Cameo Big Scream: screenings for parents and carers with babies under one year old (only customers with babies will be admitted). Today’s film is Dark Horse (PG): ‘an inspirational British underdog tale celebrating a working-class Welsh community and the horse they bred for glory’. 10.30am, Cameo, Home Street. Membership of the Big Scream Club costs £5 and lasts until your baby’s first birthday; it enables you to buy tickets at Picturehouse Members’ prices (babies free) – please ask at the Box Office.
Lunchtime Concert: Spina-Benignetti Piano Duo from San Quentin (France) play Mozart, Schubert and Barber. 12.15pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free.
A Floral Arrangement: a new joint exhibition by Janette Phillips and Susan Reid. 11am-5pm Tuesday to Saturday, The Laurel Gallery, 58 St Stephen Street. Ends 30th May 2015.
Mayfield Salisbury Thursday Club: Gwyneth Young and the Ceilidh Band. 2pm, Upper Hall, Mayfield Salisbury Parish Church, West Mayfield. Membership of the club costs £3 per year, but you don’t need to be a member to come along – all warmly welcomed. Tea 50p. Please contact Florence Smith on 0131 663 1234 for more information.
where language ends: Curator Tour. Join principal curator Pat Fisher for a special guided tour of Ross Birrell and David Harding’s acclaimed exhibition. The tour is a perfect opportunity to find out more about the exhibition and ask any questions you may have. 6-7pm, Talbot Rice Gallery, Old College, South Bridge. Book your free place on the tour via eventbrite here. where language ends closes on Saturday 2nd May 2015.
Campaign in Poetry: join the Emma Press for the Scottish launch of Campaign in Poetry, an anthology of political poems curated with passion and timed for the run-up to the UK General Election. Kirriemuir poet Stephanie Arsoska and Edinburgh poet Ellie Danak will be joined by special guest Alistair Findlay, and the evening will be introduced by Word Power owner Elaine Henry. 6.30pm (readings from 6.45pm), Word Power Books, West Nicolson Street. No booking required – free entry and drinks – but please RSVP to queries@theemmapress.com to give the organisers an idea of numbers for catering.
Alina Bzhezhinska: the critically-acclaimed harpist will be joined by award-winning young musicians from Edinburgh and master students from the RCS in a new musical collaboration. 6-6.30pm, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.
Blackwell’s Edinburgh Presents Stuart McHardy: Scotland’s Future History. The writer, musician, folklorist, historian, poet, past president of the Pictish Arts Society and ex-Director of the Scots Language Resource Centre offers a new approach to history, looking at Scotland as the centre of the story. ‘In whose interest is it that we accept the classical/Christian version of history relayed to us by monks? The great centres of Orkney, Lewis and Kilmartin suggest an indigenous population much more sophisticated in terms of social ritual and communal rule than we have been led to believe’. 6.30-8pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Free tickets are available from the shop’s front desk, by calling 0131 622 8218, emailing events.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk or via eventbrite here.
35th Shetland Folk Festival. This internationally renowned event starts today and is the UK’s most northerly festival; organised and run by volunteers, it prides itself on not only attracting famous names but also reaching out to even the most far flung areas of Shetland, with many community events. ‘Sleep ranks low on the Shetland priority list’ (Sue Wilson, music journalist), ‘A life-changing experience’ (Tim Hackett, Rory Ellis Duo). Under 18s must be accompanied by a responsible adult. The line-up can be seen here and tickets may be purchased online here; the festival continues until Sunday (3rd May).
