🧭 New Travelling Art Exhibition Comes to Fife

Good morning, Fifers! We had a strong response to our poll in Friday’s newsletter regarding potential short-term let controls in Fife, with a huge majority being in favour. This included 56% saying they would be in favour of controls throughout Fife and 24% saying they would support it, but just in the East Neuk.

Here’s what’s coming your way today:

• New Travelling Art Exhibition Comes to Fife

• 23 Events to See This Week

Let’s jump in, there’s plenty to talk about!

— Duncan

TODAY’S TOP STORY

🎨 New Travelling Art Exhibition Comes to Fife

Fife has a vibrant art scene, and we regularly showcase many of the great and varied events taking place across the Kingdom in our events section. However, this new travelling exhibition is a little different, as it focuses on an often overlooked issue: the extra costs of living in rural areas.

The Rural Art Exhibition was created for the Rural Poverty Conference held in October 2025 during Challenge Poverty Week, focusing on the "Rural Premium", the additional costs people face simply because they live in a rural area. The artworks share real experiences of rural life, the challenges people face and what they'd like to see change.

The exhibition will visit seven venues across North East Fife between January and March, with each two-hour session open for drop-ins. At least one group involved will be present at each event to speak with visitors and answer questions. Importantly, the exhibition also provides an opportunity for local people to share their own experiences, with feedback helping to shape the new Rural Poverty Plan due to start in April.

Exhibition dates:

• Thursday, 22nd January, 12–2pm: Tayside Institute Community Centre, Newburgh

• Tuesday, 27th January, 10am–12pm: Colinsburgh Town Hall

• Wednesday 28th January, 11am–1pm: St Andrews Community Hospital

• Tuesday, 24th February, 10am–12pm: Adamson Hospital, Cupar

• Monday, 2nd March, 10.30am–12.30pm: Balcomie Links Hotel, Crail

• Wednesday, 11th March, 10am–12pm: Dolphin Centre, Tayport

LOCAL HEADLINES YOU NEED TO KNOW

• ☕ The café at Duloch Leisure Centre in Dunfermline has closed after years of difficult trading, with Fife Sports and Leisure Trust set to convert the space into a new Health and Wellbeing Hub by summer 2026.

• 💸 Small businesses in Dalgety Bay are calling for a review after non-domestic rates bills surged by up to 72%. Councillor David Barratt has urged the Scottish Government to consider reviewing or postponing the 2026 valuations, amid wider concerns over fairness in business rates across Fife.

• 🧹 Fife Council is launching a year-long pilot project to trial a new approach to stairwell cleaning in council blocks, covering 19 blocks and 140 properties. The plan will reduce regular cleans from fortnightly to ten times a year, but add two deep cleans, keeping overall costs the same.

• ✊ Workers at Bosch Rexroth’s Glenrothes factory have secured a new deal ending their strike over pay and conditions. Nearly 300 Unite members accepted a four per cent pay increase after the company withdrew proposed cuts, fire-and-rehire threats, and short-term working changes.

• ✈️ NHS Fife has led a landmark training programme for senior medical students, simulating in-flight medical emergencies at Edinburgh Airport. The full-day event allowed students to gain hands-on experience managing medical incidents in an aircraft setting.

• 💧 Concerns have been raised about potential water contamination at Goathill Quarry in Cowdenbeath, linked to a by-product of waste incineration containing heavy metals. A local resident claims runoff is poisoning groundwater, though SEPA says past non-compliances have been rectified and monitoring shows no contamination outside the site.

• ⚡ A new ten-bay electric vehicle charging hub has opened at Farmfoods in Kirkcaldy, offering ultra-rapid chargers that let most EVs 'charge & go' in around 15 minutes.

• ⚓ During restoration work at Culross Pier, workers discovered 19th-century timber fenders on the seabed, likely used to protect ships berthing alongside the pier.

• 🛒 B&M has submitted new plans for a store on Ridge Way in Dalgety Bay, on the site of the former Dobbies store. The proposal includes a slightly smaller 2,323 sqm retail unit, a 650 sqm garden centre, and 105 parking spaces with EV chargers.

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WHAT’S ON IN FIFE?

Please remember to double-check details with venues before travelling, as events can occasionally be cancelled or rescheduled at short notice, and some will require prebooked tickets.

