ROGER Billcliffe, the Charles Rennie Mackintosh expert and gallerist, has said that he expects most of the Mackintosh Building at the Glasgow School of Art to be pulled down.

Speaking at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Billcliffe, said he has been told that the stone work has been so badly damaged by the second disastrous fire that it could all be eventually demolished.

Some of the damaged building has already been removed.

He said: "If you look at it, the stone is so badly damaged by the heat of the second fire, and then the gallons of cold water being poured on it, the engineers say it has lost its structural strength and will probably come down.

"But I don't think that's the end of the world by any means, because after the first fire, a computer survey was made of the exterior and interior....and in theory it can produce the drawings so that it can be built again."

Mr Billcliffe was talking at the book festival about his new book, Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the Art of The Four.

www.edbookfest.co.uk

THE CITIZENS Theatre in Glasgow is to appoint a new executive director.

The executive director will work with Dominic Hill, the Artistic Director, as Joint Chief Executive from 2019.

Judith Kilvington has announced that she will be leaving the role at the end of the year, after five years.

Ms Kilvington led the planning of the Citizens Theatre’s £19.4m redevelopment plans.

The renovation is due to start later this year on the Gorbals landmark.

April Chamberlain, chair of the board, said: "Judith has made a remarkable contribution to the Citizens Theatre in the last five years - in particular, leading the planning and fundraising for our capital project.

"Raising over £18m of our £19.4m target is an incredible achievement.

"Her passion, tenacity and determination have kept the project on track and alongside Dominic’s artistic success have secured the future of our historic company and building in the Gorbals."

Mr Hill said: "Her resolve to bring the capital project to fruition, and integrity and enthusiasm for the artistic programme have ensured we continue to make work that is bold, exciting, accessible and relevant - and in 2020 will finally re-open a building that is fit for that purpose."

The Citizens’ production of Edwin Morgan’s Scots adaptation of Cyrano De Bergerac, directed by Dominic Hill, a co-production with the National Theatre of Scotland and Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, will open at Tramway on 1 September.

The Macbeths, a reimagining of Shakespeare’s play, adapted and directed by Dominic Hill, that premiered last year in the Citizens’ Circle Studio, will tour across Scotland this October.

www.citz.co.uk

THE Take One Action! film festival is to return to Edinburgh and Glasgow this September.

The festival will move on to Aberdeen and Inverness in November.

It aims to engage audiences in "vital conversations of local and global significance", with more than 40 events.

It includes a programme of 17 documentaries – including two European and three UK premieres – and two dozen short fiction, animation and documentary films.

Venues include a two-seater cinema in a refurbished Leith police box, community centres, as well as Edinburgh Filmhouse and the GFT.

This year sees new collaborations with Kinning Park Complex, Maryhill Integration Network and Glasgow Women’s Library.

A theme this year is women’s empowerment, with 60% of the films directed or co-directed by women.

Take One Action will work with the Kinning Park Complex for a 'Social Sunday takeover' which will also involve a meal, bike repair workshops and activities for children.

At Maryhill Integration Network, the short films have been curated by members of the community, who will take part in a conversation exploring how these stories reflect their own experiences as refugees.

The screening at Leith’s Out of the Blue Drill Hall will be accompanied by a meal from the Refugee Community Kitchen.

Every screening will be followed by a conversation and discussion.

www.takeoneaction.org.uk/events