Peebles was a quiet place until the building of the railway, and this exhibition charts the cutting of the first turf of the railway to Edinburgh, to the lines East and West of the town and the huge impact it had on the cloth manufacturing in the Tweed Valley. There’s new photographs, objects and models on display to help visitors explore the three railway stations Peebles has seen in its time.
https://www.liveborders.org.uk
All Fired Up
13-31 December. Entry free. Aberdeen Art Gallery, Schoolhill, AB10 1FQ.
Explore the art and science of ceramics in this interactive display of over 180 items by artist/potters. The collection is a gift from the family of the late Alexander Arbuthnott Dunbar and it’s been made on the understanding that visitors are allowed to handle each piece. Head along to see, and feel, the remarkable collection of pots.
https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk
Keepsake
13-14 December. Entry free. CAMPLE LINE, Cample Mill, Dumfriesshire, DG3 4BW.
In this exhibition of new work by Argentinian artist Amalia Pica, she continues her exploration of longstanding interests in early years education, history and memory-making, material culture, shared action, collective enjoyment and forms of common knowledge.
SKIRLING 750
13-21 December. Entry free. Biggar and Upper Clydesdale Museum, 156 Biggar High Street, ML12 6DH.
An exhibition to commemorate the first recorded mention of Skirling Village, 750 years ago, this exhibition explores some of the key events in the village’s history. Visitors can read the stories of the important fairs and family names still around today as well as the town’s connection to Scottish artist James How and architect Ramsay Traquair.
https://www.biggarmuseumtrust.co.uk/
The Winter Show 2025
13 December-31 January. Entry free. 178 West Regent Street, Glasgow, G2 4RL.
Compass Gallery’s winter exhibition, both in the gallery and online, is a mixed seasonal show of paintings, drawings, prints, ceramics, glass and sculptures. The works on display come from a selection of Scottish Modern Masters, contemporaries and recent graduates.
http://www.compassgallery.co.uk/
Get You in Panto Town
13-24 December. Entry free. Glasgow City Chambers, George Square, Glasgow, G2 1DU.
Curated by academics linked to the University of Glasgow, this exhibition charts the colourful history of Scotland’s beloved festive tradition, both past and present. From pantomime stories, stars and humour to the magnificent sets, costumes and its special place in the hearts of audiences, this exhibition captures the heart and history of the tradition. Plus, it’s designed to be immersive so the illustrated panels and life-size cut-out figures combine with interactive elements.
Uncharted Territories
13 December-25 January. Entry free. Modern One, 73&75 Belford Road, Edinburgh, EH4 3DR.
Each artwork in this display offers up a subversion of conventional mapping. Be it a harmless ‘island fantasy’ or a pointed comment on the state of America, this display reminds us that maps are fundamentally a version of the truth in a changing world.
https://www.nationalgalleries.org/exhibition/uncharted-territories
David Wilkie – Drawings
13 December-8 February. Entry free. The National Gallery, The Mound, Edinburgh, EH2 2EL.
For Sir David Wilkie, drawing was a way of thinking. His ideas for paintings developed through experiment and repetition, sketching on any scrap of paper that lay to hand. A stylish graphic artist who was interested in technique and the history of drawing, this display showcases the variety of Wilkie’s drawings throughout his career.
https://www.nationalgalleries.org/exhibition/david-wilkie-drawings
The Winter Show
13 December-31 January. Entry free. Cyril Gerber Fine Art, 178 West Regent Street, Glasgow, G2 4RL.
This exhibition, both in Cyril Gerber Fine Art and online, is a show full of paintings, drawings, ceramics, glass and sculptures. Some of the artists on display include the Glasgow Boys, Scottish Colourists, Modern British Masters, Scottish Modern Masters as well as various other contemporaries.
https://gerberfineart.co.uk/2014/
‘To see oursels as ithers see us!’ – Illustrating Robert Burns
13 December-8 February. Entry free. The National Gallery, The Mound, Edinburgh, EH2 2EL.
This small display considers artists’ responses to the poetry of Robert Burns, a household name in Scotland and recognised worldwide. The evocative imagery of Burns’s poems and their grounding in everyday life were a rich source for illustrators, in particular The Cotter’s Saturday Night and his first published collection of Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect.
