Collage, mixed media and botanical drawing will shape a short run of free LGBTQ+ art workshops in Edinburgh’s New Town this June, hosted by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.
The LGBTQ+ Drop-in Art Workshops run from 16 June to 18 June 2026 at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, 11 Queen Street, Edinburgh EH2 1JQ. Admission is free, booking is essential, and the sessions are open to LGBTQ+ people and allies of all ages. The source listing does not give start or end times.
Free workshops in Edinburgh’s New Town
The programme is being led by local queer artist Rachel Howarth and RCPE Heritage Engagement Co-ordinator Rachel Forrest. Rather than a single open studio day, the listing sets out two themed sessions across the three-day window, each with a distinct focus and set of materials.
The venue places the workshops inside one of Edinburgh’s central New Town cultural settings. The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh is hosting the sessions at its Queen Street address, giving participants a city-centre location for a short creative programme tied to LGBTQ+ identity, visual symbolism and natural forms.
The event is framed for a broad audience. The listing states that LGBTQ+ people and allies of all ages can attend, so the workshops are not limited to experienced artists or a specialist group. The practical appeal is straightforward: free entry, provided materials for at least one workshop, and a programme built around guided making rather than passive viewing.
Queer Alchemy Collage opens the programme
The first named session, Queer Alchemy Collage, takes place on 16 June 2026. It uses collage and mixed media as a form of alchemy, drawing on Rebis, a symbolic figure associated with the union of masculine and feminine within one identity.
The source notes that Rebis can be seen in the College’s new exhibition space. That connection gives the session a direct link between the art being made and the visual material already present at the venue. Participants will be working with collage and mixed-media approaches, and all materials for this workshop will be provided.
The description keeps the focus on image-making rather than lecture-style interpretation. The idea is to use an existing symbolic figure as a starting point for creative work, with identity, transformation and visual layering sitting at the centre of the session.
Botanical mark making closes the run
The second named session, Queer Botanical Mark Making, takes place on 18 June 2026. This workshop turns toward botanical illustration, inviting participants to use drawing prompts, different paper types and a range of art materials to record plants and flowers.
The listing says there will be plants available to draw from life. Lavender is named as the centrepiece, chosen because of its associations with the LGBTQ+ community. That gives the workshop a specific visual anchor, while still leaving room for participants to experiment with line, texture and paper.
The session’s wording suggests a looser approach to botanical illustration than a traditional technical class. The emphasis is on “queering” the form: exploring different ways of looking at and recording plants, rather than simply reproducing them in a conventional style.
What to know before booking
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Event | LGBTQ+ Drop-in Art Workshops |
| Dates | 16 June to 18 June 2026 |
| Venue | Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh |
| Address | 11 Queen Street, Edinburgh EH2 1JQ |
| Area | New Town, Edinburgh |
| Price | Free admission |
| Times | Not listed in the source text |
| Entry | Booking is essential |
| Audience | LGBTQ+ people and allies of all ages |
The confirmed workshop dates are 16 June for Queer Alchemy Collage and 18 June for Queer Botanical Mark Making. Both workshops are free to attend, but the event listing states that booking is essential.
Source: Forever Edinburgh Events
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This preview is based on the published event details for the LGBTQ+ Drop-in Art Workshops in Edinburgh.
- Confirmed the event title, venue and Queen Street address from the source listing.
- Checked the listed date range of 16 June to 18 June 2026.
- Verified that admission is free and booking is essential.
- Noted that start and end times were not included in the source text.
- Source
- Forever Edinburgh Events
- Scope
- Edinburgh
- Updated
- 2026-06-29 12:08
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