Photo by Alex Azabache on Unsplash
The art scene in Edinburgh has often been overshadowed by the rich contemporary urban art scene in Glasgow. However, Edinburgh also offers a number of art and craft venues and events unique to the city. Here on the HelloArt blog space, we'd like to mention a few of these art galleries and events worth seeing!
Free Art Spaces and Events
If in the centre of Edinburgh, consider checking out the baroque/Renaissance art collection at the National Scottish Art Gallery, which is free to all visitors, and takes about 30-45 minutes to complete. Some of the art is unusually rendered and many of the pieces have an interesting history, making the gallery an engrossing experience.
Alternatively, the National Portrait Gallery, which is about a 15 minute walk away from the National Scottish Art Gallery, offers a contemporary snapshot of portraits, with a particular look at Scottish and Edinburgh-based artists and culture. It's a fairly large centre so we'd recommend taking at least an hour to go around it!
And free events are always available at the Scottish Art Festival, which runs throughout August every year. A simple Google search will reveal a number of free art events and performances- plus, people will approach you on the street with flyers, or you can see the posters plastered to every public space!
Paid Art Spaces and Events
If you're looking to spend a little bit of money on your art experience, consider Jupiter Artland, which is just outside the city and costs around £10 a head. The fantastic and thought-provoking installations make for a great outdoors experience!
Plus, the Palace of Holyrood House offers an incredible art and cultural experience- the multimedia tour is amazing and the historical art on the walls of this carefully preserved and stately building will knock your socks off. The tickets are on the expensive side, but children are free and young people (18-24) get a massive discount.
And of course, we always suggest that you check out our highly popular HelloArt arts and crafts workshops which run usually about twice a week in central venues across Edinburgh and Glasgow. Alternatively, you can always book your own private session if there's not one at a time that suits you!
Explore today and make the most of the wonderful art experiences in Edinburgh!