Life is slowly starting to return to normal, and although we have much more freedom to get out and about now, many events will continue to be hosted virtually until the time is right,
Let's have a look at what's on offer this June:
So You Think You're Funny?
3 - 23 June 2021
Gilded Balloon brings back its long-running comedy newcomer competition, which has been won by the likes of David O’Doherty, Maisie Adam, Aisling Bea, Ivo Graham and more. After going on hiatus last year, So You Think You’re Funny? returns with an online format that sees 30 regional heats take place across the country in partnership with iconic venues, as up-and-coming comics show off their best gags in the hopes of winning the ultimate prize.
https://gildedballoon.co.uk/  ;
Cymera Festival
4 - 6 June 2021
Scotland's festival of genre fiction returns with a programme packed with events and workshops for lovers of sci-fi, fantasy and horror. Their 2021 outing will take place online, with a mix of live Zoom events and pre-recorded chats on YouTube. The line-up includes appearances from authors such as Ben Aaronovitch, C S Green, Alex Phelby, Elizabeth May, Laura Lam, Catriona Ward, C L Clark, R F Kuang, Becky Chambers, Tasha Suri and many more.
https://www.cymerafestival.co.uk/
Oban International Shanty Festival
5 June 2021
A celebration of rollicking stories and songs about the sea, taking place in the seaside town. This year’s festivities head online, with a line-up of shanty bands and singers performing live from Oban. There will also be an after-concert singaround, wherein audience members can get in on the action and belt out their own favourite verses; as well as workshops about life aboard a tall ship, the pirate queens of history, and singing your own shanty.
https://www.tmsa.scot/event/oban-international-shanty-festival
Glasgow International
11 - 27 June 2021
Two-yearly festival of contemporary art commissioned from artists around the globe and including exhibitions in traditional gallery spaces, plus unique site-specific installations and live performance art. The 2021 festival will centre around the theme of ‘attention’, and include a director’s programme of larger-scale commissions and exhibitions, as well as ‘Across the City’, a wider programme of exhibitions and projects, selected from proposals by artists, curators and producers who live and work in Glasgow. Highlights include works from Georgina Star, Jenkin van Zyl, Martine Syms, Duncan Campbell, Alberta Whittle and more.
https://glasgowinternational.org/
XpoNorth
16 - 17 June 2021
A two-day cross-genre film and television festival devoted to crafts, publishing, screen and broadcast as well as music. There are workshops, masterclasses and conferences during the day, evening showcases of music and film, as well as opportunities to network with movers and shakers in the creative industries. This year’s programme moves online and covers topics as diverse as creating podcasts for hit tv shows, the ins and outs of life writing, scoring soundtracks, audio storytelling and much more. Speakers include Professor Kate Williams, literary agent Jenny Brown, Dougal Perman and much more.
The Public and Private Worlds of Sir Walter Scott
28 June 2021
This online event will delve into some of the lesser-known aspects of Sir Walter Scott’s life and legacy, jointly hosted by the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) and the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland (SoAoS). Chaired by Professor Gerry Carruthers FRSE, Dr Iain Gordon Brown will be discussing Scott’s keen interest in antiquarianism, while Kirsty Archer-Thompson will explore aspects of his life philosophy.
Edinburgh Science Festival
26 June -11 July 2021
Edinburgh Science Festival returns to the Scottish capital this summer with a hybrid programme that blends live and online events. Centred around the theme 'One World: Science Connects Us', the festival will feature over 200 events that explore how science permeates every aspect of our lives, from the Covid-19 vaccine rollout to the ongoing climate crisis ahead of major policy decisions to be made at this year’s COP26 in Glasgow. From talks and tours to exhibitions and workshops, the festival will also boast a dynamic, city-wide schedule of live events in locations across Edinburgh, as well as a vibrant family programme to engage the wee ones.
https://www.sciencefestival.co.uk/
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