St Andrew’s Day is a public holiday in all but actuality, with many Scots again pondering why it’s not designated as such. However, Calum Martin, national co-chair with Scottish Socialist Party, says a public holiday isn’t a frivolous demand and can be accompanied by a range of options and policies to enhance Scottish arts, culture and public space…

Music is often divided into two broad spheres: the mainstream and the underground. In Scotland, this is no different, and ‘DIY culture’ as a concept continues to be lauded and promoted in our independent music media. But how inclusive and community-driven is our underground music scene? And what attempts are there to decouple it from the dominant neo-liberal model? Dr Stewart Smith poses these questions in this long read…