EAF: A Skinny Guide

It’s time for sensory overload for Edinburgh residents as the festivals descend on the city bringing along their screaming hordes and peerless art work. The Edinburgh Art Festival (EAF) once again presents a programme of local talent and international art stars, in venues temporary and permanent ranging across the city. The few we have chosen to highlight here represent a small selection of the many and varied events and exhibitions which will be happening this month under the EAF umbrella. From the big-shot master shows (The Discovery of Spain, National Galleries Complex) to the quirky artist led exhibits (the Embassy’s granny-themed Grandmother Waits For You, possibly featuring a photo of my very own grandmother), from live stone carving (Milestone, ECA) to modern masters (Peter Blake, Venice, Edinburgh Printmakers) the programme blends the traditional and the innovative, catering to all tastes while continuing to provide work that will challenge our preconceptions. It finishes again this year with the late night extravaganza of Art Late (27 Aug), an evening of events, music and performance in galleries across the city. Details are as yet to be confirmed, but last year’s Withered Hand gig, jogging tour of EAF highlights and incendiary set by Paul Vickers and the Leg in the pristine Ingleby Gallery remain seared into the memory of many a gallery-goer, suggesting this year’s event will be well worth checking out. Go to www.edinburghartfestival.com to keep abreast of developments.