Evening Events
Live Music
Recently described as 'one of the capital's best-kept secrets' by The Scotsman, our fortnightly, free music concerts feature some of Scotland's finest emerging and established musicians. Working in partnership with Live Music Now Scotland, musicians respond to the national art collection and our programme of temporary exhibitions.
We also play host to international performers and we recently hosted a series of three concerts in association with the Danish Cultural Institute. Leading Danish musicians responded to our Van Gogh to Kandinsky: Symbolist Landscape in Europe 1880-1910 exhibition.
Our programme of Experimental Music working with Edinburgh Napier University continues. Recent performances have included a reponse to Sol LeWitt's Wall Drawing #1136 currently on show at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art One and Places & Spaces, with Haftor Medboe and Anneke Kampmann, which took place in the Van Gogh to Kandinsky: Symbolist Landscape in Europe 1880-1910 exhibition.
Pick up a copy of our three-monthly music leaflet or What's On guide for details.
Special Events
Throughout the year, we also host a programme of poetry, literary and special events, often responding to particular exhibitions.
Recent events included The Portrait Gallery Salon: Dressed to Thrill on Friday 7 December 2012 at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. The magnificence of the gallery’s architecture served as a spectacular backdrop for our evening of performances, demonstrations, talks and music, relating to 16th- and 17th-century costume and fashion. The showpiece of the evening was Dressing to be Painted: A Catwalk of Sixteenth- and Seventeenth-Century Characters in which renowned costume designer and historian, Jenny Tiramani, will introduce the many layers of clothing worn by live models in fabulous period dress.
In January 2013, we had a special evening of song, poetry and talks to celebrate the work of John Bellany in our event, John Bellany: Song and the Sea. Scottish traditional trio, Wildings, from Live Music Now, performed songs of the sea as well as The Bellany Suite - a new piece composed by the trio and commissioned by the National Galleries of Scotland, in response to the exhibition.
Monthly at the Portrait Gallery, we have 'Insight' sessions where you can join curators for special tours of our exhibitions.
Pick up a copy of our three-monthly music leaflet or What's On guide for details.
Spin
Are you interested in contemporary art? If so join Spin, an informal discussion group that meets at 6pm on the last Thursday of the month in galleries and more unusual exhibition spaces across Edinburgh to enjoy informal discussions with artists, critics, curators and collectors.
Spin was established in 2003 by the Education Department at the National Galleries of Scotland. We also organise Spin-off trips in and around Edinburgh, Glasgow and abroad, including visits to artists' studios and international art biennials.
For further information, go to www.spinscotland.co.uk or pick up the Spin leaflet or email spin@nationalgalleries.org.
