Life is a Strange Place 

12 October-2 November. Entry free. Compass Gallery, West Regent Street, Glasgow, G2 4RL. 

A new solo exhibition at Compass Gallery from one of the most important painters working in Scotland today - Neil MacPherson. He had his first solo exhibition at the gallery was back in 1986 and he’s since gone on to receive numerous awards. A highly creative and skilled painter, his work comes from the myths and legends of the far north where he lives and works.

https://compassgallery.co.uk

The Time of Her Life IV

5-27 October. Entry free. The House of Smalls, 103 Henderson Row, Stockbridge, Edinburgh, Eh3 5BB. 

The fourth annual exhibition of the same name, this show features the very diverse and relatable work of women artists responding to their thoughts, feelings and emotions. It’s an emotive, honest, powerful, funny and uplifting exploration of being a woman. 

https://www.thehouseofsmalls.art

Found Shapes 

5-30 October. Entry free. &Gallery, 3 Dundas Street, Edinburgh, EH3 6QG. 

Karine Leger has always had a special affinity for painting and drawing and her artistic vision has evolved through photography, collage and painting. This exhibition delves into the artist’s process of creation where sketches emerge from the “found shapes” of nature. Through this journey, sketches and collages transform into paintings or wooden structures revealing the progression of the artist's vision. 

https://andgallery.co.uk

John Byrne Smokey JoeJohn Byrne's Smokey Joe (Image: John Byrne)

Limited Editions

5 October-28 November. Entry free. Glasgow Print Studio, 25 and 48 King Street, Glasgow, G1 5QO. 

Limited Editions offers buyers and collectors an opportunity to acquire - or just peruse - last, low-run and unique prints from many of the studio’s most celebrated artists. Some of the highlights include a rarely available Elizabeth Blackadder Orchid studies, John Byrne’s Smokey Joe etching from 2010 among many others. 

https://privateviews.artlogic.net

AdvoCard 30th Anniversary Exhibition

8-12 October. Entry free. Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, Eh6 8RG. 

This exhibition is a celebration and reflection on the work of AdvoCard from its founding as a grassroots organisation in 1994, through to the legislation of the Mental Health Act in 2003. Discover more about the history, the people working and volunteering in independent advocacy and how much it has progressed. This exhibition illustrates the work of staff and volunteers in words and photographs.

https://www.outoftheblue.org.uk/

Take Me to New Lands and Then Take Me Home

5 October-3 November. Entry free. Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1SR. 

A stunning collection of paintings by Orcadian artist and musician Sarah McFadyen explores the line between the worlds of fact and imagination and between the land and the sea. New work is shown alongside previous pieces inspired by David Thomson’s The People of the Sea to continue a life-long exploration of this theme. 

https://scottishstorytellingcentre.online.red61.co.uk

Tape Letters Scotland

12 October-31 January 2025. Entry free. Tramway, 25 Albert Drive, Glasgow, G41 2PE. 

Drawing from first-hand interviews and from the informal and intimate conversations on the cassettes themselves, this exhibition platforms the experiences of members of Glasgow’s Pakistani community. A social history project, Tape Letters shines a light on the practice of recording and sending messages on cassette tape as an unorthodox method of communication by Pakistanis who migrated and settled in the UK between 1960 and 1980. 

https://www.tramway.org

Scott Myles - Head in a BellScott Myles - Head in a Bell (Image: Scott Myles)

Head in a Bell

5 October-23 February 2025. Entry free. Gallery of Modern Art, 111 Queen Street, Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow, G1 3AH.

A new exhibition of painting, sculpture, print, moving image and sound by Scott Myles. The artist examines the ideas of exchange and circulation. At the heart of the exhibition is a social sculpture entitled “Instrument for the People of Glasgow” comprised entirely of donations from Eurorack synthesiser manufacturers from many different countries. 

https://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/

Sanctuary

5-26 October. Entry free. The Scottish Gallery, 16 Dundas Street, Edinburgh, EH3 6HZ. 

Artist Naoko Shibuya was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan and studied fine art at the Tama Art University before continuing her studies at Edinburgh College of Art and now divides her time between Japan and Scotland. For this exhibition, discover a sense of the interior, both spatial and psychological, in her paintings. 

https://scottish-gallery.co.uk

A Collector’s Eye

5-26 October. Entry free. The Scottish Gallery, 16 Dundas Street, Edinburgh, EH3 6HZ.

The F.C.F. Valentine Post-War print collection features and impressive line up of iconic artists from both the UK and abroad, reflecting the radical shift that occurred in the arts after the Second World War. Many of the artists on display represent a new era of art by individuals eager to express themselves and challenge traditional perceptions of art. 

https://scottish-gallery.co.uk