Edinburgh Culture Minute 🪩 8 - 14 July 2026
Summer festivals begin with Castle Concerts, Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival, a festival taster in George Square gardens + designer chosen for Muriel Spark monument
👋 Welcome to the 136th weekly Culture Minute: a round-up of Edinburgh’s local creative news, events, jobs and opportunities. The final few days of this week have a 'calm before the storm' feel about them, with the Castle Concerts series on Friday night starting an incredibly busy cultural calendar for the capital this summer. I've done my best to sum it all up in this week's bonus newsletter. But if I’ve missed anything please get in touch. Big thanks to everyone who contributes!
👀 The most-viewed links from last week’s Edinburgh Culture Minute:
- 🎬 Ewan McGregor coming to Edinburgh International Film Festival.
- 🎵 An Evening with David Byrne, tickets available for singer's book tour.
- 🎞️ Former Odeon cinema on Clerk Street added to 'at risk' register.
- 🍿 Brian Ferguson's 12 picks from the Film Festival line-up.
- 🎤 Comedian Stewart Lee is at the Playhouse on Wednesday 15 July.
🗞️ News
🎨 For the first time in 200 years, Princes Street Gardens will have its first permanent memorial to a woman. Artist Jacqueline Donachie has been selected from 54 entries to create a permanent monument to author Muriel Spark. It's due to be revealed in autumn next year. - Rose Moncur has more details in The Herald.
- The art contest was staged by the Spirit of Spark project, supported by Ian Rankin, Ali Smith, the National Galleries of Scotland and the Muriel Spark Society among others. - More details here.
🎪 Always offering an early taster of Edinburgh's summer festival atmosphere, George Square gardens will once again host the Edinburgh Folk & Food Festival later this month, from Friday 24 July to 2 August. It's being set up in the square as we speak. This year’s music line-up includes folk band Breabach, Mercury Prize nominated Seth Lakeman, trad fusion stars An Dannsa Dub and Indie trad fusion group Dlù. - Tickets are on sale now and the full programme is here.
- ⮑ This year's line-up of 28 food traders in George Square is also confirmed. - See the full line-up here.
- A three-course tasting menu by local Michelin-starred chef Tomás Gormley will be presented at a spoken-word dining experience called 'Feast of Words' from 29-31 July. - More details and tickets are here.
☕️ The next speaker in the CreativeMornings Edinburgh series has just been announced: Cleo Goodman, a co-founder of Basic Income for Artists Scotland, will be at The Melting Pot on Friday 31 July from 8.30am. - Tickets go live at this link on Friday 24 July at 11am.
📆 Festival countdown: There are 30 days to go until the festivals begin. Here are all the programmes announced so far:
🎭 Fringe: 7 - 31 August. - Programme here.
🟡 Edinburgh International Festival: 7 - 30 August. - Programme here
📚 Edinburgh International Book Festival: 15 - 30 August. - Programme here.
🎬 Edinburgh International Film Festival: 13 - 19 August. - Programme here.
🖼️ Edinburgh Art Festival: 14 - 30 August. - Programme here.
🌊 Fringe by the Sea: 31 July - 9 August. - Programme here.
👍 Free Fringe: Programme here.
🎤 Broadcaster Graham Norton will be at the Fringe hosting a one-off live radio show with celebrity guests on Sunday 9 August. He'll be in front of an audience of 65 guests at the Virgin Hotel venue on Victoria Street. - More details are on Chortle.
🎬 Joining the final Edinburgh TV Festival line-up in August: New BBC director-general Matt Brittin.
🎹 The Fringe has a new venue this year: Bruntsfield's upcycled piano amphitheatre Pianodrome. And it has its own programme, with a month full of performances from artists including Karine Polwart, Kohla, Dara Dubh and Kris Drever. - More details from Kevin Fullerton in The List + the full programme is here.
🎨 Summerhall Arts has announced this year's Festival Exhibitions programme, opening 25 July until 13 September. - Full details here.
🖼️ The Art et Facts gallery and framers on Roseburn Terrace is closing 'at the end of August or September'. - Owner George Rendall spoke to Lee Dalgetty of Edinburgh Live.