📅 Tuesday, 20th January

Birding for Beginners: Ruddons Point - Join us for a coastal walk by the Firth of Forth for waders and seabirds.
📁 Tour | 🕢 10am | 📍 Shell Bay Car Park, Leven | 🎟️ Donation

Fisher & Donaldson: 106 Years in the Baking - Chloe Milne joins us to share some of the history, stories and successes of the 106-year-old local institution.
📁 Talk | 🕢 2:30pm | 📍 St Andrews Bowling Club | 🎟️ £7

📅 Wednesday, 21st January

Eleanor the Great - When things go too far, Eleanor must confront the truth.
📁 Movie | 🕢 11am | 📍 Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £5

Salsa Beginners Class - You can join at any time. Each class is different, so you’ll always learn something new.
📁 Dance | 🕢 6:30pm | 📍 Young Community Hall, Burntisland | 🎟️ £10

Wednesday Night Slides - 1/10th scale Electric RWD Drift cars only, and must be running Buzz Break or DS Racing LF4 tyres.
📁 Entertainment | 🕢 6:30pm | 📍 Parkgate Community Centre, Rosyth | 🎟️ £5+

Intesa Duo: Viola da Gamba and Soprano - The recital will include songs by M Marais, Marenzio, Dowland and traditional Armenian songs.
📁 Music | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Kirkcaldy Old Kirk | 🎟️ £18

Bachata Beginners Class - You can join at any time. Each class is different, so you’ll always learn something new.
📁 Dance | 🕢 8:30pm | 📍 Young Community Hall, Burntisland | 🎟️ £10

📅 Thursday, 22nd January

Rural Art Exhibition - A new travelling art exhibition will be visiting rural Fife communities.
📁 Art | 🕢 12pm | 📍 Tayside Institute Community Centre, Newburgh | 🎟️ Free

Pittencrieff Park From Privilege to Public Treasure - Dunfermline historian Elaine Campbell will deliver a lecture on the history of Pittencrieff Park.
📁 Talk | 🕢 6:30pm | 📍 Dunfermline Carnegie Library & Galleries | 🎟️ £5

National Theatre Live: The Fifth Step - Finn den Hertog directs the provocative and entertaining production filmed live from @sohoplace on London’s West End.
📁 Movie | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ £13.50+

The Legends of American Country - Europe’s No.1 multi-award-winning country music show!
📁 Music | 🕢 7:30pm | 📍 Rothes Halls, Glenrothes | 🎟️ £26.50

Burns' Night - Our customary Burns Night event with music, haggis neeps and tatties, and an address to the haggis from Ronald Sandford.
📁 Entertainment | 🕢 8pm | 📍 Crail Community Hall | 🎟️ £12

📅 Friday, 23rd January

Creative Craft Club For Adults - Come and enjoy a regular Friday morning of creativity.
📁 Art | 🕢 10am | 📍 Letham Village Hall | 🎟️ £15

Ladies Burn's Lunch - Three-course lunch, bagpipes, DJ, raffle, and auction.
📁 Entertainment | 🕢 12pm | 📍 The Adamson, St Andrews | 🎟️ £60

Burns Night Music and Ceilidh - Night of traditional Scottish tunes and lively dancing.
📁 Entertainment | 🕢 7pm | 📍 Queens Hall, Charlestown | 🎟️ £10

Paul Jones & Dave Kelly - The Blues Band are now retiring from touring, but their two lead vocalists will continue with their Acoustic Duo concerts.
📁 Music | 🕢 8pm | 📍 Backstage at the Green, Kinross | 🎟️ £41.80

Jamie Adamson and John Muir Jr - Performing originals and covers.
📁 Music | 🕢 8pm | 📍 Fire Station Creative, Dunfermline | 🎟️ Free

🎉 Multi-Day Events & Exhibitions

From These Parts: Scotland, Art and Identity - Special preview evening filled with live music, drinks, and creative activities.
📅 Sat, 18th October - Sun, 15th February | 🕢 10am | 📍 Wardlaw Museum | 🎟️ Free

Paul McGinty: Beneath The Surface - This body of work represents elements of Paul McGinty's ongoing research into the history of the Coal Mining Industry in Fife.
📅 Thu, 8th January - Fri, 27th February | 🕢 10am-4pm (Thu & Fri) | 📍 Adam Smith Heritage Centre | 🎟️ Free

Unveiling the Madonna - Discover the story behind the Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist, the oldest painting in our art collection.
📅 Sat, 8th November - Sat, 7th March | 🕢 10:30am | 📍 St Andrews Museum | 🎟️ Free

Scottish Snowdrop Festival 2026 - Visitors can enjoy our winter garden and specialist snowdrop collection and the swathes of naturalised snowdrops in our woodland walk to the sea.
📅 Sun, 25th January - Sun, 15th March | 🕢 10am | 📍 Cambo Country House and Estate | 🎟️ Varies

Bunker Shots: Stories of Golf and Conflict - Surprising connections between golf and conflict, including the impact on golfers and their equipment.
📅 Fri, 18th April - Tue, 31st March | 🕢 9:15am | 📍 The R&A World Golf Museum, St Andrews | 🎟️ £17.50

Kirkcaldy Boot & Mart - Indoor and outdoor market held every Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday.
📅 Sat, 10th January - Wed, 16th December | 🕢 9am (Wed, Sat, & Sun) | 📍 6 Michelson Drive, Kirkcaldy | 🎟️ Free

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THANKS FOR READING

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Cheers,

Duncan