The Panto is just for kids, right? Oh no it isn’t!
The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan has been delighting audiences, young and old. There are some brilliant shows on across Aberdeen this Panto season, including Aladdin at Tovoli and Cinderella at Aberdeen Arts Centre. However, there can be no doubt that the daddy of them all is at HMT.
To experience the show first-hand, we sent Northsound 1 breakfast presenter Jeff Diack along. It's safe to say he had a brilliant night.
Well, it might be, but I am a huge kid and had a brilliant time at this year's HMT show, The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan.
Alan McHugh is back for his umpteenth outing as the Dame. He is truly hilarious as Maggie Celeste. His partnership with PJ Corrigan as the wee dafty, Smee, is effortlessly funny. It’s hard to tell if the fluffs are genuine fluffs, or if the writing is just brilliantly done. In either case, the two will draw the audience in and keep them engaged throughout the entire show.
The pair relentlessly take the mick out of Brendan Cole’s Captain Hook, who himself is brilliant, switching from evil to funny at the drop of a hat. The dance-off between the characters captures everything that panto should be, engaging and tremendously funny.
Aberdeen’s own Danielle Jam also returns this year as Tinkerbell the Doric Fairy who truly is a treasure. Fellow Aberdonain Michael Karl-Lewis, who went to the effort of waxing his chest to be a convincing boy who never grew up, pulls it off as Peter. And a Pan story wouldn’t be complete without Wendy, who is played by the dazzling Beth Nicolson.
Strap yourself in for a laugh a minute. The show really is a great jig, Bobby.
The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan runs at HMT until 8th Jan 2023, where the big kids can enjoy the show just as much as the actual kids.
TEDxAberdeen 2022 | Everything you need to know
Following a successful event last year, Aberdeen Arts Centre will host TEDxAberdeen for its second event on Saturday 12 November. It will be a day of sharing interpretations of TEDxAberdeen's theme of "movement." A wide range of topics will be discussed, including social acceptance, racism, language preservation, and resistance to change. In addition, they will look at rethinking values and societal conditioning.
TEDxAberdeen has announced that ticket applications for this year are now open. People who would like to attend are now invited to apply for tickets for the one-day event on 12 November 2022 at Aberdeen Arts Centre. The application window closes on Monday 10 October.
TEDxAberdeen's head, Moray Barber, said that selecting candidates to speak this year was a very challenging task. He said that it “demonstrates the northeast of Scotland is full of thought-provoking ideas and talented speakers.
“Our speakers impressed us with their unique takes on movement - moving beyond, moving minds, and moving bodies - we can’t wait to see how they refine and hone their ideas.”
TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged. Today it covers almost every topic you can imagine in more than 100 languages. The TEDx program is a self-organised series of events that offer attendees a TED-like experience at a local level.
Ten speakers have been handpicked to speak on the famous red dot in Aberdeen this year.
Dr Aileen Alexander
Talk Title: The Benefits of Movement
Why as a nation are we more sedentary than ever and how is this impacting our mental and physical health and wellbeing?
Aileen will delve into the benefits of exercise at an individual and a global level addressing some of the reasons why we don’t exercise as much as we should.
Eric Doyle
Talk Title: Passion will get you moving, passion with strategy and community will get you further…
Eric will share his experience of embarking on a gruelling challenge event, fuelled by the emotion of a conversation with a friend who sadly lost his life. During the event he quickly got into serious trouble and couldn’t complete the challenge. A few years later Eric, decided to do it again with a completely different approach and mindset.
Katie Forbes
Talk Title: Autism is a difference, not a disorder
Katie is an autistic marketing professional specialising in digital and social media based in Aberdeen. Katie’s talk discusses the detrimental impact of healthcare professionals and the media portraying autism as a disorder; something that needs to be fixed or cured. She will invite the audience to look beyond this terminology and see autism for what it is, simply a difference. Not bad, nor less - just different.
Fraser Hay
Talk Title: From Human Being to Human Becoming
Entrepreneur and business coach Fraser will talk about how the events of the last couple of years have caused many people to stagnate. As a result of many industries collapsing, businesses closing their doors, and many individuals being laid off, paid off, or made redundant, thousands have found themselves at a crossroads.
Fraser will share a powerful four step process with specific examples from his life when he had stagnated and was faced with considerable challenges, and the results he was able to achieve in applying the process to his next stage of growth.
