Nuart Aberdeen 2022 BBC documentary and global awards
Our much-loved street art festival, Nuart Aberdeen, has been featured in a new BBC Alba documentary, Tog do Shuil (Painted City). This globally acclaimed festival has brought tens of thousands of international creatives and tourists to the Granite City, leaving a lasting legacy for the people of Aberdeen.
The hour-long documentary follows BBC Alba's Mairi Rodgers – who is new to the art scene and visited Aberdeen during Nuart 2022. Mairi signs up as a volunteer and is encouraged to pick up a spray can to make her own mark on the city and unleash her “inner vandal”!
Filmed during the Nuart festival last summer, it features many of the talented artists, including Slim Safont, Jacoba Niepoort and James Klinge and legendary photographer Martha Cooper.
And if you didn’t manage to catch the documentary, you can access it on the BBC iplayer here, where it’s available to watch until the middle of February.
Two murals which form part of Nuart 2022 were both nominated and came within the top 100 for the Best Of 2022 awards created by Street Art Cities – one of the biggest online street art communities in the world. Slim Safont’s The Punishment (which can be seen at Union Plaza) and Nuno Viegas’ Queen Of Hearts (on Gerrard Street). We are please to report that Slim took fourth place (out of 100 nominations) and number 1 in 'Best of June 2022' by Street Art Cities, voted by the largest street art community in the world.
We are incredibly excited that these two murals were nominated and globally recognised. More info about the awards here.
Image credit- Conor Gault
World class pipers heading to Aberdeen this June
Duthie Park will ring with the skirl of the pipes on Saturday, 24 June when the European Pipe Band Championships, one of the largest piping events in the world, comes to Aberdeen.
The event which is being organised by The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association in partnership with Aberdeen Inspired and Aberdeen City Council, is expected to bring thousands of visitors to the city.
Adrian Watson, Chief Executive Officer of Aberdeen Inspired said: “We are absolutely thrilled to partner with Aberdeen City Council and the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (RSPBA) in securing the European Pipe Band Championships for Duthie Park in 2023.
“This is one of the largest piping events in the world and will attract bands from near and far. The championships will bring many thousands to our city and we are delighted to work with our partners in realising all the opportunities that an event of this scale can bring, both in the short and longer term.”
Councillor Martin Greig, culture spokesperson for Aberdeen City Council, said: “Bringing the Euro Pipe Band Championships to Aberdeen is a major win for the city. I am really delighted with this success. The musical celebration will give great enjoyment to so many and will be an excellent opportunity for family entertainment.
“I am keen for this event to have longer lasting significance, for example, by encouraging more young people to learning the pipe, and perhaps city schools to have a pipe band. The championship should become an opportunity to develop talent for the long term, helping us to make Aberdeen a city of music,” he added.
It is hoped many retailers, restaurants, bars and other venues will get involved in the celebrations and help to welcome visitors in the run up to the event.
Aberdeen Restaurant Week 2023 hailed most successful yet
The first Aberdeen Restaurant Week of 2023 has been hailed the most successful event yet, with the highest number of participating venues and thousands of diners flocking to take advantage of special menus and offers.
More than 50 restaurants, cafes and bars across Aberdeen took part in our two-week event, which ended on Sunday – but several venues have decided to extend their offering for a further two weeks! A second event is being planned for later in the year. Many of the cafes, restaurants and bars had enjoyed a huge increase in bookings during January, which would usually be quieter after a busy festive season. Hundreds of posts and reviews have been shared on social media channels, with customers sharing recommendations and photos of their favourite dishes. Each venue was asked to curate a special offering, from delicious tasting menus to sharing platters with a glass of wine.
Highlights included exclusive Burns Suppers at Siberia on Belmont Street and The Esslemont on Union Street, as well as a wide range of cuisines, from Scottish fare to sweet treats, street food, tapas, vegan, Thai, Indian, modern British and Italian dishes. The Esslemont is among the venues which have decided to extend its special two-course offer until February 12 following an “amazing” two weeks.
Blogger Nikki Morris-Laing, who runs the Nikki Eats the World blog, visited several restaurants over the fortnight.
“I visited a couple of old favourites and a couple of newbies, including The Terrace at HMT. The space has been beautifully redeveloped and is such a wonderful addition to Aberdeen’s dining scene - with amazing views over Union Terrace Gardens too!
“An initiative like Aberdeen Restaurant Week is really great for giving new restaurants like this a platform to reach new diners. I love that the initiative has evolved over the years and has now been extended to become a ‘foodie fortnight’ - giving both the restaurant and the diner even more opportunity!
