Listings: Talks & lectures

Artists Kjersti Sletteland and Despina Nissiriou will give an exclusive guided tour of their exhibition at Patriothall Gallery, providing insights into the works on show and the history of the building which the works respond to. All are welcome.

Gusset Grippers / Free Festival. Laughing is no laughing matter for one third of women. This show, written and presented by a physiotherapist, is bursting with clenching comedy which teaches you all about your pelvic floor. PS: Relax, there's no show-and-tell involved! 'A refreshing look at what is usually a one-liner…

Authorities can’t work out which tweets will get you a laugh and which will get you directly to jail without passing Go. Social media law expert Paul Motion tries to make sense of things.

Organist extraordinaire John Kitchen of the University of Edinburgh describes and demonstrates the technology behind the magnificent four-manual 63-stop Usher Hall organ.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the largest open festival in the world. Meet Society and venue staff, producers and performers for expert advice on how to bring your own show to Edinburgh.

Learn how to banish stage fright to deliver a BAFTA-worthy performance with stand-up comedian Viv Groskop (author of stand-up memoir I Laughed, I Cried), Literary Death Match Co-Host and Executive Producer Suzanne Azzopardi and Granta Publicist Saskia Vogel. Bring your own work to read or practice with a past…

Meet PR and media insiders: tips on everything from social networking and contacting reviewers to increasing audience numbers, this discussion will give you invaluable advice on marketing your show at the Fringe.

Meet PR and media insiders: tips on everything from social networking and contacting reviewers to increasing audience numbers, this discussion will give you invaluable advice on marketing your show at the Fringe.

Develop your show after the Fringe with a focus on touring in the UK. A panel of experts will discuss the benefits, complexities and logistics of touring in the UK.

An event for participants interested in touring their shows at an international level. We look at the key issues surrounding international touring such as programming around the world, being business ready and building networks.

Find out from a panel of industry experts what it takes to be a successful producer, receive invaluable advice and tips on funding, marketing and project development. Suitable for all levels of experience.

Exploring the growing demand for improvisation in all mediums - film, television and theatre. Learn the tools necessary to think on your feet and book that commercial, film, or simply hone your skills to think fast.

Jeremy Howe, Commissioning Editor BBC Radio 4, dramatist Jonathan Myerson and writer and theatre critic Octavian Saiu explore the influence radio has had on drama and its development as an artform.

Moshe Kam of Drexel University, Philadelphia, discusses the neverending cycle of advancements in cinema, that provide for expanded artistic freedom and in turn lead to new technological opportunities. Chaired by Sir John Arbuthnott, President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

The Internet is the greatest store of human knowledge that has ever existed. But it is also a shopping mall, a video arcade and a Pandora’s Box. Tom Standage, digital editor of The Economist, and Emily Bell, director of the Tow Centre for Digital Journalism at Columbia University, discuss the Internet’s effect on…

As we spend more time online or attached to a mobile device and with increasing amounts of information being generated and captured, Jon Oberlander, Professor of Epistemics at the University of Edinburgh, explores the cost to privacy of this new technological power. Chaired by Guardian journalist Aleks Krotoski.

Jesse Schell, Distinguished Professor of Entertainment Technology, Carnegie Mellon University, and technology entrepreneur Chris van der Kuyl discuss the gamification of design and its potential for widespread influence. Chaired by writer Ben Hammersley.

In the face of today’s ongoing technological revolution, author and journalist Ben Hammersley examines how we must consider today what we do not know for tomorrow. Chaired by journalist Robert Dawson Scott. Speech-to-Text Reported event.

What are the responsibilities and challenges of filmmakers in confronting the real world? From cinéma vérité to experimental filmmaking, this introduction to the art of documentary discusses key approaches to the genre and examines how filmmakers negotiate ethical and practical challenges when documenting life. Using…

Universal Quidem. Revealing, thought provoking and at times hilarious, BBC Radio 2 legend Johnnie Walker discovers the real person behind the celebrity. Famous for his years on pirate Radio Caroline and Radio's 1 and 2, Johnnie is regarded as one of the finest radio interviewers today. Now Johnnie escapes the studio…

Just Festival. Ever wondered how to fight injustice and inequality? What the world would be like without religion? Does art ever change anything? How human trafficking exists in the UK? Will Israel and Palestine find peace? Join the conversation as we discuss a different issue each day, featuring speaker panels, films…

For seventy years John Berger has made an outstanding contribution to the Culture of Europe, and Scotland. On 4th. 5th & 6th of August - Summerhall is proud to present three Public Seminars exploring Berger's work as Artist and Art Critic; as Philosopher and Political activist; as Novelist, Poet and…

Damian Barr brings his celebrated Shoreditch House Literary Salon to Edinburgh. Join him for exclusive readings and revealing interviews with some of the world’s best writers. Guests include the formidably fabulous Janice Galloway and the most marvellous Maggie O’Farrell. Tickets include one delightful cocktail.

Ian Stoutzker, co-founder with Yehudi Menuhin of Live Music Now, discusses the organisation’s distinctive work and Menuhin’s vision with Director of Live Music Now Scotland Carol Main.