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Edinburgh

Explore Edinburgh’s art, culture and festivals on one app

Whether you are able to visit Edinburgh in person or are browsing from home, get closer to your favorite artworks and discover world famous festivals. 

Download the free app now and start exploring:  

  • Guides to 500+ global cultural institutions
  • Thousands of hours of expert-curated video, audio and text content
  • Visit-enhancing tools such as maps and tours
  • Improved accessibility through the app

Arts and culture

Collective

Founded and run by artists in 1984, Collective gallery Edinburgh is a contemporary art space now situated at the Calton Hill art center, bringing new creative perspectives to the city. This gallery presents exhibitions and events from groundbreaking local and international artists. 

Exterior of Collective, City Obeservatory. A Greek-style building with dome and columns set against a blue sky background.
Image credit: Photo by Tom Nolan. Courtesy of Collective.

Recommendations from the app

Check out the audio guides: “Observers’ Walks”

Note that app links work best on your smartphone with the Bloomberg Connects app downloaded.

Dovecot Studios

A world-renowned tapestry studio located in a converted bath house in Edinburgh which offers contemporary craft, art and design exhibitions and events. Established in 1912, Dovecot Studios continues to collaborate with international artists to make handwoven tapestries and gun-tufted rugs. The Tapestry Studio Viewing Balcony is free to visit and provides a calming space where you can watch the Dovecot weavers working on the latest projects.

Dovecot Studios in Scotland
Image credit: Phil Wilkinson, courtesy of Dovecot Studios.

Recommendations from the app

We recommend their latest exhibition “Chris Ofili: The Caged Bird’s Song.”

Edinburgh Printmakers

Head to Fountainbridge to find Edinburgh Printmakers – a creative center for printmaking and the visual arts. It has a studio, two galleries that are always free to visit, and a community garden ready for you to explore. 

Exterior of Edinburgh Printmakers. Corner view of red-brick former-factory building.
Image credit: Courtesy of Edinburgh Printmakers.
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Recommendations from the app

Check out the ongoing “Art Commissions” they have on display.

Fruitmarket

Right in the heart of Edinburgh, Fruitmarket, is a welcoming space for people to contemplate contemporary art and culture. As well as their programme of live contemporary art exhibitions and performances, they’ve created exclusive audio for Bloomberg Connects.

Exterior of Fruitmarket gallery building.
Image credit: Courtesy of Fruitmarket.

Recommendations from the app

From their exclusive audio content, “Fruitmarket Unpacked” helps you get closer to the people behind the art.

Jupiter Artland

Looking for outdoor art in Edinburgh? This award-winning sculpture garden is just outside the city. You’ll find over 30 “Permanent Collection” and site-specific pieces set in 100 acres of meadow, woodland, and indoor gallery spaces. Enjoy their seasonal program of exhibitions from emerging and established artists.

Antony Gormley sculpture in the grounds of Jupiter Artland. Framed by green trees and blue sky.
Image credit: Photo by Allan Pallock-Morris. Courtesy of Jupiter Artland.

Recommendations from the app

Check out more than 30 “Permanent Collection” and site-specific pieces on the app.

Royal Scottish Academy

Founded in 1826, the Royal Scottish Academy is a charity supporting art and architecture in Scotland. From their base at the Mound in Edinburgh they look after their collection and offer Scottish art exhibitions, artist opportunities, and events.

Exterior shot of Royal Scottish Academy. Column-fronted building with hanging banners advertising Ages of Wonder Exhibition. People crossing the round out front.
Image credit: Courtesy of Royal Scottish Academy.

Recommendations from the app

Take a look at their upcoming “Frontiers” exhibition on the app.

Stills: Centre for Photography

In the heart of Edinburgh, Stills: Centre for Photography helps everyone to enjoy and understand photography. They hold three major photography exhibitions each year presenting historic work and to showcase new work by early-career artists.

Exterior of Stills: Centre for Photography surrounded by people attending an event there.
Image credit: Courtesy of Stills: Centre for Photography.

Recommendations from the app

The upcoming exhibition “Home: Ukrainian Photography, UK Words” presents contemporary photography from Ukraine exploring the meaning of home.

Surgeons’ Hall Museums

Open to the public since 1832, this award-winning museum is among Scotland’s oldest. It holds and shares one of the world’s largest collections of pathological anatomy.

Street view of the Surgeons’ Hall Museum
Image credit: Courtesy of Surgeons’ Hall Museum.

Recommendations from the app

Discover the history of surgical advancements with “The Rise of the Surgeons” and explore the real-life inspiration behind Sherlock Holmes: the surgeon Joseph Bell.

Talbot Rice Gallery

Talbot Rice Gallery, Ediburgh is the public art gallery of the University of Edinburgh. It is dedicated to exploring how the university can contribute to art production and hosts solo and group contemporary exhibitions exploring a range of themes, by artists who have had access to University research collections and collections. 

Talbot Rice Gallery
Image credit: Courtesy of Talbot Rice Gallery.

Recommendations from the app

“Tour: Scottish Mission Book Depot Keta.”

Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Trust

Then there’s the Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Trust, established in 1987 to secure the Scottish artist’s life’s work and archive for future generations to enjoy.

Abstract acrylic painting by Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, bold, colourful brush strokes, mainly blue.
Image credit: Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, Scorpio Series 3, No.9, 1997, acrylic on paper, 57.5 x 76 cm, BGT970 © Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Trust

Recommendations from the app

Start exploring the collection in the app – get “An Introduction to Wilhelmina Barns-Graham” and learn about her “Painting”, “Drawing” and more.

Festivals

Edinburgh International Festival

This is the one that started it all. Edinburgh International Festival is the original festival that helped to establish Edinburgh as the world’s festival city. Every August there are three weeks of opera, dance, music and theater from across the globe.

Edinburgh International Festival
Image credit: Courtesy of Edinburgh International Festival. 

Recommendations from the app

Check out the “2024 Festival Highlights.”

Note that app links work best on your smartphone with the Bloomberg Connects app downloaded.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

This world-famous performing arts festival and oldest Fringe, is held for three weeks every August. People travel from all over the globe to attend and it’s been a successful launchpad for many international stars of theater and comedy.

Street view of the Fringe Shop.
Image credit: Courtesy of Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Recommendations from the app

Find out about “Famous Names, Made in Edinburgh” and see how you can “Plan your visit”.

EAF (Edinburgh Art Festival)

This one is the UK’s largest annual festival of visual art is back, running August 9–25, 2024. It brings together museums and galleries from across the city with a program of commissioned work and a showcase of artists from around the world. 

Unknown photographer, 1980s. Courtesy the Queer Archives Institute and Karol Radziszewski
Image credit: Unknown photographer, 1980s. Courtesy the Queer Archives Institute and Karol Radziszewski.

Recommendations from the app

Start browsing the schedule and take a look at the map for easy navigation between venues.

Hidden Door Festival

Another excellent Edinburgh Festival: Hidden Door is volunteer-run charity that pops up in forgotten urban spaces to host music, art, theater, film, dance, spoken word, and so much more. They showcase new and emerging artists allowing the public to discover their work and parts of the city they may not have experienced before. 

Performance at Hidden Door Festival. Performers in futuristic costume holding strip lights above their heads.
Image credit: Courtesy of Hidden Door Festival. 

Recommendations from the app

Start with “The History of Hidden Door” before exploring more.