Langstane Place Studios Marks 20 Years of Creative Life in Aberdeen
Artists reflect on history, community, and creativity as the building reaches a milestone.
Langstane Place studios have been part of Aberdeen’s creative life for two decades. This Friday, 12 September, the studios will celebrate 20 years of providing artists with a permanent home in the city centre.
The building has a layered history. Before it became a cluster of studios, it was a print works, and even earlier, it housed trades such as corset making and painting. Of course, its name links back to the Lang Stane, an ancient stone that sits at the end of the street, thought to be either part of a Bronze Age circle or a boundary marker. It is a place that has always adapted to creative use.
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What life inside the studios looks like
Since Wasps redeveloped the building in 2005, 32 artists have worked there across painting, printmaking, textiles and other practices. Painter Keith Byres, who has been involved since the early days, recalls: “During this time and with affordable space for artists being a premium, we had to rely on short-term lets, which wasn’t an ideal situation. Thankfully, in 2005 we moved into our permanent home at Langstane and this has given me the time, space and opportunity to develop my practice as a painter and the chance to cross paths with so many talented artists.”
Painter Joe Fan, another long-term tenant, says: “It’s the warmest and most civilised studio that I’ve worked in. I spend more time there than at home.”
Marking the milestone with an exhibition
To mark the milestone, a group exhibition will run from 12 September to 3 October in the ground-floor gallery. The show brings together paintings, textiles, prints and mixed media works made in the building. The gallery will be open Thursday to Sunday, 11am to 4pm, with artists present throughout.
Printmaker Jonathan Comerford has also created a new piece, Ladders to Success, for the anniversary. Displayed in the gallery window, it reflects the different paths artists take through their careers, along with the persistence and challenges that come with them.
Building a creative community that lasts
Many tenants see Langstane Place as more than an affordable space. Lorraine Taylor, who has worked there since 2012, shared: “I have been a tenant at Langstane Place for around 15 years, and I feel so lucky to have my studio right in the heart of the city centre. It’s great to be able to have my own space to work in alongside other like-minded artists. We can choose to be alone but know that there are others there.”
Painter Catriona Platten, who joined in 2020, said: “Having a studio within an artist community has been deeply beneficial to my practice. It offers a balance between the private intensity of painting and the shared energy of collective creativity. Being part of a community has also created opportunities for visibility, collaboration and friendship.”
The 20th anniversary is not only a look back at the past two decades. It is a reminder that spaces like Langstane Place matter to Aberdeen’s cultural life. Having a secure, permanent home for creative work is rare, and this milestone is proof of its importance.