Lauren Hay
Talk Title: Speak Properly: Is Doric Dying?
Cullen born quine, Lauren will share her concerns about the growing disconnection from our North-east dialect doric.
“Doric is at risk of extinction as we are shackled to scrolling on screens and have less and less conversations in ‘real life’ and this is where Doric exists – in the communities around us. It is not a language that we read nor write very often but we speak it every day. The less we speak and more we scroll the more disconnected from Doric we become.” explains Lauren.
Lyly Lepinay
Talk Title: Beyond the Chinese Takeaway
Buckie born marketing specialist and creative writer, Lyly, will give us a taster of life beyond the Chinese takeaway.
Lyly says: “Often when we think of the Chinese community in the UK, the first thing that comes to mind is the takeaway or buffet restaurants. There’s little the average person knows about the community other than their own Chinese takeaway order. This comes as no surprise as our community is often invisible in mainstream media despite being the third biggest ethnic minority group in Scotland.”
Zoe Morrison
Talk Title: Why we say people don’t like change
Robert Gordon University Professor Zoe says: ‘I’m excited to talk about why we say that people do not like change. All too easily we use this statement as an excuse, identifying other people as the reason for lack of movement. But how valid and engaging are our ideas to initiate change?
She adds: “I'm looking forward to exploding the myths about change and explaining the potential impact if we stopped telling ourselves that people don't like change.”
Del Redvers
Talk Title: How your hypocrisy can help to save humanity
Corporate affairs director and environmental charity chair Del will challenge our thoughts about hypocrisy and how being a hypocrite is not only okay, it can enable positive change.
Del explains: “To address the biggest challenges humanity faces we must move quickly through social and behavioural transitions. In these transitions there are gaps between what we say and what we do, where our hypocrisy is evident.
“Hiding our hypocrisy as a vulnerability or a failing slows our progress. Instead, we can acknowledge and own it, using the tension it creates to draw us to a better future.”
Sarah Rochester
Talk Title: We don’t need a reason
Communications manager Sarah will share her experience of the decision to stop drinking.
Sarah says: “When I stopped drinking, I felt constantly anxious because I didn’t have a ‘reason’. I didn’t have a rock bottom moment and therefore I didn’t have an answer to the question ‘why?’. Until I realised that wanting to was enough on its own. I hope to be part of a change in the conversation around alcohol, to help people see they don’t need a reason.”
Alex Whyte
Talk Title: The Career Mother Gear
Alex’s talk centres around her experience of pursuing her career while also entering motherhood. Alex explains: “This period has been the hardest and fastest pace of life I have ever experienced. A pace I didn’t know I had in me until I was faced with the prospect of failure in one or the other.”
Completing the line-up is Martin Robertson. Martin will share his views on how to live a full life with dementia and why society should not write dementia sufferers off.
TEDxAberdeen 2022 | A diverse and eclectic group of speakers
Program Curator Derrick Thomson adds: “We have a diverse and eclectic group of speakers who will now embark on an 18-week coaching process to craft their ideas ready for the event in November.
“This is the exciting part; taking the speaker’s raw concept and working them to create an idea worth spreading. I am really looking forward to supporting the speakers as they prepare for their moment in the red dot - we’re co-creating an engaging and inspiring event for our community.”
For more information about TEDxAberdeen visit their home page.
Gray's Degree Show bursts with colour
Three years have passed since the last Gray's Degree Show. Like many of us, this year's graduates have spent a good deal of their studies working from home. They've had to self-motivate and have missed out on social interaction and mutual inspiration.
You may think this might affect some of the quality of work, but I'm here to tell you that the artwork on display is some of the most spectacular, fully realised in the show's stellar history.
Over 100 graduating artists and designers have presented their projects at this year's event. Among the disciplines on display are painting, contemporary art practice, fashion and textiles, communication design, photography, and 3D design, many of which are actually on sale.
A highlight of the Gray's calendar each year, the Degree Show celebrates the talents and achievements of the final-year students. The work created by graduates at Gray's Degree show is of really high quality. But that isn't the whole story. It's also very accessible and entertaining.
This show is probably the best way in the city to see such a huge range of art styles all in one place.
A testament to the graduates drive
Show producer Sally Moir was keen to praise the work of the graduates. She told us, “The effort, ambition, thoughtfulness, criticality throughout the graduating student shows across fine art and design is an absolute testament to their drive to put on a physical show after such a challenging art school journey.
