Days out, Previews

Programme highlights at the Edinburgh International Science Festival 2013

The 2013 fest isn't just for kids, although slime creation and balloon modelling do feature

Not to be outdone by its ever-expanding August cousin, the Fringe, the Edinburgh International Science Festival is growing bigger each year. Nowhere is this more apparent than at the City Art Centre, where 100 drop-in workshops will be taking place each…

The grossest events at the Edinburgh International Science Festival 2013

Delight your kids with the smelliest, gooiest, messiest events from this year's programme

Getting kids interested in educational activities is not the easiest task in the world, but we’ve found it helps if you make things sound as gross as possible. The boffins at the Science Festival know this too, and have created five events designed to…

Comedian Susan Morrison gives a preview of Previously... Scotland’s History Festival

History is about people like you and me. Stumbling through life, trying not to muck up too much, and usually failing. And today, we all live with the effects of the choices people have made in the past. It’s gossip that’s fermented a little…

Glasgow packs a punch with two piping hot cultural events

Piping Live! and World Pipe Band Championships coming in August 2012

Live Piping! Glasgow once again welcomes new and established artists from over ten countries to perform at 150 events across the city, including the John McSherry Band, Breabach and Rura. Look forward to master classes, ceilidhs, concerts…

A royal Tattoo will mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in August 2012

The programme includes music, Dennis the Menace, and Brave-inspired medley

Musicians from Switzerland, Norway and Australia, as well as some unexpected guests, will be among the sparkling line-up at this summer’s 62nd Tattoo, which will welcome a fusion of well-loved traditional elements and exciting new contributions. As…

Piping Live! 2012 warms up with tour around Scotland

Pit stops for the pipers include Eilean Donan and Culzean Castle

To celebrate The Year of Creative Scotland 2012, Piping Live! Festival On Tour will bring piping to new audiences and locations across Scotland. The tour, which runs from 31 Jul to 4 Aug, will offer the opportunity to enjoy the best of Scotland’s…

Refugee Week 2012 highlights

Programme of awareness-raising events features King Creosote and Glasgow Girls: The Musical

Scotland’s favourite Fence Records chap and former Mercury Award nominee King Creosote will kick off seven days of events to promote understanding of the experiences of refugees living in Scotland. The gig, which takes place at the Old Fruitmarket on…

Giants in the Forest: The natural art project putting sculpture into Scotland's woods

Massive project undertaken as part of the Year of Creative Scotland

In a country where much of our creativity is inspired by the incredible natural environment around us, what better year to launch our unique project, Giants in the Forest? Looking down on us from tree tops will be massive wicker heads, seeded and…

Preview of 2012 - Fascinating Mummies

Exhibition of Egyptian death rituals and paraphenalia

If, by any chance, you happened to be in Edinburgh in 1988, and at school, there was a very good chance you went on a trip to see the Gold of the Pharaohs exhibition at the City Art Centre. It was a big deal, up there with the Glasgow Garden Festival in…

Burns Night 2012: Glasgow and Edinburgh highlights

Edinburgh gets its bard celebrations off to an impressive (and prompt) start with Burnsfest at the Scottish Storytelling Centre in association with Scotland’s Winter Festivals (17–28 Jan, times vary). From a ceilidh in the café to performances of the…

Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle: Alternative Christmas dining options

Two iconic venues now taking bookings for your Christmas meal

Stuck for somewhere decent to have your Christmas lunch? Need a venue that’ll please a range of tastes but won’t be another run-of-the-mill pub grub standby in the city centre? Have you considered going for something a bit more... iconic?

