Free Talk by Dr Habab Idriss Ahmed
Sudan is located in Northeast Africa, at the crossroads between Sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, and the Red Sea region. This strategic location made it a meeting point of different civilizations and cultures for thousands of years, connecting Africa with the Mediterranean world and the Middle East. Throughout history, Sudan has witnessed the rise of remarkable civilizations such as the Kingdom of Kush, the Christian Nubian kingdoms, and the Islamic sultanates. As a result, the country possesses exceptionally rich and diverse cultural heritage, including archaeological sites, historic cities, museums, traditional practices, and cultural landscapes that reflect the long and complex interactions between different peoples and cultures.
However, this heritage is currently facing serious threats due to the war that began in April 2023. The conflict has severely affected museums, archaeological sites, and cultural institutions, particularly in major urban centres, but also in areas previously considered relatively safe. Many museums have been damaged, looted, or occupied, leading to the loss and dispersal of invaluable artefacts. In addition, the widespread displacement of communities has reduced site protection and monitoring, increasing the risks of destruction, illicit excavations, and looting. These circumstances have placed Sudan’s cultural heritage in an extremely vulnerable situation and highlight the urgent need for national and international efforts to safeguard it.
Sat 14 March 11am-12pm Doors open 10.30am
Talks at The Smith
My Career in Ruins by David Mitchell
POSTPONED
Due to unforeseen circumstances, this talk will not go ahead as planned on Wed 25 March.
Once a new date is organised, we will update the website. We apologise for any inconvenience.
We can learn much from the historic buildings we see as ruins. Who better to take us behind the scenes than the Chair of The Smith’s trustees?
Join Dr Mitchell, Director of Cultural Assets for Historic Environment Scotland, as he provides insights from 30 years of heritage projects, taking us from Mount Rushmore and the Forbidden City back to Scotland and the Stone of Destiny.
Admission: Payment in cash or card at the door.
Full price £5, Students £3.
Talk starts at 2pm, doors open at 1.30pm.
Artwork from Stirlingshire’s High Schools
We are delighted to present this exhibition of portfolio artwork from the seven high schools across the region – Stirling High, St. Modan’s, Bannockburn, Wallace, Dunblane, McLaren & Balfron.
The pieces span S4-S6 and were selected to showcase the extraordinary talent thriving within our school art departments.
This collection is not just a display of skill, but a window into the minds of our community’s youngest creators. From the quiet intimacy of portraiture and photography to the loud energy of abstract expression and sculptural pieces, this exhibition proves that you don’t need a lifetime of experience to have a story worth telling.
You will see the results of months of experimentation, risk-taking, and discovery. These works represent the moment an idea becomes tangible. We invite you to celebrate the bravery it takes to create and the dedication these young artists have shown in finding their unique voices.
What will you see when you look at the world through their eyes?
Talks at The Smith
Working with Artists: Unfolding and Independent, Feminist Curatorial Practice by Katherine Murphy.
Katherine is a leading independent curator, reporting from the cutting edge of the Scottish contemporary art scene. She will show how curating is a process of care, collaboration, and community building, with the artist at its heart.
From her perspective as a working-class feminist curator and lecturer, she will highlight the importance of conversation, long-term relationships, and interdisciplinary exchange.
Admission: Payment in cash or card at the door.
Full price £5, Students £3.
Talk starts at 2pm, doors open at 1.30pm.
Talks at The Smith
The Refugee System by Jamie McDiarmid is a University of Stirling Spotlight in our Talks at The Smith series.
We welcome another of the university’s leading research students to share some details of his discoveries.
Jamie will explore whether the international refugee regime is in crisis, considering the EU’s differentiated approach to Syrian and Ukrainian refugees.
His Ph.D. thesis is a captivating blend of international relations, law and sociology, examining the approaches of both the EU as a whole and its’ member states.
Admission: Payment in cash or card at the door.
Full price £5, Students £3.
Talk starts at 2pm, doors open at 1.30pm.
An Exhibition of Scottish Photography
14 January 2026 – 19 April 2026
People take photos primarily to capture and preserve memories, document life’s moments, and connect with others, but also for creative expression, exploring the world, self-reflection, and sharing our unique perspectives.
Photos encourage us to look closer, notice details, and appreciate the beauty in the everyday, turning fleeting experiences into lasting visual records or artistic statements.
Photography has become increasingly popular over the last few years and as a result, we have seen more talent emerge. This Exhibition highlights four dynamic and varied photographers living and working in Scotland today: Samantha Dearlove, Andrew Allan, David Gilliver, and Thomas Lamont. Together, their work spans landscape, wildlife, macro photography, night-time photography and still life.
This is a rare opportunity to see their work displayed together, demonstrating the rich variety of photographers across Scotland.
Join us to craft your own festive willow wreath with June from Willow Works at The Smith!
Ticket price includes your own wreath to take home, mince pies, mulled wine & soft drinks.
Tickets £30 plus booking fee, suitable for ages 12+
Click the link below to book:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/christmas-wreath-making-tickets-1975995270045?aff=oddtdtcreator
Rediscoveries from the Sudan collection in The British Museum
by Tim Moller
Join us for a talk by Tim Moller, The Headley Trust Project Curator in the Department of Egypt and Sudan at The British Museum. Learn about the stunning Sudanese objects at The British Museum, some of which are currently on display at The Smith in our spotlight loan exhibition Ancient Sudan: enduring heritage.
Tickets to the talk are free, but we ask that you reserve a spot by clicking the link below:
In lieu of ticket payment we suggest a £5 donation to UNICEF’s Sudan appeal to support humanitarian aid in the country, which you can do by clicking here:
Donate to Sudan Appeal for Children in Crisis – UNICEF UK
Talks at The Smith
Book Launch: Sons of Great Men, by Adrian Ross
Adrian will read extracts, discuss the writing process, and answer questions about his new novel – Sons of Great Men.
The novel is a wry, bittersweet tale of family pride lost and gained. The narrator is a sometime actor and pantomime dame, who is mistaken for his brother, a Tory MP, by their ailing mother.
Admission is free!
Discounted copies of the book will be available to be bought and signed.
Talk starts at 2pm, doors open at 1.30pm.
Artwork by Claire Blanning.
Talks at The Smith
Prospects for a Green Economy – Matthew Crighton
Will a future without oil or gas bring continuing decline or a decisive shift to a cleaner Scotland and a more prosperous economy?
These competing scenarios will be explored through the lens of ‘Just Transition’ by Matthew Crighton, the Sustainable Economy Advisor to Friends of the Earth.
Admission: Payment in cash or card at the door.
Full price £5, Students £3.
Talk starts at 2pm, doors open at 1.30pm.