Amore Italian Restaurant offered a set dinner with a drink for £20. Emad Elnawaisre of the Huntly Street eatery said it had been very busy.
“Aberdeen Restaurant Week was very good to us and we were very busy over the past weeks, with many customers visiting us for dinner from the set menu. We are thrilled with the response and would recommend to other venues to take part in future Restaurant Weeks,” he said.
Aberdeen Inspired first brought the concept to the city in 2018. Chief Executive Adrian Watson said: “Aberdeen Restaurant Week has been another amazing success and we have had fantastic feedback from the restaurants and cafes who took part, as well as customers who have taken the opportunity to eat out over the past two weeks. “This event drew the largest number of participants and we were pleased to be able to support more than 50 different restaurants, cafes and bars, including several which had not taken part before and a number of brand new venues in Aberdeen.
“Attracting people into the city is a fundamental part of our work and this is a great way to increase footfall as well as supporting the hospitality industry through the traditionally quiet period after Christmas. We are delighted to see some of the venues have also chosen to extend their offers.”
Mr Watson added: “We will be running another Restaurant Week later this year and hope to see similar numbers signing up.”
If you attended Aberdeen Restaurant Week please complete our survey here to help us improve future events.
Top comedians to hit Aberdeen for one off performances
If you love a good laugh – and who doesn’t? - you’ll love comedians Sara Pascoe and Jon Richardson, who will both be visiting Aberdeen’s Music Hall for one off comedy nights as part of the Aberdeen International Comedy Festival!
The star of BBC2 stand-up special, “Sara Pascoe: LadsLadsLads” is back with her brand-new stand-up show - Sara Pascoe: Success Story, which comes to Aberdeen this Saturday (4 February). A highly acclaimed comedian, writer, and actor, Sara decided she wanted to be famous at 14 years old!
Jon Richardson is best known as a team captain on 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Cats Countdown on Channel 4, as well as featuring on the BBC’s Would I Lie To You and Have I Got News For You? His sold-out show The Knitwit on March 12 will detail Jon’s struggles with putting the recycling out on the right day, smoothing over the top of the margarine and pondering how many lights are on upstairs when everybody is downstairs.
For more information click here.
SPECTRA festival to light up Aberdeen city centre
The much-anticipated SPECTRA 2023 returns to Aberdeen from 9-12 February (Thursday-Sunday), from 6.30pm to 10pm each night.
Thousands of visitors are expected to head to the city centre to explore the spectacular winter light and sound festival, will be showcasing works at Union Terrace Gardens, Aberdeen Art Gallery and Marischal College.
SPECTRA brings a jaw-dropping programme of free works by some of the world’s leading visual artists, studios and companies to transform the city centre with light, sound and eye-catching visual art. Inspired by the theme of ‘Home’, this year’s programme once again lights up Aberdeen’s dark winter nights for friends and families alike.
This year also sees SPECTRA return to the newly reopened Union Terrace Gardens for the first time since 2018, with must-see installations and artworks. The gardens will transformed by two spectacular nature-inspired installations. Nature Nocturnal, from the Lantern Company, sees incredible illuminated plants, insects and wildlife transform the slopes of the gardens, allowing visitors to experience the nocturnal natural world in a luminous lantern walk in a kaleidoscope of colour.
Meanwhile Sound Intervention’s towering otherworldly Luminosi Trees will create an absorbing, calming space in the centre of the gardens. These giant jellyfish-like structures, six metres high, are built with thousands of sound responsive LEDs that respond in vibrant colours and mesmerising patterns which are different each time it is visited.
Among the programme’s other highlights will be the first Scottish appearance of Fantastic Planet, from Australian group Parer Studio. The artwork will see towering humanoid figures descend upon different city centre locations. At a time where the world’s resources are being used up and its very existence feels threatened, these gargantuan visitors playfully encourage people to envisage what the future of their own home planet might be.
Elsewhere in the city, Sound Intervention will also be popping up around the town with their Projector Bikes, electric trikes which have been transformed into unique mobile cinemas, Broad Street will be transformed by Pulse, a spectacular 45-metre long light sculpture from Bristol-based creative team This Is Loop. A large-scale, mirrored light sculpture which plays with scale and perception, offering audiences an alternative way of seeing a familiar and iconic space.
