How do you paint a masterpiece? In The Secrets of Painting, artist and broadcaster Lachlan Goudie seeks the answer to this question by exploring how twenty of the greatest paintings in human history were created, from a blank surface to the finishing brushstroke.

Beginning at the dawn of civilization with prehistoric cave paintings and ending with the arrival of AI, Goudie unveils the methods and techniques employed by individual artists, bringing their studios to life at the very moment they produced their most celebrated works. Along the way a bigger picture is painted, charting how the evolution of painting materials has changed the course of human creativity.

Join us for this fascinating illustrated talk, which will also mark the official opening of the 2027 festival.

Tickets £20

Tickets will go on sale to the general public on 15th March and 1 week earlier to benefactors of the festival who qualify for priority booking.

About Lachlan Goudie:

Lachlan Goudie is an artist whose work is regularly exhibited in London, Edinburgh and New York.  

In addition to painting, Lachlan is also a writer and Arts broadcaster.  In 2015 Lachlan wrote and presented the landmark BBC TV series ‘The Story of Scottish Art’.  He has presented numerous other arts documentaries for the BBC, appeared as a judge across four series of BBC1’s ‘Big Painting Challenge’ and was the presenter of BBC4’s ‘Life Drawing Live!’ (2020, 2021).  Lachlan has been nominated for awards at BAFTA and the Royal Television Society Scotland.

Lachlan’s first book, ‘The story of Scottish Art’, was published by Thames & Hudson in September 2020.  His new book ‘The Secrets of Painting’, which charts how the evolution of painting materials has changed the course of human creativity, was published in April 2026. 

Lachlan was born and grew up in Glasgow, Scotland, before studying English at Christ’s College, Cambridge and Fine Art at Camberwell College of Art in London.