Workshops, free events

Edinburgh's festival season kicks off with the Meadows Festival, which offers the best local bands, dance groups, quirky performers and workshops amidst lots of family-friendly activities.

Make a wee silver trinket box and decorate it with embossed silver and coloured stones.

Young people (aged 16–25) can get a little taster in circus skills, urban dance, and performance with a tryout workshop with Bright Night International. From this, there is the chance to be a part of a 12-week training programme and the opportunity to perform at Edinburgh Mela.

A chance to gain professional advice and tips on improving an existing CV.

A drop-in session on the seasonal aspects of edible gardening, with activities, produce tasters and a chance to get advice from the team.

Learn basic computer skills.

• Written by: Callum Mitchell

Drop-in creative activities.

Learn the basics of computer usage, from using a mouse to creating a Word document.

Crisis Skylight Edinburgh, who do outreach for homeless and vulnerably housed people, presents this indoor learning market in honour of Adults Learners' Week. There'll be hands-on learning activities, t-shirt printing and card making, along with a number of stalls with more information about Crisis' courses.

Creative writers of all stripes – poets, short story scribes, script writers, flash fiction junkies – are invited to discuss all things writing, from procuring an agent to overcoming writer's block.

A unique education festival developed and promoted by the sector agency College Development Network, aimed at challenging, provoking and generating ideas about how education could be. Launched this year by Mel Young, President of The Homeless World Cup, there will be virtual games, philosophy cafés, a night of dangerous…

Series of workshops for writing in Gaelic or Scots and English, with facilitator Catriona Lexy-Campbell. Ages 16+.

Trade standard specialist paperweight dealers selling paperweights, making demonstrations and talks. Plus special exhibition and identification service by the paperweight collectors circle.

Come along with your family and have a go at arts, crafts and painting.

Story time followed by magic hat making.

Latino dance and fitness session.

Provider of outstanding practical theatre workshops in South East and London since 2006. 'Devising Theatre' - a short course for young performers. Three days of playing, exploring and making, culminating in a showcase performance at 8.30pm on 30 May. Mask Workshop - 31 May, 3.15-5.30pm. Masterclass suitable for beginners…

The pressure is off at these informal drawing sessions. A myriad of techniques and materials are covered, with a chance to experiment. All skill levels welcome.

Craft activities inspired by Plymouth's maritime heritage.

Non-aggressive and non-competitive, for balance, co-ordination and confidence.