1. Best Place to watch a movie – Edinburgh Filmhouse.
Definitely the best place to watch a movie is the Filmhouse on Lothian Road. The films are mostly of the art house variety with new releases, reissues and retrospectives. During the Edinburgh Film Festival the Filmhouse is a hub and the main focus of the festivals screenings.
The cafe/Bar has a buzz about it all year round. During the day it is a great place to get a coffee and in the evening it is the perfect location to meet up for a drink. Throughout the year various festivals keep the movie selection eclectic and interesting with the French Film Festival, Africa in Motion Festival, Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival, Scotland Loves Anime and the Take One Action activism film festival.
www.filmhousecinema.com
2. Best place to watch some theatre – Traverse Theatre.
The Traverse is a new writing theatre where all the performances are fresh and original works. The programme for each season is diverse with Dance, Drama and Music being the main focal point. The Traverse has two theatre spaces – Traverse One for large performances and Traverse Two for small and intimate productions. There are several festivals throughout the year including a Dance Festival and an adult puppet animation festival called Manipulate. During the incredibly busy Edinburgh Fringe The Traverse stands out with a perfectly curated programme of theatre from Scotland and beyond.
www.traverse.co.uk
3. Best Place to see some Art – Collective Gallery.
The Collective Gallery can be found on Edinburgh’s Cockburn Street, but is about to move to a new location at the city observatory on Carlton Hill. Collective is a contemporary art gallery that showcases new and original work. Every year the collective commissions new artists in their New Work Scotland programme. This funding opportunity usually results in an exhibition in the gallery space. The exhibitions in the Collective Gallery look to offer challenging art that engages the viewer. The current location allows tourists to stumble upon the gallery and brings a new audience in. Hopefully the new location will accommodate more creativity and an ability to showcase work to curious art lovers.
www.collectivegallery.net
4. Best place to hang out in – The Forest Café.
The Forest Café is now based at the Tollcross area of Edinburgh, but used to be located across town at Bristo Place. The new Forest opened after a few months break and the new location is unfortunately not as big. However it is still one of the best places in Edinburgh to grab a coffee and experience something totally new. Art and music is everywhere in the café. The Forest is very much a community art space. It is run by a small group of dedicated volunteers with workshops and events occurring pretty much every day.
blog.theforest.org.uk
5. Best place to buy books – Analogue Books.
Analogue Books is located in the Grassmarket area of Edinburgh and has a fine selection of art books, photobooks and zines. It is the perfect shop for art lovers who like atypical illustration and engaging artwork. The selection of zines is impressive with local artists and international artists showcasing their work in small limited edition published titles. Analogue books also present talks, exhibitions and their own publications, making it a very important business within the local art scene.
www.analoguebooks.co.uk
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