026 (Deadline: 01 Nov)' - More details here, shared by a Minute reader.

🤝 This week’s local creative jobs and opportunities. Find your future here...

🎆 Edinburgh's Hogmanay organisers are hiring a Press Officer/Publicist. Pay: £625/week based on a 40 hour work week. Deadline: 5 October. - Apply here.

🏥 Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity is recruiting a 'creative, organised and compassionate Arts Officer to join our Children’s Wellbeing Service'. Pay: £27,750 (FTE). Deadline: 19 October. - Apply here.

📸  Stills: Centre for Photography on Cockburn Street has two Duty Manager positions: one is for Photography Production Facilities (Full time (35 hours per week), £30k) and the other is for Gallery & Operations (Part-time, 21 hours per week, £30k pro-rata). Deadline: Monday 19 October. - Apply here.

Vacancies - Stills

DUTY MANAGER: PHOTOGRAPHY PRODUCTION FACILITIESApplication deadline: Monday 19 October, 9am Type of Contract: Permanent Hours of work: Full time (35 hours per week) Rate of pay: £30,000 per annumLocation: Stills, 23 Cockburn Street, Edinburgh EH1 1BP Job purposeStills is a locally valued, internationally connected centre for excellence in photography in Edinburgh. Our vision is to be one […]

Stills

👍 STILL OPEN ↴

🎨 CLOSING TOMORROW: Applications are open for Makerteers: a six-month venture-building programme designed specifically for ambitious makers, designers, inventors and entrepreneurs. It's supported by the Scottish Government’s Ecosystem Fund, with 20 fully funded places in Edinburgh, aiming to help folks turn creative ideas into sustainable businesses. It's fully funded and free. Deadline: 1 October. - Apply here.

🟨 Roles with the Edinburgh International Festival:

• Digital Officer. Deadline: 5 October.
• Social Media and Content Manager. Deadline: 5 October.
• Website and Email Manager. Deadline: 5 October.

🖼️ Curator-Producer (Parental Leave Cover) - 'EAF is looking for a Curator-Producer (Parental Leave Cover) who will join EAF to deliver a confirmed programme of exhibitions, events, and performances for the EAF27 programme. Further information, including how to apply, available on EAF site! (Deadline: 04 Oct)' - More details here, shared by Edinburgh Art Festival.

📸 Stills: Centre for Photography on Cockburn Street is hiring a Visitor Assistant. Pay: £13.45 per hour. Part time, fixed term to March 2028. Deadline: 5 October. - Apply here.

📚 Roles with the National Library of Scotland:

• Content and Analytics Officer. Salary: £33,268. Deadline: 6 October. - Apply here.
• Content Designer (maternity cover for 9 months). Salary: £37,439. Deadline: 6 October. - Apply here.

📘 Edinburgh-based publisher Floris Books is hiring a part-time Junior Designer. It's 22.5 hours/3 days per week. Salary: full-time equivalent salary of £27,000, pro-rata at 60%. Deadline: 9 October. - Apply here.

🎭 Federation of Scottish Theatre, based at the Lyceum, is hiring a new Administration and Finance Assistant. It's part-time, 21hrs, across three days each week. Salary: £14,786 (£24,644 FTE). Deadline: 16 October. - Apply here.

🧪  Edinburgh Science, organisers of the annual Science Festival, are recruiting people to be Workshop Presenters & Performers on its Generation Science educational outreach programme. Pay: £538 – £618 per week. Apply by 11 October at this link.

💻 Commissions of £8,000–£12,000 are available to around seven people to create 'curious and unexpected work that challenges, complicates and reimagines responsible AI'. Winning works are to be presented at the Edinburgh festivals next year. The commissions are funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and delivered by BRAID UK in partnership with Inspace Design Informatics, University of Edinburgh. Deadline: 2 November. - More details here.

👀 Find more local roles on the Creative Edinburgh jobs & opps board.

💌 Thanks to everyone who contributed to the 144th 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!