The Big Art Show, one of Scotland’s largest open entry art exhibitions

Leap then Look: Play Interact Explore
27 September-11 May. Entry free. Tramway, 25 Albert Drive, Glasgow, G41 2PE. 
Artists Lucy Cran and Bill Leslie, who make up Leap then Look, have put together an exhibition that considers play and collaboration to create new relationships with art objects and materials. The works they created have emerged from ongoing collaboration with community groups and as a result they’ve created a lively, exciting and curiosity filled space designed to support and encourage visitors to take part. So much so that everything you’ll see in the exhibition is interactive and visitors are encouraged to spend time in the space and explore all the possibilities available.  
https://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/event/1/leap-then-look-play-interact-explore

Big Art Show
20 September-15 November. Entry free. The Art Department, 9-11 Causeyside Street, Paisley, PA1 1UW. 
The Big Art Show is one of Scotland’s largest open entry art exhibitions and this year’s installment is no different. There’s just over 1000 artworks on display created by 534 artists covering all different styles. There’s paintings, drawings and prints alongside photography, film and digital works as well as fashion, textiles and metalworks. 
https://art-department.org/events/?event=3413

Scotland: An Inner Journey
20 September-3 October. Entry free. Institut francais d’Ecosse, West Parliament Square, Edinburgh, EH1 1RF. 
Photographer Sergio Romero has created this photographic series over many years of travelling through the Scottish landscape. Visitors to the exhibition are invited to delve into their own inner world through a journey across the raw and awe-inspiring nature of Scotland. 
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/scotland-an-inner-journey-a-photography-exhibition-by-sergio-romero-tickets-1477922278319

Thoughts of Home – A collaborative exhibition at The Biscuit Factory
23 September. Entry from £10. The Biscuit Factory, 4-6 Anderson Place, Leith, EH6 5NP. 
Created in partnership with Eleanor Cunningham and Cyrenians, this exhibition explores what it means to feel at home and grounded in a sense of belonging. At the heart of the exhibition are a series of large textile hangings that weave together photographs, fragments of memory and layers of history. There is also a short film on display that brings together aerial footage of the landscapes with reflections on home. 
https://cyrenians.beaconforms.com/form/73312f95

Edwin G Lucas: Purely Individual Painter
20 September-5 October. Entry free. The Scott Gallery,Hawick Museum, Wilton Lodge Park, Hawick, TD9 7JL.
Edwin G Lucas was a Scottish artist who was unrecognised during his lifetime but has become known for unique and quirky work since he was “discovered” by the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in 2013. This exhibition shows paintings and drawings, richly illustrating his Surrealist period and the unique body of innovative work he created later, along with rare archival material from the artist’s estate. 
https://www.liveborders.org.uk/exhibitions/edwin-g-lucas-a-purely-individual-painter/

Edinburgh Open Workshop
27 September. Entry free. Edinburgh Open Workshop, 39-41 Assembly Street, Leith, EH6 7BQ.
Edinburgh Open Workshop is once again taking part in Doors Open Day – Scotland’s largest free festival celebrating heritage and the built environment. Members of the public are invited to step inside the workshop’s thriving makerspace and discover the creative energy that fuels its community. 
https://www.edinburghopenworkshop.co.uk/events/doors-open-day-2025/

CATALOGUE: 25 years of the Centre for Advanced Textiles
20 September-18 October. Entry free. Garnethill Gallery, Reid Building, The Glasgow School of Art, 167 Renfrew Street, G3 6RQ. 
The Centre for Advanced Textiles at The Glasgow School of Art celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2025 by showcasing its ground-breaking journey and lasting impact on the textile industry. It highlights pivotal moments from their 25 year history. Visitors can see works from leading fashion and interior design brands alongside creations by undergraduate bursary recipients, community-driven initiatives, celebrated fine artists and internationally acclaimed clients.  
https://www.gsa.ac.uk/

POLSKI
20 September-29 September. Entry free. Scot-ART Gallery, St Margaret’s House, 151 London Road, Edinburgh, EH7 6AE. 
POLSKI is a new group exhibition celebrating 10 years of Polish art in Scotland. The exhibition includes new and existing work by 17 artists of Polish heritage based in Edinburgh and Scotland and includes sculpture, painting, photography, performance and video. 
https://www.scot-art.co.uk/