What's On Scotland 29 Jul-5 Aug: Edinburgh Art Festival & more

Edinburgh Art Festival makes its colourful return this week (which means all the other festivals are but a stone's throw away...get ready), opening today (with previews yesterday) until 28 Aug in venues across Edinburgh.

Far from a damp squib, this year's edition is however very watery: drawing inspiration from the Union Canal, which celebrates its 200th anniversary (happy birthday!) this year, there are public art and performances canalside by artists and community groups as well as exhibitions engaging with the idea of the canal as both a thoroughfare and industrial space. We're especially intrigued by Tell Me of Your Boats and Your Waters - Where Do They Come From, Where Do They Go?, an exhibition at Edinburgh Printmakers by First Nations artist Nadia Myre that explores migratory routes and indigenous storytelling.

Elsewhere there's Platform 2022, the festival’s annual showcase of four early career artists, Ashanti Harris' stunning exploration of West Indian carnivals, and dazzling portrait series The Invisibles at Studio Lenca. Browse the full programme here!

ADVERTISEMENT | Fills Monkey: We Will Drum You
The Grand - Pleasance Courtyard. 3-29 Aug, 4pm
A worldwide sensation, Fills Monkey return with an exhilarating, fun-packed new show, We Will Drum You. Blending pure joy and comedy with extraordinary musicianship, these two exceptional drummers fuse musical styles whilst also paying tribute to their favourite artists: Metallica, The Rolling Stones, The Weeknd and more. Their infectious beats, musical wizardry and unusual apparatus will make your jaws hit the floor, your hands clap until sore and definitely leave you wanting more!

PLASMAS
Sneaky Pete's, Edinburgh. 31 Aug, 7pm
One of Scotland's most exciting up-and-coming dream pop groups, PLASMAS draw on everything from the dreaminess of Tame Impala to the vulnerability of The Cure and the sunny intimacy of The Beths. Catch them at Sneaky's this week with support from POLLY and Magpie Blue. Image: Courtesy of artist / Sneaky Pete's.

Rhona Stevens
The Hug and Pint, Glasgow. 4 Aug, 7:30pm
Glasgow singer-songwriter Rhona Stevens is carving her own path in the nebulous indie genre, crafting music that is often elusive but always emotionally resonant, with a plaintive folk-infused sound. Catch her as part of The Hug and Pint's Endless Summer. Image: Courtesy of artist.

Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Various venues, Edinburgh. 3-29 Aug
Oh yeah, the Fringe is also kicking off. Did you know? Over the next few weeks we'll be recommending our programme favourites, but for preview week: Summerhall's programme is, as usual, perfect (we're especially psyched about Dreams of the Small Gods (pictured) and Caste-ing), while KIN at Assembly and Black is the Color of My Voice at Pleasance are also high on our list. Image: Paul Maguire.

ADVERTISEMENT | GILDED BALLOON IS BACK AT THE FRINGE
Teviot, Museum, Patter Hoose, Edinburgh. 3-29 Aug
Join your pals in pink for the BEST. SUMMER. EVER. Over 180 world-class shows across 18 venues are now on sale across a star-studded line up of comedy, music, theatre, magic, family shows, wrestling and more. Book your tickets now!

Mark Handforth: A Scarlet Forest
The Modern Institute @ Airds Lane. Glasgow, until 3 Sep
Step into The Modern Institute’s gallery space this month and you’ll be met with a post-industrial forest of orange piping, with strange tubular sculptures emerging from the floors and ceilings. Mark Handforth’s enigmatic and enchanting new exhibition creates an immersive space where viewers can wander between his sculptures, considering the tension between built and natural environments. Image: Keith Hunter.

Chris Boyle EP Launch
The Flying Duck, Glasgow. 30 Aug, 11pm
It's party time baby! Local Edinburgh producer Chris Boyle has been making waves across the Scottish circuit for several years now. With two other EPs due out in 2023, this launch party for his 2022 EP Still Not Discovered Yet is only the start of a busy year: head to The Flying Duck for great new tunes, excellent dancing, and support from DJs Mark Mackenzie, Hawkins and Daz Scott. Image: The Flying Duck.

TravFest
Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. 4-28 Aug
Part of the Fringe, but also very much its own vibe, TravFest returns next week (previews this weekend) with cutting-edge theatre, comedy and performance spread out across August. Kicking things off are Exodus, a chilling satire about the Home Office, meta-thriller Psychodrama set against the backdrop of a Hitchcock theatre production, and Blood Harmony, ft. music from The Staves. Image: Traverse Theatre.

When Europe Made Hollywood: From Sunrise to High Noon
Glasgow Film Theatre, Glasgow. Until 25 Aug
Hollywood may be as American as, well, Hollywood, but its early days were indelibly shaped by European filmmakers. This season at Glasgow Film Theatre spotlights some of the most crucial meeting points between Europe and America - some of our favourites include Double Indemnity, a 35mm print of Queen Christina, and 4K restorations of Shanghai Express and High Noon. Image: Glasgow Film Theatre.