Luminate Scotland: Colin Gray: a journey with his parents through life, love and death. A selection of works documenting Colin Gray’s 34 year collaborative journey with his parents. Including work from The Parents series which started in 1980, from In Sickness and In Health photographs that explore his parents’ older age and his mother’s death, and a preview of new work from Do Us Part, his ongoing series of images of his father and daughter. Part of To Absent Friends, a people’s festival of storytelling and remembrance. 10am-4pm Monday to Saturday from today until 7th November 2014, North Edinburgh Arts, 15a Pennywell Road. Luminate is Scotland’s Creative Ageing Festival.
Go home and sit still! The Scottish Women’s Hospitals in the First World War. Chris Short tells the story of the women who braved deprivation, disease and war to provide a high standard of nursing care during the Great War. Elsie Inglis offered a 100-bed hospital unit staffed by women to be deployed anywhere in the war zone. The courage and tenacity of doctors, nurses, orderlies , drivers, cooks and administrators in the Scottish Women’s Hospitals won them the respect of civilians and the military, and their work influenced legislation that is still relevant today. 6pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free but booking required via website.
Michael Bracewell on Jim Lambie: internationally acclaimed writer, novelist and cultural commentator Michael Bracewell discusses Jim Lambie’s work in relation to its broader cultural context. 6.30-7.45pm, Fruitmarket Gallery, 45 Market Street. Free.
New Realities and Challenges for Emerging Markets after (and in) crisis: the case of Russia. Alexei Kudrin is Honorary Professor in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures, University of Edinburgh, former Russian Minister of Finance, former Deputy Prime Minister, Honorary Professor at St Petersburg State University and the author of over 30 books on economics and finance. 5.30-6.30pm, Lecture Theatre 175, School of Law, University of Edinburgh Old College, South Bridge. Free tickets should be booked via eventbrite.
Lunchtime Concert: Kingston University Twist Choir. 12.15pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free.
PhD in an Hour: If I Swear My Translator Swears…one PhD student, one fascinating topic, one cafe, one hour. This month Ilgin Aktener talks about his PhD investigation of the effect of unfair censorship on literary translation in Turkey, where publishers of William S Burrough’s The Soft Machine and Chuck Palahniuk’s Snuff were taken to court on the grounds of obscenity and are now facing 3-6 years in jail. 6-7pm, Lovecrumbs, 155 West Port. Free tickets are bookable via eventbrite.
WHALE Snappers: anyone with an interest in taking photos, learning about portraits and printing in a darkroom is welcome to come along to these monthly sessions. Lead by a friendly professional photographer, all levels of experience welcome – try it out! 6-9pm, WHALE Arts, 30 Westburn Grove. £4 per session: next session 5th November.
Get Online i-Pad Course: do you have an iPad with which you need help? New four week course for beginners starts today. 12 noon-2pm, Blackhall Library, 56 Hillhouse Road. Places are limited, so drop into the library or call 0131 529 5595 to book a free place. Suitable for all versions of i-Pad.
Chatterbooks: reading group for P4-P7. Books, games, craft activities and a snack. First meeting today 3.45-4.45pm, then every first Wednesday in the month. Wester Hailes Library, 1 Westside Plaza. To book your place call 0131 529 5667 or drop into the library.
Drawing and Painting Hands: Edinburgh-based artist and tutor Damian Callan will teach this free class, which will begin with demonstrations of drawing and painting hands in charcoal and oil paint. All materials provided. 9.45am-4pm or 7-9.45pm, WASPS Studios, 2/3 West Park Place, Dalry (off Dalry Road, 5 minutes walk from Haymarket Station.) Call 07951 878560 to book a place.
Damian created a mural in Edinburgh Airport last year which we were privileged to see:-
Free The Technics Two: vinyl session – ‘not only do we demand a revolution we can dance to, we want to dance to our own tunes.’ 4-7pm, Forest Cafe, Lauriston Place.
