Talks & lectures
- Filter by:
- Talks & lectures
- Current affairs
- History
- Literature
- Politics
- Science
- Visual art
- Hitlisted
- Festival
- Free events
372 events
Sorted by popularity / date & time
Edinburgh: Festival City
Composer Tod Machover, conductor Peter Oundjian and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra take us through the creation of a new piece of music celebrating the City of Edinburgh and its Festival and co-created by members of the public.
Usher Hall, Edinburgh
Tue 27 Aug
£6 / 0131 473 2000
Edinburgh Lectures: Dalziel + Scullion – Ecology of Place
Matthew Dalziel and Louise Scullion, proprietors of the Dundee-based art studio Dalziel + Scullion, talk about creativity's role in challenging, reflecting and shaping the future. They focus on the interplay between human activity and nature's complexities and the possibility for a more meaningful kinship with the…
Our Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh
Mon 27 May
£5 / 0131 550 7800
Edinburgh Lectures: Scotland's Forgotten Cats: A Tale of Two Kitties
Dr David Hetherington looks at the two feline species native to Scotland: the Scottish wildcat and the Eurasian lynx. The lynx is extinct, but the wildcat hangs on – although only with help from conservationists like Hetherington, who set up the Cairngorms Wildcat Project.
National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh
Thu 6 Jun
£5 / 0300 123 6789
Edinburgh Skeptics in the Pub
Regular meet-ups of Edinburgh's most enquiring minds, breaking down doctrine with pints and chat.
The Banshee Labyrinth, Edinburgh
Thu 20 Jun
Thu 18 Jul
Free / 07896 745991
Tonight: Dealing Reasonably with Irrational Fear.
- 19:30 – 22:00
Edinburgh Tarot Group
Join up with other folks interested in the mystical art of tarot at this monthly group, and share tips and tricks while you practice doing readings for other members.
The Jekyll & Hyde, Edinburgh
Mon 27 May
£4 / 0131 225 2022
- 14:00 – 17:00
Mon 24 Jun
£4 / 0131 225 2022
- 14:00 – 17:00
Mon 29 Jul
£4 / 0131 225 2022
- 14:00 – 17:00
The Edinburgh University Festival Lecture: Art, Mind and Machine
Nigel Osborne, composer and former Reid Professor of Music, explores the complexities of music, mind and the application of technology in a therapeutic setting. Chaired by Raymond MacDonald, Professor of Music Psychology and Improvisation, and introduced by Dorothy Miell, Vice Principal and Head of Humanities and Social…
The Hub, Edinburgh
Fri 30 Aug
Elizabeth Gilbert
The bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love discusses her first novel for 12 years. The Signature of All Things is a big novel about a big century, soaring across the globe from London, to Peru, to Philadelphia, to Tahiti, to Amsterdam. At its centre is Alma Whittaker, a woman of the Enlightened Age who stands defiantly…
Queen Elizabeth Hall, London SE1
Fri 25 Oct
£10–£12 Booking: £1.75 (Members £0.00) (£50) / 0844 875 0073
- 19:30
Embrace The Space: Social Networking For Business Masterclass
A one-day session for small and medium businesses to learn how to use social media to their best advantage.
Hillington Park Innovation Centre, Glasgow
Fri 24 May
£150 with early bird discount / 0141 585 6390
- 09:30 – 17:00
Esther Woolfson and Conor Mark Jamieson
Esther Woolfson's book Corvus established her as one of our leading nature writers, and she currently observes the wildlife of Aberdeen, where she lives. RSPB naturalist Conor Mark Jamieson's Silent Spring Revisited updated Rachel Carson's environmental classic for the 21st century.
Cambo Estate, St Andrews
Sat 6 Jul
An Evening with Joanna Lumley
The Ab Fab comedy queen talks about her new memoirs.
Harmony Garden, Melrose
Sat 15 Jun
An Evening with Rosie Kane
An evening with former Scottish Socialist Party MSP Rosie Kane, as she tells the story of her life with wit and wisdom.
Behind The Wall, Falkirk
Sun 28 Jul
£6 (£5) / 01324 633338
Part of Funny in Falkirk.
- 18:00
Everest: Taming the Mountain
Dr Michael Ward's maps of Everest speak to the modern history of exploration of the mighty tall mountain. Curator Paula Williams takes a look at them on the 60th anniversary of the Everest conquest of Hillary and Norgay.
Melrose Abbey
Sat 15 Jun
£10 / 0844 357 1060
Part of Borders Book Festival.
National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh
Wed 29 May
Free / 0131 623 3918
- 18:00
Explore MacMillan Veni, Veni, Emmanuel
Paul Rissmann leads a study day exploring James MacMillan's Veni, Veni, Emmanuel, the most performed percussion concerto in the world.
