Young Talent Takes Centre Stage at Light the Blue Festival
The festival returns this June, celebrating creativity with performances, workshops, and community-led events.
Aberdeen’s Light the Blue festival is returning from June 1 to 15, providing a summer city-wide stage for young creative talent to showcase their skills. Organised by Aberdeen Performing Arts, the event promises two weeks filled with theatre, music, dance, film, and visual arts, all driven by young artists from across the area.
One highlight will see every pupil from Gilcomstoun Primary School involved in an ambitious project titled Playground, creating a unique performance in just one week. This initiative exemplifies the festival’s core aim of placing young people at its heart, giving them control over key decisions such as event programming and promotion. Their work will be showcased publicly on Friday, June 6, celebrating the school’s diverse community.
Jordan Blackwood, Creative Producer for the festival, explained: “Light the Blue is about giving young creatives control, allowing them to showcase their talent authentically. It’s an opportunity for young people from Aberdeen and beyond to connect, celebrate their creativity, and explore new possibilities together.”
The festival kicks off with Emerge on Sunday, June 1 at the Music Hall, offering audiences a first look at fresh, innovative performances by emerging Scottish artists. Highlights include Lucy Beth’s feminist, Doric-language retelling of the bothy ballad “Bogie’s Bonnie Belle,” and a new dance performance aimed at nursery-age children by local artists Laura Booth and Sarah Ord, in collaboration with Fusion Young Dance Company.
Family Arts Day returns on Sunday, June 8, featuring an array of affordable and free family-friendly activities spread between His Majesty’s Theatre, Union Terrace Gardens, and Aberdeen Art Gallery. Attendees can expect craft workshops, backstage tours, interactive performances, and even a colourful procession through Union Terrace Gardens, concluding with a celebratory performance by Sprog Rock.
The festival also hosts Snappy Operas on Thursday, June 5, showcasing contemporary opera performances by over 100 local primary school children accompanied by live music. Another standout event, Tongue Twister on Saturday, June 7 at The Lemon Tree, combines language, music, dance, and on-stage quick-changes in a lively exploration of global tongue twisters.
Tickets for the first batch of Light the Blue events are available now through Aberdeen Performing Arts.
