What's On Scotland 13-19 Jun: Refugee Festival Scotland + more!

Refugee Festival Scotland is back, showcasing the diverse cultural backgrounds of New Scots. This year's theme is 'Rise', with the programme taking in a whole range of artforms at venues across the country.

A few highlights of the 2024 programme include mesmerising dance and poetry at the Q'Iwa Cabaret (Wee Red Bar, Edinburgh, 14 Jun), a screening of six short films exploring resilience in the Arab world followed by a Q&A with BAFTA winning Palestinian playwright Ghazi Hussein (GFT, Glasgow, 15 Jun), the Monuments for the Present exhibition (CCA and the Byres Community Hub, Glasgow, until 23 Jun), and a late-night Arab music takeover at the Civic House (Civic House, Glasgow, 16 Jun).

Refugee Festival Scotland, multiple venues across Scotland. 14-23 Jun.

Image: Monuments for the Present by Sadaf Syeda, 2023. Courtesy of the artist. Photo by Paria Goodarzi

Image: TAS Rights Management 

LUNCHTIME READING:  

Taylor Swift @ Murrayfield

Image: Meg Henderson

NANI & Friends' Pride Covers

Argyle Cellar Bar, Edinburgh. 18 Jun, 7pm

This fundraiser for LGBT Youth Scotland & Medical Aid for Palestinians features appearances from Scottish Alternative Music Award winner Zoe Graham, as well as Josie Duncan, Finn Brodie, Goodnight Louisa, and of course, NANI.

Dear Green Music Scene

Advanced Research Centre (ARC). Glasgow, 15 Jun

This free, green energy-powered music festival features sets from L.T. Leif, The Burning Hell, and Carla J Easton (pictured). There's science activitives, a ceilidh (!), and the Photoautobothy, a solar-powered mobile recording studio.

RARE: Moktar

Sneaky Pete's, Edinburgh. 18 Jun.

DJ collective / clothing brand / techno night RARE hosts Egyptian-Australian DJ Moktar for a night of Arab-infused techno. Moktar samples traditional Arabic instrumentation and layers it with cross-genre dance beats for what's sure to be a high-octane night.

First Date Romance Festival

Summerhall, Edinburgh. 14-15 Jun

Lighthouse Bookshop's festival of romantic literature returns for a second year of subversive politics and queer joy. Get excited for romantasy panels and erotica workshops, as well as apperances by Ada Barumé, Andrés N Ordorica, and more!

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Beyond Belief: Science and the Unicorn

Perth Museum, Perth. 21 Jun, 6-8pm

This special event will explore the fascinating efforts that have been made to document the Unicorn, a mythical beast that has captured imaginations and been the subject of scientific studies for decades. Join Perth Museum and Barbara Drake Boehm from the Met Cloiseters in New York, for an exclusive talk and after-hours access to the Unicorn Exhibition at Perth.

↪ Arusa and Jeem's Beach Party

Summerhall, Edinburgh. 15 Jun, 9pm

Summerhall kickstart the sunnier season with a school-disco vibe late-night dance party, featuring all the summer bangers and Hawaiian shirts and pool inflatables you could dream of. Early birds can catch the free-entry Summer courtyard party happening in the daytime!

→ Cineskinny Film Club

Summerhall, Edinburgh. 19 Jun

There's still tickets for our free Edinburgh screening of Monica, Andrea Pallaora's film about a transgender woman who returns to her estranged mother to provide end-of-life care – only to find that her mother doesn't remember her transitioning.

→ Eden Festival

Raehills Meadows, Nr Moffatt. 13-16 Jun.

This year's Eden Festival features over 250 acts, with headliners as high-profile as Amadou & Mariam and The Zombies, as well as local favourites like corto.alto and Free Love. There's also comedy, cabaret, and kids activities on offer.

Comps & Readers Offers

Win tickets to Tirzah Win tickets to Tirzah at The Queen's Hall at the Edinburgh International Festival by answering a simple question. Closes 30 Jun.