What's On Scotland 10-17 Oct: Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival
The Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival returns for its 18th edition with a huge programme taking place across Scotland. In Glasgow, there's a weekend chock-a-block with single day music festivals, and the mighty Becky Sikasa takes her tour to Dundee
Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival
The long-running and essential Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival is back with a huge lineup delving into myriad issues around mental health and well-being that will be taking place 10 to 27 October all over the country, from Orkney to the Borders.
This year’s theme is In/Visible, and throughout the programme, there are hundreds of events using arts and creativity to make mental health more visible. In terms of theatre, look out for Men Don't Talk, a new collaboration between Clare Prenton, the Scottish Men's Shed Association and Luminate, and Held on the High Wire, Jenny Q’s multimedia piece about surviving sepsis (both touring). There's also exhibitions like Our Power (GoMA, 10 Oct-12 Jan), created by people with lived experience of racist microaggressions, and photography show TALK (Scottish International Storytelling Festival, until 29 Oct), an ongoing portraiture project by Graham Williams exploring the subject of men’s mental health. And among the film highlights is Silent Men (touring), which sees deadpan documentarian Duncan Cowles take a road trip across the UK to speak with men who’re hiding deep mental health issues behind a stoic façade. These are just a handful of highlights. Dig into the programme at mhfestival.com
Arthi courtesy of Sneaky Pete's
Sneaky Pete’s x Fruitmarket
Fruitmarket, Edinburgh. 11-12 Oct
Sneaky Pete’s are bringing back their series of dance music installations at Fruitmarket’s iconic warehouse space. First up, legendary DJ and producer Daniel Avery on Friday, followed by dancehall, baile funk and garage peddler Arthi headlining on Saturday.
Bye Bye Love courtesy of Queer East
Queer East
Cameo, Edinburgh. 17-21 Oct
Queer East returns to Edinburgh with a tantalising programme. Highlights include the 50th-anniversary screening of once thought-lost Japanese film Bye Bye Love, whose negatives were rediscovered in 2018, and the uncompromising documentary Love Bound.
Becky Sikasa by Susan McFadzean
Becky Sikasa
Beat Generator Live!, Dundee. 10 Oct, 7.30pm
Becky Sikasa’s complex, heartfelt songwriting is brought to life by a beautifully husky voice, melding the deep emotional soul of Solange with an explorative, pop-like sensibility. She’s heading on her first-ever Scottish tour this autumn, with Dundee’s Beat Generator among the stops.
Nightbitch still courtesy of LFF
LFF @ GFT
Glasgow Film Theatre. until 21 Oct
London Film Festival goes on tour to GFT with a pleasingly eclectic selection of movies. Highlights this week look to be the star-studded papal thriller Conclave, the dazzling animation The Wild Robot and the bizarre-looking comedy-horror Nightbitch, in which Amy Adams plays a stay-at-home mum with a wild side.
rEDOLENT by Rory Barnes
Various venues, Glasgow. 12 Oct
Love discovering new bands? Then Tenement Trail is the all-dayer for you. Spread across seven venues in the Gallowgate, including stalwarts of the Glasgow scene like Barrowlands, St Luke’s and McChuills, you can get a flavour of some wonderful bands like Glasgow’s Neon Waltz, Birmingham’s Overpass and Manchester’s VLURE, as well as exciting up-and-comers like rEDOLENT.
→ Music Makes Glasgow
Drygate, Glasgow. 12 Oct
If that wasn’t enough music in Glasgow there’s also Music Makes Glasgow, an all-dayer fundraising for Glasgow-based charity The Sound Lab. The ace lineup includes Terra Kin, Free Love and Haiver, the new project from Frightened Rabbit guitarist Billy Kennedy.
→ Supertouch ALL DAYER
The Dream Machine, Glasgow. 12 Oct
Yes, you've guessed it, another all-dayer in Glasgow (maybe the city's promoters need to start sharing their Google calendars). This one's a dance party for lovers of techno and electronic music featuring a squad of local bands and DJs (3rdCrush, Calowae, Far Lane, slyn) as well as a few guests from further afield.