THE City Arts Centre in Edinburgh’s Old Town, a centre dedicated to the visual and applied arts, has announced its programme of events for 2026.
The programme has been described as “unmissable” and will feature installations from contemporary artists as well as those who have contributed to Edinburgh’s rich artistic past.
The centre only released information about longer-term installations and exhibitions and says that listings for individual shows and educational events will be forthcoming later this year.
Mona Yoo, Jean F. Watson, Sandra George, Rachel McBrinn, Jonathan Webb, Ade Adesina, and Kenneth Dingwall will be among those featured at arts centre.
The City Arts Centre, in one of Edinburgh’s best known art spaces, hosts a variety of installations from local, Scottish, and international artists, and is entirely installation-based, with no permanent exhibitions.
The centre grew out of funds left behind by Miss Jean Watson, an Edinburgh resident and patron of the arts.
A fund, which is still managed by The City of Edinburgh Council, was created for the creation of a collection of Scottish Art for The City of Edinburgh.
The City Art Centre found its current Market Street location, formerly home to The Scotsman newspaper, in 1980.
Mona Yoo, an Edinburgh-based artist, was invited to delve into the history of the building last year, discovering a rich tapestry in its history as a newspaper office and eventual transformation into an arts centre.
The result of her work is a multi-media, multi-sensory, installation which reimagines the fourth-floor space she was provided with and “evokes echoes of the past”.
Her exhibition will run from 7 March – 12 April 2026.
Jean Watson, the original patron of the city arts centre, will be honoured with an installation celebrating her vision and generosity with a selection of contemporary and historic artworks from the collection.
The Jean F. Watson Exhibition will run from 16 May to 4 October 2024.
Sandra George, a Notting-born Jamaican photographer and community worker who died in 2013, will be honoured with an installation exploring her work and social activism from 30 May–27 September.
Rache McBrinn and Jonathan Webb will present Betwixt Nor’loch and Physick Gardens (a working title), an installation which responds to Edinburgh’s North Bridge – part of a series of art projects commissioned by Edinburgh Council to mark the refurbishment of North Bridge.
The work will follow in the tradition of artists commissioned to examine the city’s most famous landmarks and will run from 18 July to 13 September 2026.
“Gifted: New Acquisitions at the City Art Centre” will trace the history of the visual arts in Scotland from the 17th century to the present day with a collection of over 5000 individual artworks.
Continuing the theme of generosity and arts patronage, many of the works have been by members of the public and artists and the installation will be available to view from 12 September 2026–6 June 2027.
Aberdeen-based printmaker Ade Adesina will bring together an expansive collection of his monumental woodcuts, etchings, linocuts and screenprints for an installation which will run from 7 November–11 April 2027.
Finally, “Kenneth Dingwall: Being” will celebrate the life and work of eponymous Clackmannanshire-born, Edinburgh-based artist Kenneth Dingwall.
The installation will be a major retrospective on Dingwall’s oeuvre, consisting of abstract drawings, paintings, prints and constructions, which spans 60 years.
The installation will be available to view at the centre from 21 November 2026 – 7 March 2027.
Culture and communities convener Margaret Graham said: “I’m delighted to unveil the City Art Centre’s 2026 programme, which promises to bring a range of talented artists to Edinburgh.
“Mona Yoo’s research into the history and architecture of the City Art Centre is set to be a major highlight, and I look forward to seeing it come to life in a new exhibition.
“The centre remains one of the most iconic venues for art enthusiasts in the city.
“It is home to Edinburgh’s art collection – one of the finest in the country – and it’s exciting that it’s past has now been explored in greater depth.
“With a programme packed with exciting exhibitions and events, there truly is something for everyone to enjoy.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with beloved artists and perhaps discover some new favourites.”