City Halls, Glasgow
Sat 12 Apr
Studio Two
£25 (includes refreshments and lunch) / 0131 478 8342
- 10:30 – 16:30
Explore Schumann Symphonies
Dr Laura Tunbridge of the University of Manchester leads a study day investigating Schumann's four symphonies and their relation to his biography.
Stewart's Melville College, Edinburgh
Sat 23 Nov
Wallace Dunlop Hall
£25 (includes refreshments and lunch) / 0131 478 8353
- 10:30 – 16:30
Falls of Clyde Feather Fest
A celebration of everything birdy – optic sales, peregrine viewing, talks, workshops, kids activities, falconry, a dusk chorus and much more.
Falls Of Clyde Nature Reserve, New Lanark
Sat 25 May
Prices vary / 01555 665262
- 11:00 – 17:00
Fanti Acrobats International
Award-winning traditional African acrobats from Ghana, West Africa. A breathtaking performance, not to be missed. A family friendly event (i.e. suitable for all ages).
Thistle Hotel, Brighton
Wed 22 May
Thu 23 May
Fri 24 May
Festival of Research
details to follow. Suitable for ages 16+.
Sallis Benney Theatre, University Of Brighton
Wed 22 May
Festival of Spirituality and Peace
This diverse and peace-promoting festival joins Edinburgh's cultural line-up in August with a generous programme of over 400 activities ranging from top-quality speakers and conversations to performances, film, food, exhibitions, family activities, workshops and art.
St John's Episcopal Church, Edinburgh
Fri 2 Aug
Times & prices vary (free–£15) / 0131 228 4249
Sat 3 Aug
Times & prices vary (free–£15) / 0131 228 4249
Sun 4 Aug
Times & prices vary (free–£15) / 0131 228 4249
The First Ladies of Football
A talk that illuminates women's often overlooked contribution to the beautiful sport, with Richard McBrearty, Curator of Scottish Football Museum.
Mitchell Library, Glasgow
Wed 19 Jun
Free / 0141 287 2999
- 17:00 – 18:30
Flab to FAB – The Workshop
Book launch and workshop for overweight people wanting to turn their lives around.
More Restaurant, Leicester
Fri 21 Jun
Free (Gold ticket £35; VIP ticket £80) / 07535 438866
Books are available for sale on the night. Dinner for Gold and VIP Ticket holders begins from 8pm onwards.
- 18:00 – 22:00
Forward Prizes for Poetry
For the first time, see the Forward Prizes awarded to poets live on stage. The annual Forward Prizes are regarded by poets internationally as the highest of accolades. Past winners include Thom Gunn, Seamus Heaney, Ted Hughes and Carol Ann Duffy. As a prelude to National Poetry Day and for the first time in the…
Queen Elizabeth Hall, London SE1
Tue 1 Oct
£12 Booking: £1.75 (Members £0.00) (£50) / 0844 875 0073
- 19:30
Fox Running
All audience members share in the reading aloud of Ken Smith's Fox Running. This is the second of three intimate shared readings which celebrate the range of poetry in the Poetry Library's collection as part of the library's 60th-birthday celebrations. Saison Poetry Library at Royal Festival Hall
Saison Poetry Library, London SE1
Wed 23 Oct
£5 Booking: £1.75 (Members £0.00) (£50) / 0844 875 0073
- 20:00
Franz West Exhibition Talk by Dominic Paterson
Dr Dominic Paterson, Lecturer in Art History at the University of Glasgow, will give a talk on the exhibition Mostly West: Franz West and Artist Collaborations. Free admission, booking essential: ihevents@rbge.ac.uk or 0131 248 2971.
Inverleith House, Edinburgh
Sat 17 Aug
Free / 0131 248 2971
Part of Edinburgh Art Festival.
- 14:00 – 15:00
Franz West Exhibition Talk by Lisa Le Feuvre
Lisa Le Feuvre – curator, writer and Head of Sculpture Studies at The Henry Moore Institute, Leeds – will give a talk on the exhibition Mostly West: Franz West and Artist Collaborations. Free admission, booking essential: ihevents@rbge.ac.uk or 0131 248 2971.
Inverleith House, Edinburgh
Thu 1 Aug
Free / 0131 248 2971
Part of Edinburgh Art Festival.
- 14:00 – 15:00
Fraser Ross – Artist's Talk
Fraser Ross talks about the inspiration behind the work in his current exhibition, Senses.
The Park Gallery, Falkirk
Sat 8 Jun
Free / 01324 506850
- 11:00 – 12:00

