Arcadia Scotland

Art and Culture

Filmosophy: 11 March-10 June, Varying Times, Edinburgh Filmhouse

Filmosophy is where film meets philosophy. Some films, like philosophy itself, can challenge our preconceived views of ourselves and the world around us. They may provide more questions than answers; yet, in doing so, they will expand our ideas and allow us to view familiar things in an unfamiliar way. They are films that demand to be discussed.
Following on from the success of the inaugural Filmosophy season last year, our second season features four more original and thought-provoking works. Join us as we explore philosophical issues such as: reality and self-deception (Alps), political resistance (The East), memory and identity (Moon), and authenticity (The Consequences of Love). Each screening will be preceded by a short introduction and followed by an opportunity to discuss the philosophical issues raised in an informal and accessible manner.
The screenings will be introduced and discussion sessions hosted by James Mooney (Open Studies lecturer and course organizer at The University of Edinburgh).
Post-screening discussions will be held in the Guild Rooms. Please pick up your ticket for the discussion at the time of booking or on the evening.

A Wide New Kingdom: The Celtic Revival in Scotland: 15 March, 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.

Field of Light: Throughout the Beginning of March, St Andrew Square

Installation artist Bruce Munro sets up 9500 glass spheres and then turns on the lights to make us all ohh and ahh.

Mammoths of the Ice Age: Throughout the Beginning of March, National Museum of Scotland

Walk in the footsteps of the woolly mammoths! Journey back in time millions of years and discover the animals of the Ice Age at the first UK showing of this interactive, family-friendly exhibition. Joust with mammoth tusks, find out what mammoth fur felt like and touch the replica teeth of a colossal mastodon.

Colin Jarvie: In Praise of Shadows: Throughout the Beginning of March, Summerhall

Images by the late and hugely respected photographer and teacher, including his celebrated series (The Bus Drivers of Acapulco).

Tickling Jock: Comedy Greats from Sir Harry Lauder to Billy Connolly: Throughout the Beginning of March, Scottish National Portrait Gallery

A major exhibition of portraits of Scotland’s funny men and women. The subjects are a long and illustrious list, with music hall stars and TV comedy heroes from Sir Stanley Baxter, Rikki Fulton and Una Mclean to Ivor Cutler, Ronnie Corbett and the Big Yin himself. There are ‘On Air’ booths for you to listen to clips of them at work, and you can even record your own comedy performance, if you’re not scared of potentially soul-crushing embarrassment.

Citizens of the World: David Hume & Allan Ramsay: Throughout the Beginning of March, Scottish National Portrait Gallery

Too few Scots are aware that Scotland has its own Enlightenment, and a hugely influential one at that, with a world-class philosopher in David Hume, an equally heavy-hitting economist in Adam Smith, an outstanding painter in Allan Ramsay, plus less well-known intellectual giants like Hutcheson, Ferguson, Reid and others.

High Spirits: The Comic Art of Thomas Rowland: Throughout the Beginning of March, The Queen’s Gallery

Thomas Rowlandson was one of the leading caricaturists of the Georgian period, and if his work is more mellow and less pointed than that of his ferocious contemporary James Gillray, it’s still no less capable of pointing up folly, gluttony and excess. Rowlandson was also a skilled artist in a realistic vein, and this exhibition uses his work to look at life in early 19th century England.

Louise Bourgeois: A Woman Without Secrets: Throughout the Beginning of March, 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 Fruitmarket 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 March, 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.

Reformation to Revolution:  Throughout the Beginning of March, Scottish National Portrait Gallery

A major exhibition covering the transformation of Scotland from an independent nation ruled by Catholic monarchs in the beginning of the 16th century, to a part of the Union with Protestant England at the end of the 17th. Among the portraits included are Adrian Vanson’s brilliant depiction of the then James VI of Scotland as a hood-eyed melancholic and Marcus Gheeraerts’ touching portrait of James’ fool, Tom Derry.

Tania Kovats: Oceans: 15-16 March, Fruitmarket Gallery

A major exhibition in preparation since 2012, featuring previous work by Kovats as well as a major new work, All the Seas, which consists of bottled samples of water from all the seas of the world, collected by volunteers across the planet and sent to the gallery – check her website to see if there’s a sea near you which is as yet unrepresented. The exhibition is presented in conjunction with a publication, Drawing Water: Drawing as a Mechanism for Exploration.

Music, Comedy and Dance

Gilded Comedy Gala: 7 March, Usher Hall, 7pm

Celebrate 100 years of the Usher Hall with a smashing line-up of comedians, including comedy vet Arthur Smith, Never Mind the Buzzcocks‘ Phill Jupitus, Smack the Pony‘s Doon MacKichan, Greg McHugh as Gary: Tank Commander and Barry Cryer & Ronnie Golden. As well as all the laughs, there’s also music from Withered Hand and some special surprise guests.

Emily Smith: 8 March, The Queen’s  Hall, 7pm

The top folk singer and a former winner of the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year award bridges the gap between old and new in Scottish folk music.

Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships: 9 March, Broughton High School

Student pipe bands compete.

Alan Reid & Rob Van Sante: 12 March, Edinburgh Folk Club, 7.30pm

Alan of the Battlefield Band and guitarist Rob with music from old and new traditions.

James Yorkston, the Pictish Trail and Seamus Fogarty: 12 March, The Pleasance, 8pm

Spectral sounds from the East Neuk of Fife’s alternative folk troubadour, with support from the Lost Map’s folky, beardy roster.

Spring Fling Ceilidh: 13 March, Lauriston Hall, 7pm

Fundraising ceilidh suitable for all levels, held on behalf of local charity Music in Hospitals. Booking is essential.

Lectures, Sports and Local Festivals

Life Cycle: A Bike Ride Round Scotland and Back to Childhood: 10 March, National Library of Scotland, 6pm

Gary Sutherland talks about the bicycle trip that he and his brother, Stewart, took from the Highlands to Glasgow, covering 1000 miles and years of personal history.

Edinburgh’s Festival of Ireland: 13-16 March, Various Venues and Times

A little bit of Ireland descends upon Edinburgh in the run-up to St Patrick’s Day. Edinburgh’s Festival of Ireland is a multi-arts, family-friendly celebration of the Emerald Isle, with storytelling, music, dance, talks, comedy and food & drink events.

Ruth Ewan: Observers’ Walks: Throughout the Beginning of March, Calton Hill, 11pm

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.