“Be sure to come along over the next week to immerse yourself in an array of creative practices, we promise it will not disappoint.”
Speaking personally, I haven't enjoyed viewing art in digital spaces through the pandemic years. It was an imperfect solution to a very real problem. It wasn't great way to engage with the work, but it must also have been extremely challenging for pupils to recreate their vision in digital.
It's clear that many of this year's final-year students have also been keen to ditch digital. The vast majority of the work on display is right there in the real world…and it's so much fun. As a result, the whole space has amazingly positive energy.
It's no surprise that organisers chose "Welcome to the real world" as this year's tagline. These artists are pushing forward to the future. There's a positivity and ambition on display that's infectious. Despite a busy schedule, I actually left feeling refreshed and inspired.
The Grays Degree Shows are always brilliant in their own ways, but this year's iteration was one of my favourites. I'll definitely be taking the time to visit again. You should get down to see it before it ends on Saturday 18 June 2022.
It's free and it's fun so take a friend along with you. You might find it gives you a lot to talk about.
Aberdeen Events
Check out Gray's Degree Show 2022 on Aberdeen Events
Find more events and activities in the Aberdeen Events Calendar
Back to Light the Blue
Light the Blue youth festival will return to the city this June to celebrate the best and brightest local young talent. Venues will host a dynamic and energetic programme of dance, music, film, and spoken word performances. These will take place from Thursday 16 - Saturday 18 June.
Young people across the region and beyond will have the opportunity to get involved, spark conversation, collaborate and celebrate their talent while experiencing an inspirational event program. Light The Blue is a bold and exciting addition to the North-East’s cultural programme. This is an event created by and for young people.
Susan Whyte of Aberdeen Performing Arts, Susan Whyte, said: “Light the Blue is a snapshot of young talent across Aberdeen and beyond, right now.
“The aim of the festival is to spark imaginations and start conversations. To bring young creative minds together and create unforgettable experiences. So we’re really excited and proud to be showcasing these talented, creative artists and performers.
Light the Blue | Thursday
Music Hall’s Big Sky Studio will be the venue for the opening performance of the Light Blue Festival on Thursday, 16 June. In honour of the city and its achievements, Aberdeen Performing Arts' Young Company and Grampian Hospitals Art Trust will perform 'All About People'. The Foresterhill campus community is the focus of this short film with a mixture of sound, imagery, and live performances from the Young Company. Also, A live beatbox set by Jason Singh will set the tone for the festival weekend.
After that, the first event of the Fuse multi-bill series will be held at the Lemon Tree. The program for the show will include performances from the Aberdeen Performing Arts Senior and Intermediate Youth Theatres, City Moves and Ten Feet Tall Theatre Company. Their performances will showcase the talents of young people through theatre, dance, and film.
Finally the day will close with a DJ set by Jason Singh featuring soul, funk, spiritual house, reggae, bhangra, drum and bass, disco, garage, Afrobeat, and more.
Light the Blue | Friday
The Friday, 17 June event schedule will include free workshops on Hip Hop and a scratch night for emerging artists.
Featuring works in progress by young creatives, this exhibition has been curated by young people from open call submissions and mentored by professional artists. Furthermore this is an opportunity for emerging creatives to test out new material in front of a supportive audience.
Continuing the Light The Blue festivities, the SC&T Youth Concert is taking place at the Lemon Tree on Friday night. Young folk musicians from around North East Scotland will perform together with some of the country's best musicians to showcase group and solo performances.
Light the Blue | Saturday
An array of free workshops will be offered on Saturday, including workshops on making audio performances and devising performance materials. In addition, Ten Feet Tall Theatre and Aberdeen Jazz Festival will provide insights behind the scenes. While Belmont Filmhouse will host a film screening.
On Saturday, the city's latest up-and-coming musicians will perform at the Bon Accord Roof Garden for a free concert. Learn how to collect and share happiness with The Happiness Collectors, an interactive journey of silliness and sound. Fuse events continue at the Lemon Tree with performances from Aberdeen Performing Arts Junior and Intermediate Youth Theatre, City Moves Dance, Castlegate Youth Theatre, and Aberdeen Youth Music Theatre.
