Arts diary: From Bollywood to school choirs - the cultural interests of Scotland's politicians

We definitely got quite an insight into the personal cultural lives of our politicians at an election hustings on the arts sector in Edinburgh last week.

Tory culture spokesman Murdo Fraser extolled the range of his own cultural interests from “music, musical theatre and opera” to visual arts, as well as literature, as a published author of history tome The Rivals: Montrose and Argyll and the Struggle for Scotland. He also has two teenage children who, he explained, are "talented" in musical theatre.

"They definitely didn't get that from me," he added.

Others followed suit.

Neil Bibby MSP was once a cinema usher.

“My first job was as a cinema usher in Glasgow, so I can say I worked in the film industry”, boasted Scottish Labour culture spokesman Neil Bibby.

Meanwhile, Reform leader Malcolm Offord name dropped a recent meeting in Mumbai with Bollywood film producers, who he claimed “love” filming in Scotland because of the “great scenery” and technical talent.

And he also mentioned his childhood love for singing in his school choir not once, but twice, during the 90 minute event.

"Who here was in their school choir?" he asked enthusiastically, to be met with a stony silence from the largely arts sector-employed audience, not one of whom looked likely to vote Reform, but all of whom I would imagine definitely sang in their school choir, even if they didn’t want to admit it to him.

Undeterred, Mr Offord confidently moved on to champion his base policy of making Scotland a “wealthy country”.

But the best quote of the night came from Scottish Green Party candidate and artist Q Manivannan, who was introduced last in the line of six politicians, the first five of whom, as they pointed out, were white men in suits.

Manivannan, who is a Pakistan-born trans artist and poet and the 2023 winner of the Kavya Prize for Scottish Writers, had a different explanation for their own presence.

"I'm Q and I’m the diversity," they quipped, with perfect timing.

‘It’s just us’

This weekend, Edinburgh was host to one of a range of concerts being held around the UK by charity War Child as part of its Brits Week 26 campaign.

The event, at the city’s Assembly Rooms, featured Scottish singer of the moment, Mercury-prize nominee Jacob Alon from Fife and took place simultaneously with a gig by Robbie Williams in Manchester.

The Edinburgh event raised an impressive £37,793 for the charity, which works with children living in war zones.

When the figure was announced, Alon appeared genuinely surprised.

“I thought they meant with Robbie Williams as well, but it’s just us,” they said.

Calling all Marias

A major tourist attraction in Edinburgh is offering free entry this Sunday - International Women’s Day - to anyone called Maria.

The initiative, which will see Marias go free at Camera Obscura, is in memory of Maria Theresa Short, who founded the original observatory which became the popular venue.

Ms Short first opened an observatory on Calton Hill, later adding a camera obscura and the attraction opened to the public in 1835 with mixed reviews.

She later purchased a building on Castlehill and moved her attraction there in 1853, reopening it as a public observatory and museum of scientific curiosities, this went on to become Camera Obscura & World of Illusions as it exists today.

“Maria Theresa Short was a remarkable woman who didn’t shy away from a challenge,” says Andrew Johnson, general manager at Camera Obscura.

“At a time when it wasn’t easy for women to run businesses, Maria created something bold and completely unique to Edinburgh.”

Let’s all raise a glass to Maria this weekend, whether we share her name or not.