👀 If today's newsletter is too long for your inbox, read it online here.
🎟️ Big tickets this week
🏰 This summer's Castle Concerts series begins on Friday night with local hero Callum Beattie taking to the stage, supported by Reverend and The Makers. On Saturday, another local hero Shirley Manson performs with her band Garbage on Saturday. James Taylor is on Tuesday 14th, Deacon Blue are on Friday 17th, before Snow Patrol play on Saturday 18th. - More details and tickets are here.
🎹 The big gig at this year's Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival is, as always, Jools Holland and his renowned Rhythm & Blues Orchestra at the Usher Hall. The show is due to feature guest vocalists Ruby Turner, Louise Marshall and Sumudu Jayatilaka, along with rock and soul sensation, Roachford. The support act is Freddie Lennox. - It's on Wednesday 22 July and there are a few tickets left here.
- Brochures for this year's Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival began hitting shelves this week. The festival is on between 17-26 July and you can see the full programme online here.
🎤 Comedian Stewart Lee is at the Playhouse next week on Wednesday 15 July. - There are still some tickets available here.
🎸 Chart-topping rockers Yard Act will be performing live at La Belle Angele for an album launch event next week on Thursday 16 July. - More details via Assai Records.
🪩 Edinburgh's very own EHFM Culture Show is turning five. Hosts Katie & Katie are throwing a party, you're invited and it's free. They'll be recording a live show at Dragonfly on Wednesday 22 July, interviewing writer Jj Fadaka and me! So come along, say hello and let's celebrate the city's best radio show / podcast together. - Free tickets here.
🎭 What's on Edinburgh's stages this week?
⭐️ Here's Thom Dibdin of All Edinburgh Theatre:
It's all about Knights of the Round Table and dragons (of a non-Arthurian kind) this week with two takes on Round Table affairs and a children's favourite flying in, in full-on dragon action.
This week's main event for home-grown productions is down at Portobello Town Hall where local amateur outfit Happy Sad Productions are staging Spamalot (Thurs-Sat: tickets). This is a company on the up, so here's hoping they get all the bizarre comedy of the Monty Python musical down right.
Happy Sad Productions
Comic Arthurian fantasy of a different bent is at Edinburgh Castle, where al-fresco touring outfit the Three Inch Fools have their daring, dashing, questing comedy King Arthur and the Holy Fail (ends Wed: tickets). Expect clever, family friendly comedy in a rather awesome setting.
But the real dragon is at the Lyceum, where long-term Julia Donaldson adaptors Freckly Productions have their take on Zog (ends Sun: tickets). On previous form, this should a very satisfying affair, as Freckle create the keenest - and most accident prone - dragon in Madam Dragon’s school.
New local cutting-edge outfit Jaggy Bunnet are at the Bruntsfield Pianodrome over the weekend with Jamie Watson's new play A Stack of Chairs (Sat/Sun: tickets). Your guess is as good as mine, but should be an interesting evening, no matter what.
Fans of Strictly Come Dancing finalist Nikita Kuzmin have probably had their briefs for his Supernova (Fri: tickets) at the Festival Theatre since they went on sale. There are still a few good seats left, for those who haven't.
And finally the Singing Willows children's theatre folk have a new adventure, the Magical Bed, as a free work-in-progress for one matinee performance at the Storytelling Centre only (Fri: tickets), ahead of their return in the Fringe.
And that's it. Further listing details on Æ's listings pages, all linked here. Me? I'm off to finish the EdFringe Made in Edinburgh listings - email me at AllEdinburghTheatre@gmail.com if you know a company which should be on it.
📌 Edinburgh Culture Minute Community Noticeboard
🎤 New celebrity interview series filmed in Edinburgh - '‘Who Are You (Wearing?)’ is a new podcast from local journalist Alice Cruickshank and filmed at EH3 Studios featuring Scottish entertainment, arts and culture talent. The latest episode is with Still Game’s Sanjeev Kohli.' - More details here, shared by Alice Cruickshank.
🎬 Edinburgh pupils create films for festival spotlight - 'Queen Margaret University is celebrating the success of a filmmaking initiative that helped Edinburgh pupils develop storytelling, filming and editing skills - creating original short films to premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival' - More details here, shared by a Minute reader.