Light the Blue will present a show with a theme of 'Light the Way'. It will include outdoor pop-ups and cabaret performances hosted by drag star Jordy Delight. Performers will include spoken word, drag, theatre, and music artists. Amongst them will be activist/performance artists Ink Asher Hemp & Mal Fraser, and local singer-songwriter AiiTee. Light the Blue 2022 will conclude with DJ Evan Duthie's under 18s Club Night at the Lemon Tree.
Most events across the programme are completely free, with donation options for selected events. Light The Blue Festival Producer Jordan Blackwood said: “Whether you are taking part in Light the Blue or coming along as a member of the audience, it is a fantastic way to support youth arts in the region. The festival has a fresh and exciting feel, developing new talent in a professional way while allowing young people that hint of rebellion that they deserve.
Events Calendar
Check out Light the Blue Festival on Aberdeen Events
Find more events and activities in the Aberdeen Events Calendar
Nuart Plus | More than murals
Organisers have announced Nuart Plus, a program of exciting events to celebrate Aberdeen's much-loved street art festival Nuart Aberdeen. These take place from 9-12 June.
The festival weekend will not only include walking tours and art workshops. But also film screenings, debates, food, drink, and craft stalls, as well as stage entertainment.
Nuart Aberdeen will be officially launched at 1 pm on Saturday 11 June. It will kick off in conjunction with a special Inspired Nights event on Broad Street. Inspired Nights will feature music, street food, bars, and creative spaces for both children and adults throughout the weekend.
Free walking tours around the new murals and art installations will begin after the official launch ceremony. They will also continue at regular times on Saturday and Sunday.
In addition, the festival programme includes exclusive film screenings at the Belmont Cinema. You can also look forward to a free conference at the Cowdray Hall that will explore the festival theme of Reconnect.
Aberdeen Inspired and Aberdeen City Council revealed earlier this month that a total of 11 artists from around the world will converge in the city in June to create brand-new street art for the people of the city to connect with.
Nuart Plus | Martha: A Picture Story
The festival's conference programme will begin with a screening of Martha: A Picture Story. The film chronicles the remarkable career and life of Martha Cooper, an American photojournalist. Throughout her career, she has published photographs in Smithsonian, National Geographic, and Natural History magazines as well as several dozen books and journals.
In 1984 Martha published a book of photographs illustrating the graffiti subculture known as Subway Art. The book sold millions of copies worldwide and became known as the "Bible" of graffiti.
Nuart Aberdeen's Martyn Reed commented on the festival weekend, saying: “What a privilege it will be to welcome Martha Copper to Aberdeen for the launch of the festival. Born in the 1940’s she is a lady that I have great admiration for and one that has accomplished so much throughout her career.
“She broke new pictorial ground highlighting a grassroots art movement that was later embraced by mainstream culture while remaining steadfast to be recognised as more than just a graffiti photographer.
Nuart Plus | Keynotes from the Cowdray Hall
The conference will also feature keynotes by Dr Erik Hannerz from South Korea, Dr Lachlan MacDowall from Australia, and Dr Stephen Pritchard from the UK. The conference talks and presentations will be held at the Cowdray Hall. They are free and open to the public.
Nuart Plus | Street Collage
NESCOL is hosting a free Street Collage Workshop with Miss.Printed and Rhed Fawell. Festival artist Miss.Printed has a passion for locative collage. She makes small paper collages and leaves them behind in urban environments for others to find and reflect on.
This hands-on two-hour workshop will allow participants to create their very own collage piece to place on the streets of Aberdeen. Spaces for the workshop are limited and people interested in taking part should apply online.
Nuart Plus | Chalk Don't Chalk
The Chalk Don’t Chalk Workshop will operate outside Provost Skene House on 12 June. People of all ages can drop in anytime during these hours to create their own chalk street art pieces on the ground beneath them. They give everyone the "freedom of the city" to create their own street art.
Nuart Plus | Inspired Nights and walking tours
Inspired Nights, popular in previous years at The Green will run all weekend, now located on Broad Street.
The popular Nuart Aberdeen walking tours are back too. Also now starting from Broad Street, they are free and open to all ages. Tickets must be booked in advance.
Adrian Watson of Aberdeen Inspired commented on the festival programme: “What better place than Aberdeen city centre to act as the perfect stage for the events that will bolster our highly acclaimed street art festival, Nuart Aberdeen.
“Everyone will find something to enjoy as part of the festival weekend and the programme of events, workshops, film screenings and tours simply act as a further draw to reconnect people with the city.
Do you want to know more about the Nuart Aberdeen 2022 artists? Check this out...
