All year round Edinburgh offers world class exhibitions from the National Galleries of Scotland to the private art boutique-style galleries, all the way down Dundas Street - the Cork Street of Edinburgh - and dotted around the urban villages of Stockbridge, Broughton and Leith.
For the past six years, the Edinburgh Art Festival has added a fresh, new dimension to August's festivals by promoting and presenting a diverse programme of Scottish and international paintings, prints, photography, sculpture, installations, complemented by artists' talks, films, and musical events.
EAF 2009 was launched with style (Ancnoc whisky cocktails and Glenfinlas buffet lunch) on 5th August at a chic, sleek new gallery Inspace, Crichton Street (part of the University of Edinburgh's Infomatics Department).
The first exhibition here Reveal/Reset focuses on communication, internet and new media in our information-rich global society.
Armed with my little free orange EAF Guide, I have dashed around the city to find some of the many highlights which will offer a feast for art lovers.
Start perhaps at the National Gallery Complex, (the RSA building on the Mound/Princes Street), and take a journey through the heat, dust and sunshine of "The Discovery of Spain". This beautifully presented exhibition in the richly purple and gold painted ballroom spaces, focuses on the pioneering, adventurous Scottish and British artists who travelled to Spain in the 19th century, inspired by the work of Velazquez, Goya and El Greco.
Sir David Wilkie and David Roberts left behind the cold, dour Presbyterian Scotland to find a taste of the vibrant colour, culture and passion as well illustrating Spanish political conflicts and Wellington at war. Paintings of Spanish life, fiesta, families, architecture, (such as Roberts' Burgos Cathedral), was the start of a long love affair between the British and Spain, today still one of our most popular holiday destinations. It was the artist Richard Ford who wrote the first guide book, Handbook for Travellers in Spain, published in 1845, triggering the start of the tourist trail to the sun.
The exhibition of 130 paintings, watercolours, drawings, prints and photographs also includes masterpieces by El Greco, Velazquez and Picasso, covering the period 1800 to 1930s, from the Peninsular War to the Spanish Civil War, as artists captured the life and spirit of the country, its people, places and culture.
Another journey is captured by the prolific master of painterly colour, John Bellany in his exhibition, "A Celtic Voyage" at the Open Eye, Abercromby Place. Born and brought up in the fishing port of Port Seton, East Lothian, the life at sea is etched in his soul. He can return again and again to the close-knit fisherfolk community around boats, harbours, and the sea and reveal another view and deeper level of expression.
As Bellany describes his trademark seascapes and iconic portraits of women and fish: "All the knowledge and love of the people is a reflection of my life spent here - 60 years of joy, sadness and spiritual depth and also the beauty of Port Seton overwhelms me. Every time I see it, my heart skips a beat".
Also at Open Eye i2, is a fascinating selection of Spanish prints spanning three centures from Goya to to Picasso and Miro.
Across the road on Dundas Street is the Scottish Gallery, with a Festival exhibition of new paintings by James Morrison - a delightful series of landscapes, capturing the changing weather, sky and light from the rugged north east coastline to the tranquil Borders. Also on display, jewellery, ceramics and Japanese bronze boxes.
Over at the Edinburgh Printmakers, near Broughton Street, a premier show of the work of Peter Blake, the renowned artist, illustrator and one of the fathers of British Pop Art. His most famous image is no doubt the sleeve cover for the Beatles' album, Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. This Festival exhibition is entitled Venice, a series of screenprints depicting imaginary fairytale visions, inspired by his recent travels to the city.
Other prints include works under the series, Alphabet and Love, including a brand new screenprint of Andy Warhol, encrusted with diamond dust -which has its first showing ever at this EAF. On the first night the few prints available were selling like hot cakes.
The Grey Gallery is nomadic, turning up in Edinburgh in August in a different venue to suit the work on show. This year, head to Hawke and Hunter, a bar and restaurant on Picardy Place, to see the ingenious Pop Art paintings by Rob and Roberta Smith.
Last year the Guardian newspaper commissioned the sports and arts journalists to swap roles and tennis correspondent Steve Bierley reviewed the Louise Bourgeious exhibition. His review, entitled, This Artist is Deeply Dangerous presents the starting point for the text, painted in a series of 9 bold, typographical panels to create an 11 metre work of art. It just makes you want to find out more about Louise Bourgeouis, a 97 year old American artist who was a great friend of Andy Warhol. (This guy has had more than 15 minutes of fame!).
Artists do live a long life! Alan Davie is 89 and still painting away, inspired by jazz, Zen Buddhism, and Byzantine mosaics. The Creative World of Alan Davie is ian impressive retrospective of paintings, prints, tapestries and sculpture are on show at the Dovecot Studios, Infirmary Street.
Edinburgh Art Festival - 5th August to 5th September. (core dates, but some exhibitions run later). Free EAF Essential Guide to art in Edinburgh available in all galleries. Check out ART LATE events on 27th August