🎶 New DIY Music Label - 'We is an independent DIY label exploring alternative and underground music. Focused on texture and atmosphere, the label aims to document emerging work from independent artists across a wide range of sounds. We will be planning events in the future.' - More details here, shared by Algernon Drone.
🎨 Monchi_Illustration Exhibition [Until 31 Jul]
Tomorrow, Thu 09 July - 'Monchi_Illustration has a display at Leith Collective shop in Fort Kinnaird this whole July! So pop around if you enjoy art made by a local artist :)'
10am to 6pm | Edinburgh Fort Kinnaird · Newcraighall | FREE - More details here, shared by a Minute reader.
🎨 'Decompose' An exhibition of work by local artist Debi Pirie [Until 24 Jul]
Tomorrow, Thu 09 July - 'I am excited to share my collection 'Decompose' at Lounge 33, Leith Walk for a short residency. My work will be there from the 3rd-24th of July with prints and originals available to purchase. Come along to support a local business and local artist!'
10am to 9pm | Lounge 33 · Canonmills & Broughton | FREE - More details here, shared by Debi Pirie.
🎨 CUIR - an independent artist-run exhibition - FREE! [Until Mon]
Fri 10 July - 'Visit the CUIR exhibition created by the 7 members of the Aizle Artist Collective, presenting over 60 inspiring and imaginative artworks that include paintings, drawings, eco printing, mixed media, photography and artist books.'
11am to 6pm | The Dundas Street Gallery · New Town | FREE - More details here, shared by Kirstine Drysdale, Aizle Artist Collective.
🎪 Gaggle - a show for young people with complex ASN and their families/carers
Mon 13 July - 'Tenterhooks present Gaggle, a theatre performance featuring physical comedy, circus and live music, made especially for young people with complex additional support needs (ASN), and their families.'
2.30pm to 3pm | North Edinburgh Arts · Muirhouse & Drylaw | Tickets from £10 - More details here, shared by North Edinburgh Arts.
🎨 Art, music and wine. Private view of an exhibition of paintings and sculpture at Folks Cafe
Thu 16 July - 'Come one, come all for Art Music and Wine and good company in Folks Cafe on Easter Rd.'
6pm to 8pm | Folks Cafe · Abbeyhill & Meadowbank | FREE - More details here, shared by Polly Thelwall.
🎶 Unity in Diversity: South Asian Heritage Month at St Cecilia's Hall
Sat 25 July - 'This July, celebrate the rich diversity of South Asia with an afternoon of music and performance in Scotland's oldest concert hall. This event is family friendly, and a great opportunity to experience our South Asian musical instrument collection!'
12pm to 4.30pm | St Cecilia’s Hall: Concert Room & Music Museum · Old Town | FREE - More details here, shared by Tess Rodrigues, St. Cecilia's Music Museum and Concert Hall.
🎩 The History of Hats
Sat 01 August - 'Hat talk with former V&A curator Yona Lesger & exhibition ticket to Costume Couture!'
11.30am to 12.30pm | Dovecot Studios · Old Town | £15 - More details here, shared by a Minute reader.
⏰ Sensory Artists (0.6 FTE) - 'Independent Arts Projects is hiring 4 part-time Sensory Artists. Salary: £32,000 per annum (£19,200 pro rata). Deadline: 12 noon Monday 21 September. – Apply here. (Deadline: 21 Sep)' - Thanks to Independent Arts Projects for sharing this. Apply here.
🎨 Sensory Producer (0.8 FTE) - 'Independent Arts Projects is hiring a part-time Sensory Producer. Salary: £32,000 per annum (£25,600 pro rata). Deadline: 12 noon Monday 24 August. – Apply here. (Deadline: 24 Aug)' - Thanks to Independent Arts Projects for sharing this. Apply here.
🤝 Below the paywall are this week’s local creative jobs and opportunities. Find your future here...
🎨 The always uplifting Creative Edinburgh Awards needs a graphic designer to mark its 15th anniversary in style. The fee is £1,500 and it's open to freelance early to mid-career designers. Deadline: 21 July. - Apply here.