Aberdeen Mela back for Summer 2022
Aberdeen Mela One World Day is all set to return to the Granite City this summer. Westburn park will be ablaze with colour, celebrating the cultural diversity of the city and the North East. There'll be food, music, dance, and loads of kids' activities throughout the day. All of this comes together to bring the park to life in an all-encompassing multicultural festival.
Aberdeen Mela is being held for the first time since 2019. But as in previous years, the program will be led by wonderful and talented performers. All representing Aberdeen's amazing diverse ethnic communities.
Aberdeen Mela is all about the food!
The biggest selling point of Aberdeen Mela for the team here at POST is the food! There's such a huge variety of international cuisines on offer. And so the only problem is deciding which food stall you'll visit next!
Furthermore, the organisers at Aberdeen Multicultural Centre are always looking to expand their offerings with new and diverse catering. Along with the food stalls, you can also expect crafts, clothes, and other fun activities.
Furthermore, organisers will provide pitches to Third Sector and Public Sector Organisations. This is a fantastic opportunity for them to interact and engage with the many diverse international communities of Aberdeen.
Aberdeen Multicultural Centre
The focus of Aberdeen Multicultural Centre is to celebrate Aberdeen's ethnic diversity. Cultural sharing and performing arts are very effective avenues for doing this.
Aberdeen Mela also provides a wonderful platform and showcase for this with performers from across the region, Scotland, and throughout the UK. On each stage, the programme will be diverse and entertaining with a mix of professional artists and community performers.
What you need to know
Westburn Park is brilliant during Mela. It's a great way to sp[end a Sunday with the whole family. There really is something for everyone. You'll definitely head home at the end of the day with a full heart and a full belly. We'll see you there!
WESTBURN PARK
SUNDAY 21 AUGUST
12 PM-7 PM / FREE ENTRY
Events Calendar
Check out Mela One World Day on Aberdeen Events
Find more events and activities in the Aberdeen Events Calendar
Nuart Aberdeen 2022
Everything you need to know about Aberdeen's street-art festival
Organisers of Aberdeen's street art festival Nuart Aberdeen have announced the full line-up for the 2022 event. 11 international artists will descend upon the city in early June. They'll aim to create art that will invoke connections between people and the city.
The first Nuart festival was staged in 2001 in Stavanger, Norway. It was and still is under the direction and curation of its founding director Martyn Reed. His mission is to bring art to the masses.
Nuart Aberdeen 2022 Reconnects
"RECONNECT" is the theme of Nuart Aberdeen 2022. Its a response to the disconnection and uncertainty that have characterized the past two years of social isolation and lockdown. Martyn hopes that Nuart Aberdeen 2022 will help to alleviate the stress that has become a part of our everyday lives.
He told us “We have connected with artists, academics and industry professionals from across the globe to explore and present the very best that this culture has to offer for Nuart Aberdeen.
“I think the theme of ‘Reconnect’, is pretty self-explanatory. We're aware of the connections we've stretched to the limit or lost during two years of pandemic and enforced isolation. If art presented in a festival format is good for anything, then it's making connections. Art to people, people to place, to the city, to each other, across borders, genders and race.
"At the very least, I'm hoping it inspires someone to pick up the phone and call their mum. I'd consider that a win.”
Nuart Aberdeen 2022 Tours
Nuart Aberdeen has also announced the return of their popular street-art tours. Due to the large number of work now on display throughout the city, they have now split these into two separate tours. The west end tours and the east end tours will begin in late May.
Over the two-hour long tours, you'll hear about the artists behind the murals, and what inspired them. The expert tour guides will also share all the behind the scenes stories about how the works were created. Tickets can be bought on the day from the guides and also from the Eventbrite website.
Who are the artists?
So below is the full list of artists for Nuart Aberdeen 2022. We've included links to their websites and social media channels, so you can explore their work further. On top of that, we've added guides so you can find the work of each mural for yourself. If that's not enough, there's an interactive map that you can add to your phone while you are out hunting down this year's spectacular selection of street art.
Martin Whatson | NCP, Virginia Street
Included in the lineup of inspiring national and international street artists is Norwegian street artist Martin Whatson. You may remember him as the artist who created a mural on Queen Street as part of the first-ever street art festival in 2017. His mural, featuring a golfer was hugely popular with the crowds. A few locals were also given the opportunity to create their own graffiti tags as part of his creation.