Africa in Motion Children's Day

Programme of kids' activities at the film festival aim to strengthen Scottish-African links

With many Scottish schools forging links with Africa, more and more children are learning to appreciate the highs and lows of life on another continent. To that same end, this year’s Africa in Motion (AiM) film festival is offering families a…

Bonfire Night: Fireworks displays in Edinburgh and Glasgow 2011

A roundup of the best Guy Fawkes events in the central belt

Tired of having disappointing bonfire nights because you didn’t know what field in your area would be hosting the ultimate firecracker show? Well, fret no more, List reader – we have done some recon in your local area to find out where best to light…

Lennoxlove Book Festival

Michael Morpurgo, Alistair Darling, James Naughtie and Julia Donaldson among highlights

Set in the East Lothian woodlands is a five-star luxury accommodation dubbed by Historic Scotland as one of the country’s ‘most ancient and notable houses’. While renowned for its golfing breaks and wedding parties, Lennoxlove (full name: ‘Lennox’s Love…

Family Fun Music Day

Programme of music events aimed at opening up the Glasgow Concert Halls to younger music-lovers

Mission Impossible-style light beams that play musical notes as you cross them, a giant labyrinth of music and light, and a dark room filled with scary sounds – hardly business as usual at Glasgow’s City Halls. Organised by Svend Brown, director of…

Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival

Annual arts festival returns for biggest year yet

Unless you’ve been gently nestled under some rock for the past several years, you will probably be aware of the annual autumnal arts treat that is the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival (SMHAFF). This year’s brochure boasts almost 300 events…

Preview: the National Museum of Scotland

A peek inside the museum, plus reminiscences from notable Edinburghers and a guide to coming events

The National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street is due to reopen this month after a three-year, £46.4 million redevelopment. David Pollock takes an exclusive peak behind closed doors to find out about the new exhibits

Mirazozo coloured inflatable structure a 2011 Edinburgh Fringe highlight

Architects of Air bring their latest inflatable structure to Edinburgh

Picture the scene – you walk inside a Fringe venue, and find no actors, no musicians, no dancers, in fact no performers at all. You'd be forgiven for wanting your money back. Unless, that is, your ticket is for an Architects of Air creation – because…

Refugee Week Scotland

The week-long events programme sets its stall, 60 years after the UN Refugee Convention was signed

We’re huge supporters of Refugee Week – so it’s with a happy heart that we can report it’s back bigger and better than ever before. As well as all the special events, activities and talks, this year’s programme boasts Courage: 60 Years of the UN Refugee…

Glasgow Science Festival programme appeals to both children and adults

Opportunities to do some gardening, bread-making and seabird tracking

For some parents, it’s always been fascinating, for others it was the worst block at school. But one thing’s for sure, these days the world of science offers more fun and creativity than you can shake a pipette at. With four action-packed family days on…

Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2011 - sneak preview

Liberace, Finnish a capella groups and iPad fairy tales just some of the coming attractions

Whether it’s origami genitalia, homosexual deities or political commentary on the Lockerbie bombing, Edinburgh’s Fringe seldom arrives with a whimper but rather a ruddy great roar. June sees the official launch of 2011’s line-up, but we thought we…

Glasgow's new Riverside Museum presents an evolving story of travel and transport – and of the people who use it

‘One of the first things I thought when I visited the old Museum of Transport,’ says Lawrence Fitzgerald, the man in charge of the project to deliver Glasgow’s first major new museum in almost 30 years, ‘was, "Why isn’t it on the Clyde?"’ It’s a fair…

Scotland's biggest ever Refugee Week celebrates the 60th anniversary of the signing of the UN Refugee Convention

This year, Scotland’s ever-expanding programme of films, performances, music events, exhibitions and club nights celebrating the contribution that refugees have made to our society is marking a very important anniversary: it’s 60 years since the UN…

Festival of Museums set for nationwide celebration of Scotland’s culture in May 2011

Music, storytelling and period fashion among highlights of new festival

From the Groam House Museum in Ross-shire and Portsoy Bothy in Banffshire, to the Annan Museum in Dumfries and Galloway, the Festival of Museums features an eclectic and colourful range of concerts, talks, workshops, performances and exhibitions taking…

Jupiter Artland opens its season with a new Charles Jencks exhibition

The ourdoor 'art park' also features work by Anthony Gormley

You know that spring has sprung when Jupiter Artland opens its doors with a new season – and this year’s artistic bloom looks to be just as exciting as their last. Launching with special exhibition Metaphysical Landscape by landform artist, philosopher…