Arcadia Scotland

Art and Culture

Wha's Like Us?:  A Nation of Dreams and Ideas: Throughout the Beginning of April, National Library of Scotland

Exhibition looking at the outstanding achievements by Scots throughout history.

David Rushton: Art as Deceit: Throughout the beginning of April, Talbot Rice Gallery

David Rushton was a member of Art & Language between 1972 and 1975, and produces scale models of art and social incidents – including a scale model of a cultural center in the Ukrainian city of Pripyat, which was abandoned a few days after the disaster at nearby Chernobyl nuclear power station.

A Wide New Kingdom: The Celtic Revival in Scotland: Throughout the beginning of April, Talbot Rice Gallery

An overview of the impact of the Celtic Revival on Scotland, with paintings, illustrations, books, photographs, manuscripts and other ephemera showing how Scottish artists, writers and musicians arrived at a new appreciation of the nation's Celtic heritage.

Louise Bourgeois: A Woman Without Secrets: Throughout the beginning of April, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art One

Louise Bourgeois (1911–2010) was one of the great artists of the 20th century, who drew on her own private demons and made them into works of art. This major exhibition focuses on her sculptural work, including pieces such as Spiral Woman, Avenza and Cell (Eyes and Mirrors). It complements the Fruit market Gallery's exhibition of Bourgeois' drawings, which is running at the same time.

Playing for Scotland: The Making of Modern Sport: Throughout the beginning of April, Scottish National Portrait Gallery

A major exhibition examining the way sport was transformed by wider social and infrastructural changes between the 19th and 20th centuries.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition: Throughout the beginning of April, National Museum of Scotland

Outstanding exhibition of the best natural history photographs from all over the world, on loan from London's Natural History Museum.

Floribundus: Through 5 April, Leith School of Art

An exhibition of still life and landscape paintings by Sue Tait and Kate Hajducka that use traditional methods in a contemporary way. Materials include encaustic, beeswax with pigment and glue tempera with pigment.

Kathryn Elkins: Mutatis Mutandis: Throughout the beginning of April, Collective Gallery

A video and installation concerned with abstraction and misdirection, from the Glasgow-based artist.

Music, Comedy and Dance

Scottish Opera: Macbeth: 8 and 10 April, King's Theatre, 7.15pm

Verdi's Macbeth is presented in a reduced orchestration by Tony Burke. Dominic Hill's production is sets in a contemporary yet ageless world of camo-wearing soldiers and chain-smoking witches, with David Stephenson and Elisabeth Meister as the bloody-handed hubby 'n' wife team. Emmanuel Joel-Hornak conducts.

St Giles at 6: 6 April, St Giles Cathedral, 6pm

Organ recital by Stephen Hamilton, Minister of Music Emeritus at the Episcopal Church of the Holy Trinity in New York City. The programme features Dupré's Le Chemin de la Croix.

Edinburgh International Harp Festival: 4-9 April, Merchiston Castle School, Times Vary

Held on the beautiful grounds of Merchiston Castle School, EIHF annually welcomes a healthy mix of world-class harpists and up-and-coming local talents playing a range of musical styles from folk to jazz for concerts, courses, workshops, the UK's largest harpmakers' exhibition and late night music sessions.

Edwina Hayes: 9 April, Edinburgh Folk Club, 7.30pm

Acoustic folk singer-songwriter Hayes has performed alongside the likes of Nanci Griffith, Jools Holland and Van Morrison.

Lecture, Sports and Local Festivals

Ruth Ewan: Observers' Walks: Throughout the beginning of April, Calton Hill

Ruth Ewan and Astrid Johnston have created a downloadable audio guide to the history, geography and geology of Calton Hill and its environs, which you can get from the Collective Gallery website as an MP3 file and listen to as you explore the hill. Tam Dean Burn and Ruth Milne are the narrators.

Edinburgh International Science Festival: Beginning 5 April, Various venues

Hands-on science for adults, children and families in venues across the city with programme ranging from the entertaining to the controversial and, of course, the icky. City Art Center is transformed into a hub for science fun (and learning) where kids can unwrap a mummy, inspect the inside of an eyeball or programme their very own robot.