HOW TO FIND IT: You can find Martin Whatson's spectacular return to the city right next to the exit of the NCP on Virginia Street. The multi-coloured graffiti and stencilling. It is absolutely unmissable, especially as it is right next to James Klinge's massive mural.
James Klinge | Ibis Hotel, Virginia Street
Also in the Nuart Aberdeen 2022 artist lineup is Scottish stencil artist James Klinge. He was born in Glasgow, where he continues to live and work. His work is primarily figurative using intricate and detailed hand-cut stencils as the foundation of the process. Yet he describes the process of his paintings as controlled chaos. It is difficult to see that his paintings begin from stencils. His complimentary blend of intense detail with expressive strikes from his palette knife. He brings abstraction to his paintings by attacking the canvas.
HOW TO FIND IT: The Ibis Hotel is one of the city’s tallest blank walls. Perfectly visible to visitors arriving in the city by boat. It's absolutely huge and unmissable.
Pejac | Union Street
The global appeal and influence of the festival is demonstrated by the inclusion of Spanish artist Pejac who will make a rare appearance as part of the event. Pejac mainly paints with black to create silhouetted figures and shadows but sometimes uses splashes of colour to show them in a smart and poetic manner in both playful and serious scenes. His creations have enchanted audiences around the world and it’s a real coup to secure his place in the 2022 lineup.
HOW TO FIND IT: Nuart makes its Union Street debut. It's a difficult one to spot...especially when the city centre is busy and bustling. Head to Citizens Advice and LOOK DOWN!
Nuno Viegas | Gerard Street
Portuguese artist Nuno Viegas was originally on the artist lineup for the cancelled 2020 edition but secretly visited the city as part of a ‘lockdown edition’. His clean and minimal work draws on traditional graffiti for inspiration. Nuno is looking forward to returning to the city and told us “We are finally going to make it happen! 2020 was marked by the Lockdown Edition after covid ruined our plans and stopped us all from travelling. It feels great now to join the Nuart Aberdeen family in person once again for the Aberdeen jam!"
HOW TO FIND IT: These buildings are already home to a Nuart Aberdeen Mural. The spectacular crystalline head mural was painted by Norwegian Henrik Uldalen. If you walk along Gerard Street from George Street you won't miss it.
Jofre Oliveras | Frederick Street Car Park
Explorer, landscaper, and activist. Jofre Oliveras uses art as a communication tool with a social focus. The main location for his work is in public space. His community-based and self-sufficient lifestyle led him to become part of Konvent, a cultural and artistic community-organised residency space. He has produced works and organised events with an international trajectory in the muralism sector and as a realist painter.
HOW TO FIND IT: This is a very large mural that is best viewed from Princes Street. So if you approach from Park Street, you won't miss it.
Mohamed L'Ghacham | Lime Street
Painter and muralist Mohamed L'Ghacham was born in Tangier (Morocco) and based in Mataró (Barcelona). Always interested in the Plastic Arts, he discovered the world of graffiti and years later he started to be attracted by Classical painters and the language they use. His work is mainly figurative with a realistic aspect and Impressionist touches. He creates scenes from everyday life happening around him.
HOW TO FIND IT: Lime Street is towards the Fittie end of Aberdeen Harbour. It's a small street between Apollo House and a car park. If you are walking from town and have the harbour to your right, you'll find this tucked away on the left.
Slim Safont | Union Row
Nil Safont was born in Berga (Barcelona) and graduated in Fine Arts from the University of Barcelona. He is a muralist and painter, mainly interested in urban art and interventions in public space. His works are large-format paintings that use the walls of the streets as canvases. He works on topics closely linked to the different daily lives he discovers in the social contexts where he works.
HOW TO FIND IT: This site is near an older Nuart Aberdeen mural by Lithuanian-born artist Ernest Zacharevic. If you walk past the huge toddler and the seagull with Union Plaza on your right, you will fund it on the back side of the same building.
Erin Holly | Union Grove
An artist who paints indoors on canvas and activates public spaces with her murals. She has also implemented and curated a DIY art venue called the Abacus and a street art project in Cardiff Wales called Empty Walls between 2013 and 2015. Erin seeks collaborations in and around the LGBTQ+ community and is an activist for trans rights. She lives and works in London, UK and studied at the City and Guilds School of Art, London.
