1 British Art Show

Venues across Edinburgh, from Sat

Billed as the place to go to see some of the UK’s most exciting contemporary art, the British Art Show is presented every five years in four different cities around the country. Said to be its most ambitious to date, the show’s eighth edition features the work of 42 artists and encompasses performance, film, sculpture, installation and painting and design. With a stint in Leeds just finished, Edinburgh is the second city to host the exhibition this time around, with works on display until May 8 at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Inverleith House in the Royal Botanic Gardens, and Edinburgh University’s Talbot Rice Gallery. Admission is free at all venues. http://britishartshow8.com

2 Spectra Festival

Aberdeen city centre, Thu-Sun

See the Granite City in a different light with the return of this free, family friendly event showcasing a dazzling variety of entertaining and interactive light and sound installations by a range of Scottish and international artists. Brightening up the streets, buildings and outdoor spaces around Union Terrace Gardens - plus a number of new city centre sites including St Nicholas Kirkyard, Marischal College and the Seventeen arts hub - this year’s Spark of Inspiration theme has been devised to tie in with celebrations for the 2016 Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design. www.spectraaberdeen.com

3 Scottish Snowdrop Festival

Across Scotland, until March 13

A great opportunity to venture out and observe the changing of the seasons in person, this annual initiative showcases some of the finest spots in the country to see freshly sprung snowdrops. Among nearly 60 gardens, estates, and woodland spaces taking part are Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Gardens, Hopetoun House in West Lothian, Blair House in Ayrshire, and Lochwinnoch Nature Reserve in Renfrewshire. With many locations opening to the public specially, entry is offered free of charge, or for a small fee or donation. www.visitscotland.com/snowdrop

4 Fife Jazz Festival

Across Fife, Thu-Sun

Bulked up for its tenth year into a four day jazz, blues, swing and soul spectacular, Fife Jazz Festival arrives with a host of foot-tapping options for the weekend. Spanning venues across the entire Kingdom, this year’s bill includes performances from Scottish blues rock icon Maggie Bell, big band veteran Chris Barber, Hot Club-style gypsy jazz combo Rose Room, and US gospel queen Naomi Shelton. Elsewhere, Saturday’s The Big Dance offers a chance to join in and cut loose with an evening of music for dancing with the Scottish Swing Orchestra. www.fifejazzfestival.com

5 Winter Words

Pitlochry, from Fri

Scotland’s literary year gets a kick start with the return of Highland Perthshire’s annual festival of the written and spoken word. Now in its 12th year, 2016’s Pitlochry Festival Theatre-based programme includes a mix of author events, book signings, and literary lunches plus a festival book fair, free poetry readings and a spooky storytelling competition. Among authors, broadcasters, journalists and historians dropping in over the coming days are Rab C Nesbit star Gregor Fisher, Westminster veteran Tam Dalyell, and Corries founder Ronnie Browne. Tickets start at £7.50, available from www.pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com

6 Keyframes

St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, daily

More from the 2016 Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design, this unique outdoor spectacle picks up where the Field of Light installation left off a couple of years ago by transforming St Andrew Square into an accessible public art display. Part sculpture, part light show, Keyframes features a collection of fluorescent tube-style stick-figures, given the illusion of life with ingenious stop-motion choreography and immersive sound effects. Created by French artists collective Groupe LAPS and on show in Scotland for the first time, the installation runs until March 29. www.curatedplace.com/groupe-laps-keyframes

7 Wild Challenge: Be a Bird

RSPB Lochwinnoch, from Fri

Another family friendly outdoor option for the days ahead in the form of this self-guided wildlife challenge on the eastern verges of Clyde Muirsheil Regional Park in Renfrewshire. To take part, simply pick up a map from the RSPB Lochwinnoch visitor centre at any point between Friday and Tuesday, then head out to find a series of stations aimed at giving an insight into what it might be like to be a bird. Available to enter between 10am and 4pm, entry is £3. http://bit.ly/1PNsx6D

8 Glasgow Youth Film Festival

Various venues in Glasgow, Fri-Mon

The only film festival in Europe curated by 15-18 year olds, this weekend-long programme of screenings, workshops and special events starts tomorrow. Specially calibrated to showcase contemporary depictions of teenage life as well as the work of young, first-time filmmakers, themes at this year’s festival touch on everything from first love and peer pressure to identity struggles and generational conflict. Friday’s opener is supernatural chiller The Witch, featuring Game of Thrones star Kate Dickie, with special screenings including time-travelling comedy classic Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. www.glasgowfilm.org/gyff

9 Half Term at Dynamic Earth

Edinburgh, from Sat

Edinburgh’s science centre takes what promises to be an epic journey into outer space over the half term break with an interstellar update their 360-degree showdome cinema programme, and a fresh selection of supporting events. Now screening for visitors is Asteroids: Mission Extreme, a new film about the future of space exploration, while hands-on activities and demonstrations from the Destination Space programme will also uncover the dangers and challenges astronauts face on the International Space Station. Running from Saturday until a week on Sunday, activities are free with admission, which costs £7.95-£12.50. www.dynamicearth.co.uk

10 DB12Run Charity Fun Run

Strathclyde Country Park, Motherwell, Sun

Help keep your new year fitness resolutions on track with this charity 6K run organised by DB12Run, a fitness group for people with diabetes. Those with the stamina can opt for 12K or 18K distances - and dogs are welcome too. With participants awarded a trophy and goodie bag, there are also prizes for best fancy dress as well as male and female winners at each distance. Underway from 10am on Sunday, entry is £25 or £30 on the day, with all proceeds donated to Marie Curie Cancer Care and Diabetes UK. www.db12run.wordpress.com