Penicuik's cultural and creative talents will be showcased during the town's second arts festival.
The 16-day festival will focus on the work of local artists, performers and organisations at a variety of venues in and around Penicuik.
The arts festival, which has been organised by Penicuik Community Arts Association and Penicuik Community Deve
lopment Trust, will start on Saturday, August 23, to coincide with the Edinburgh and Peebles festivals.
The highlight of the opening day will be the presentation of the arts association's Turner Prize at 2pm and start of the summer open exhibition.
Story sessionsThe Street Gallery Bus will be parked outside Penicuik Town Hall from 10am to 4pm with the sea-themed exhibition On Edge.
The display will feature film, photography, sculpture and drawings from a series of European artists.
During the day, James Spence and Fiona Herbert will be hosting storytelling sessions in the yurt at Valleyfield House, High Street.
This venue will also feature an exhibition of work by Jane Kelly, Catherine Freeland, Mette Fruergaard-Jenson, Jan Miller and other Scottish potters.
Festival ceilidhPaintings by Ulla Hipkin and woodcarvings by Ian Milne will be on show at the John Street Garden Studio, while stone carving by Ian Newton and Gus Fisher will be displayed at the Stonework Studios, Spital Farm, Ninemileburn.
The first day will round off with a festival ceilidh in Penicuik Town Hall at 7.30pm with music from the West Telferton Caledonian Band.
The arts centre's summer exhibition will continue throughout the festival as will a display at Penicuik Library and an exhibition by Pirjo Cassimally of Finnish patchwork quilts at the arts centre's Gallery Cafe in West Street.
Features on Sunday, August 24, include the Penicuik Taize Vaults singing at Craigmillar Castle's great hall at 3.15pm followed by Quietness by Candlelight, with the Penicuik Taize Vaults, at Rosslyn Chapel at 5.15pm.
There will be a screening in Penicuik Town Hall at 7.30pm of Buster Keaton's silent movie classic The General with Graham Macdonald accompanying the film on the piano.
Other events during the festival fortnight include pottery workshops, concerts, a craft fair and puppet musical.
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