HOW TO FIND IT: The side wall of Brodies on Union Grove is a huge blank canvas. Three storeys high and also easily visible from the road. It's close to the junction with Holburn Street.
Elisa Capdevila | Wapping Street
Barcelona based muralist Elisa Capdevila began her artistic career began in 2014 when she studied painting and drawing in a traditional school in Barcelona. She started painting murals during that time, first as a mere exercise where the canvas was replaced by a wall, later realising its broader possibilities and deciding to focus her personal work around these larger-scale projects.
JACOBA | Justice Mill Lane
Copenhagen-based muralist Jacoba Niepoort is a muralist who has been painting in the public space since 2009. Scale is a personal obsession, and the streets are often her playground because they are where everyday people move. JACOBA’s work is grounded in her belief that connectedness facilitates a better understanding of self and others, and is a powerful tool to address and change current social issues.
HOW TO FIND IT: Holburn House is currently partially empty, but there is a HUGE wall to the rear on Justice Mill Lane. You'll find it across the road from the Bon Accord Baths and Park Inn hotel.
Miss.Printed | City Centre
Norway based Miss.Printed is sure to delight and surprise with her delicate miniature paper collages which she will place in the streets. She photographs her collages on location under adverse conditions. She loves to combine paper elements and their predators: water, fire, snow, wind and sky. In an urban environment, she leaves her papercuts behind for others to reflect upon.
HOW TO FIND THEM: Look hard and look down. These murals are all over the city centre, especially near the other Nuart Aberdeen 2022. They are likely to disappear over time though so catch them while you can!
Nuart Aberdeen 2022 Interactive Map
We've created this interactive map to help you find the amazing work from 2022. It has been a very special year, and the work will remain part of our cityscape for years to come.
Transforming the streetscape
Brought to the city by Aberdeen Inspired and Aberdeen City Council, the multi-award-winning Nuart Aberdeen has transformed the streetscape of the Granite City. Commenting on the return of the festival, Adrian Watson, Chief Executive of Aberdeen Inspired said “At its heart, Nuart Aberdeen 2022 is all about connecting people with the city through the art that is created by the talented street artists which the festival draws.
“Nuart Aberdeen has helped put the city on the map in terms of its cultural offering and it has changed the face of the city since it first began in 2017. Over the years we have played host to groundbreaking street artists and delivered projects that have involved participants from all walks of life. We are excited to see what people make of this year's programme of events.
Aberdeen City Council is a key funding partner for the festival. Council Leader, Jenny Laing told us “The city is delighted to welcome back Nuart Aberdeen. I expect residents and the public at large will be excited by the announcement that the festival is back and the lineup of artists.”
streetartaberdeen.org
If you loved the world-class murals on display at Nuart Aberdeen, you might like to explore Aberdeen's very own street art and graffiti scene. Finding where to look can be challenging though, and that's why Andy Gaskell set up Street Art Aberdeen.
It's a guide to all the work on display in the city with a record of over a thousand pieces of work and growing. You can start with unofficial Nuart Aberdeen pieces, work by Aberdeen writers, and even work that has long gone. It's a brilliant record.
Visit streetartaberdeen.org and begin exploring. Remember to check in regularly as new work is added every few days.
TEDxAberdeen date announced
TEDxAberdeen has announced that their big ideas event is back for 2022. Speakers will gather on Saturday 12th November at Aberdeen Arts Centre. This year's talks will be centred around the theme ‘Movement’.
The goal of TEDxAberdeen is to “inspire and ignite conversation through a lineup of captivating speakers, spark deep conversation, and create meaningful connections through the sharing of ideas.”
Despite a covid effected launch for 2021, the long-overdue event had arrived at a perfect time for Aberdeen. The TEDxAberdeen conference presented ten speakers, videos and Q&As for a day of connection and big ideas in the Aberdeen Arts Centre under the banner 'New ways of seeing old things.'
Many who attended last year's event found it inspiring. It challenged our individual languages around mental health, our life experiences and their impact on others, our jobs, careers, our land, and our neighbours. Its message was a reminder that each of us can make a difference, whether it is in the lives of those around us, or even in our own little world.
Applications for speakers are now open, with organisers asking to speak on the theme of Movement. And so the team at TEDxAberdeen has suggested talks on physically moving, change, progress, an action or strategic shift. But most importantly, what does the word mean to you. Does it “spark an idea worth sharing”?
You can apply to be a speaker on the TEDxAberdeen website, and also register your interest in attending this year’s event.
