Lockdown reflections by comedian and poet Tim Key feature in our online entertainment guide over the next seven days.
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Macmillan Cancer Support Online Art Auction
Online art auction featuring works by local professional and amateur Scottish artists, covering a wide range of subjects. Funds raised will be donated to Macmillan Cancer Support.
Daily, until Sun December 13. 9am, free.
Super Market Virtual Christmas
Virtual Christmas market with over 150 Scottish brands to browse, as well as a programme of creative workshops for kids and adults.
Daily, until Sun December 13. Times and prices vary.
Blas Festival
The annual celebration of traditional music and Gaelic culture in the Scottish Highlands heads online this year, with a digital programme that mixes live streams and pre-recorded concerts, workshops, ceilidhs and more from various Highlands venues. Opening the festival on Friday November 20 is a new piece arranged by multi-instrumentalist Mike Vass, featuring young people from Fèisean across Scotland.
Daily, until Mon November 30. Times and prices vary.
Africa in Motion Film Festival
Scotland’s annual celebration of African cinema heads online with screenings of animated films, features, shorts and documentaries. The 2020 festival features five key strands: Diaspora, Industry, Mamas, Queer Africa and Women in Focus.
Daily, until Sun November 29. Times and prices vary.
Impromptu Shakespeare
An online performance of the Fringe favourite, wherein an ensemble of theatrical improvisers devise a Shakespeare play from scratch, inspired by audience suggestions.
Fri November 20, 8pm, £15 (supporters £13).
Blas Festival
The annual celebration of traditional music and Gaelic culture in the Scottish Highlands heads online this year, with a digital programme that mixes live streams and pre-recorded concerts, workshops, ceilidhs and more from various Highlands venues. Opening the festival on Friday is a new piece arranged by multi-instrumentalist Mike Vass, featuring young people from Fèisean across Scotland.
Fri November 20-Thu November 26, until Mon November 30. Times and prices vary.
Santa Claus is Coming To… Zoom
A chance for kids to interact with Santa Claus over Zoom in support of Epilepsy Scotland. Each interactive session will last for 15 minutes.
Sat November 21, 11am, £8.
Comedy at the COVID Arms
Live online comedy show in aid of the Trussell Trust, featuring Kiri Pritchard-Mclean, James Acaster, Sophie Duker, Ivo Graham, Kate McCabe and Sheyi Martins-Allen.
Sat November 21, 7pm, prices vary.
Climate Crisis Film Festival
The sophomore Climate Crisis Film Festival returns as an online affair, featuring a range of films exploring all the different dimensions of climate change and the existential threat it poses to our world and society. There will also be a programme of workshops and resource toolkits available to help audiences take meaningful, ambitious action.
Sat November 21 and Sun November 22, times and prices vary.
Rethinking Museums and the Stories They Tell
The University of Glasgow shares videos, images and more on its social media channels throughout the Being Human Human Festival to propose new ways of seeing and understanding museum objects.
Sat November 21 and Sun November 22, times vary, free.
In Touch: Workshop
Interactive workshop providing insight into the experiences of the deafblind community. Co-developed and presented alongside the In Touch exhibition with the charity Deafblind Scotland.
Sun November 22, 2pm, free.
The Puffin Keeper by Michael Morpurgo and Benji Davies
Beloved children’s writer Michael Morpurgo presents his latest book, The Puffin Keeper, alongside illustrator Benji Davies. The book centres around the friendship between a puffin and a lonely artist, and the event will feature storytelling and a live drawing session.
Sun November 22, 2.30pm, £7.
Death in the Arctic: Harry Goodsir and the Arctic Expedition
Surgeons’ Hall Museum hosts this online lecture about Harry Goodsir, who served as the ship’s surgeon and naturalist aboard the Franklin Expedition, which attempted to find the Northwest Passage through the Arctic, only to end in tragedy. The talk will be led by Professor Ken Donaldson.
Mon November 23, 7pm, £2.
Japanese Shodo Calligraphy: Zen Brush
Practice Shodo calligraphy and learn about using traditional Japanese calligraphy materials at this online workshop, led by Blair Thomson, a member of the Glasgow Zen Group. Suitable for all skill levels.
Mon November 23, 7pm, £17.
2020 Booker Prize Winner in Conversation
Hosted by the Southbank Centre, the winner of the 2020 Booker Prize — one of the most prestigious literary awards in the English language — will be interviewed by Bernardine Evaristo, last year’s joint winner, in this virtual event.
Mon November 23, 7.30pm, £5.
Fontaines DC
The Dublin rock band performs live from the O2 Academy Brixton in this interactive, one-off MelodyVR event. The five-piece will be performing songs off their latest album, A Hero’s Death.
Mon November 23, 8.30pm, £10.
Hidden Door Live
Edinburgh multi-arts festival Hidden Door hosts a second series of online shows highlighting the best of Scotland’s emerging creative talent. Tuesday’s show will feature a live performance of dance work Ready for Memory by dancers Tess Letham and Nerea Gurrutxaga over social media.
Tue November 24, 7pm, free.
Tim Key Presents: A Deeply Reflective Piece About Lockdown and the Nature of Solitude
The comedian and poet – who has appeared on the likes of Alan Partridge, Peep Show and Taskmaster – performs a live streamed show wherein he reflects upon the strange times we live in.
Tue November 24, 10pm, £8.
The Future of Workspace: Focus Groups
Online focus group for people to discuss how coworking communities can help support Scotland’s recovery out of COVID-19.
Wed November 25, 4pm, free.
De-Stress Drawing Group
Friendly online drawing group with the aim of managing stress and finding calm, hosted by the Drawing and Painting Studio.
Wed November 25, 7pm, £15.
Halting Plant Extinction
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and the Royal Society of Edinburgh host this online panel discussion about the future of plant conservation and what we all must do to help stop biodiversity loss.
Thu November 26, 2pm, free.
Making is Thinking, with Richard Sennett
Writer and social theorist Richard Sennett delivers this online talk, in which he discusses how the values of tradespeople and the satisfaction of physical making should be embedded into modern society, and how this could transform the way we engage with the world around us.
Thu November 26, 6.30pm, £10 (£8).
SEALL Festival of Small Halls
Three-day online event live-streaming some of Scotland’s best traditional musicians from three stunning locations on Isle of Skye. The musicians will perform live from Braes Hall, Dunvegan Castle and Sligachan Hotel and the concerts will be presented by Skye’s Gaelic singer Eilidh Cormack. Thursday’s performance features the likes of Rachel Newton and Ewan Robertson, while Friday’s performance features Inge Thomson, Su-a Lee, Hamish Napier and more.
Thu November 26, until Sat November 28. Times and prices vary.