Nuart Aberdeen 2022 announced
Nuart Aberdeen 2022 has been confirmed for this summer and will be held on 9-12 June. Once again, the city and its walls will serve as the canvas for world-class street artists.
The streetscape of Granite City has been transformed by Nuart Aberdeen over the last four years. More than thirty street artists, hailing from the USA, Europe, Australia, South America and the UK, painted stunning works of art. The city's walls, pavements, billboards and even potholes have transformed the city centre into an outdoor art exhibition featuring everything from golfers to leopards.
The event began with the production of the first mural by Herakut at the Green in 2017. It was an iconic piece and many people were heartbroken when developers tore it down over the past month. All the way up to the remarkable mural Helen Burr painted on the gable end of the Meridian building on Union Row last summer, portraying a couple and their baby. People are hugely attracted to the art and consider it part of the city. It's expected that the murals from Nuart Aberdeen 2022 will have an equally big impact.
It's been a rough couple of years
Martyn Reed directed and curated the first Nuart festival in Stavanger in 2001. His goal has always been to make art accessible to everyone.
Martyn commented, "It's been a rough couple of years. Having to cancel the 2020 edition a month before the launch was absolutely demoralising. The team had worked so hard getting plans into place with so many local businesses, partners and volunteers. But this paled into insignificance compared with the challenges we all faced individually and collectively as the reality of the pandemic became clear. I think many of us, cities included, became more insular. Siloed and focused on getting through a major global crisis.
“But even through all of this, we managed to stay connected to friends. Our extended family and network in Aberdeen, was always more than "business". Returning to "reconnect" was always a light at the end of the corona tunnel. I can't adequately express how happy we are to be back amongst those friends and family who kept things moving through 2020 and 2021.
Bring something special back to a city we regard as home
“We've asked the artists and guests to consider this theme of "Reconnect" for 2022. Reconnecting with each other, public space, dreams, and hope for the future. Hopefully, Nuart Aberdeen can help in easing some of the collective anxiety we've all been feeling these past few years. We can bring back a sense of community. I don't want to make any grand claims about art’s place in the grand scheme of things. We’d just like the people of Aberdeen to know we're going to do our best to bring something special back to a city we regard as home."
The festival weekend will feature a full line-up of street art productions. It' will be back with events, community workshops, creative spaces, talks, conference programmes, and tours. It’s shaping up to be the most exciting festival to date.
The city centre is expected to be flooded with thousands of people throughout the weekend. They'll be able take in the murals and installations created by the artists. And also enjoy all that is on offer as part of the festival experience.
The finest internationally acclaimed street artists
Commenting on the return of the festival, Adrian Watson, of Aberdeen Inspired said “Nuart Aberdeen is a festival unlike any other seen in the city. It has a mass appeal and inspires people of all ages to enjoy art in their own way at their own pace.
“We are delighted to bring the festival back to the city centre this year. Locals and visitors can expect to see work from some of the finest internationally acclaimed street artists.
“Nuart Aberdeen has firmly placed Aberdeen on the global stage as a destination of choice for street art enthusiasts. This coupled with our developing food scene, café culture, reopening of Union Terrace Gardens, superb theatres, clubs and pubs and other attractions all help to position Aberdeen as a great place to live, work and visit.”
Walls are critical to making Nuart Aberdeen 2022 a success. Organisers at Aberdeen Inspired are appealing to property owners to become part of the event. They can put forward potential walls for artists to make their own during the festival. In particular, they are still on the hunt for a few big external city centre walls in good condition, visible to the public and not granite or listed.
To submit a wall, please send an email to callforwalls@aberdeeninspired.com with the following information: a photo of the wall, address and approximate dimensions of the wall.
Hazlehead Academy becomes Aberdeen's first school to be awarded the LGBT Charter
Community
Hazlehead Academy becomes Aberdeen's first school to be awarded the LGBT Charter
By Kevin Mitchell
The LGBT Charter, run by LGBT Youth Scotland, is a programme that enables an organisation or school to proactively include LGBTI people in every aspect and provide a high-quality service to students, clients and service users.
After a series of projects within the school for LGBT History Month with artists ‘Outlines Collective‘, a mural wall was designed and painted on the wall by artists Kirsty Lawie, Naomi Christie and Hazlehead pupils to celebrate the school’s creative positivity and awareness and proactive inclusion.
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