The festival also features new commissions that will light up iconic Aberdeen landmarks, including His Majesty’s Theatre and Marischal College, as well as storytelling sessions in English, Scots and Doric, and live dance performances. Aberdeen’s Fusion Youth Dance Company will premiere a new piece of outdoor performance, choreographed by Scottish dance artist Steven Martin and performed in Marischal College Quad. The piece will offer a live response to the eye-catching Fantastic Planet installation that will transform the area during the festival.
A staple of the year-round cultural calendar here in the North-east, SPECTRA is delivered by Aberdeen City Council and created in collaboration with leading arts production company Curated Place.
Plan your visit here.
Image credit - Spectra
Pictured (left to right) - Cruise Aberdeenshire partners Chris Foy, VisitAberdeenshire; Bob Sanguinetti, Port of Aberdeen; Roule Wood, Aberdeen Inspired, and Aberdeen City councillor Miranda Radley at Aberdeen South Harbour.
Cruise tourism to bring more than 12,000 visitors to Aberdeen this summer
Aberdeen will soon be seeing a boost to its regional cruise tourism, with more than 25 cruise calls scheduled between April and September - which will bring 12,000 tourists to the North-east.
The expanded Port of Aberdeen will welcome a wide range of new cruise vessels to the city in 2023, which could boost the regional economy by more than £1.5 million. The benefit to local businesses this year and beyond could be significant with cruise calls to Scotland generating an average spend of £134 per passenger per call (source: Cruise Scotland).
The first cruise call to the new £400 million Aberdeen South Harbour is the eye-catching, 202m long AIDAaura on April 28, which can carry more than 1,200 guests.
Bob Sanguinetti, chief executive of the Port of Aberdeen, said: “We’re delighted to welcome a host of new cruise vessels to Port of Aberdeen in the maiden year of South Harbour. We expect to see year-on-year increases in the number of cruise calls as we ramp up our capacity and capability. It's encouraging to see that major international cruise lines are already booking their larger cruise ships for calls to Aberdeen in 2024 and beyond.”
Port of Aberdeen has a proven track record of welcoming boutique cruise vessels and now extends that expertise to facilitating larger vessels at its transformational South Harbour development. The new deep-water harbour, which is scheduled for completion in Q2 2023, significantly increases the port’s capacity for cruise calls and will be able to accommodate the majority of the world’s cruise ship fleet.
Chris Foy, Chief Executive of VisitAberdeenshire, said: “The opening of the South Harbour to cruise vessels in 2023 will be a timely boost to the tourism and hospitality sector in the North-east.
“Disembarking passengers - who will be met by our Welcome to Aberdeenshire volunteers – will have a wealth of experiences to enjoy during their time on our shores, planting the seed for future travel back to Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire for a longer stay.”
Aberdeen Inspired’s Chief Executive Adrian Watson also welcomed the announcement, saying: “It is really exciting to see the South Harbour open for business to the cruise market. Port of Aberdeen has done a fantastic job in getting us here and I’m delighted that Visit Aberdeenshire has worked with partners in bringing the volunteer strategy together to receive the first passengers. This market offers some real potential to our city and regional businesses.”
Teams from Port of Aberdeen and major cruise lines will take part in reciprocal training and familiarisation visits this year.
Image credit- Port of Aberdeen
City in bid to retain Purple Flag accreditation
We are putting the final touches on our application to the Association of Town Centre Managers to renew the coveted Purple Flag Award, on behalf of the city and Team Aberdeen.
Aberdeen was the first in Scotland to achieve this distinction, which has been awarded to the Granite City every year since 2013. The Purple Flag is an internationally acknowledged award which commends a safe and welcoming city centre, particularly in relation to the evening and night-time economy. The award often helps to influence families from outside the region and the UK in their choice to visit, work or study in Aberdeen.
A weighty and impressive application has been completed and there will be an assessor’s visit to the city in February. This event will be co-ordinated by Aberdeen Inspired and will involve local businesses as well as key partners such as Aberdeen City Council, Police Scotland and the Street Pastors.
If we are successful, the Purple Flag will be awarded at a ceremony in March. More information about Purple Flag can be found here.
Business Gateway publishes spring programme of workshops
Business Gateway has published its latest list of workshops and events aimed at supporting start-up and young small businesses across Aberdeen City and Shire. Whatever level your business is at, these workshops provide invaluable, free advice and support to help you master some of the basics of running your own business.
Delivered in person, apart from Digital Boost Coaching Sessions which take place online, the workshops cover topics ranging from start-up awareness, bookkeeping and financial planning, WordPress for beginners, market research, marketing and branding to becoming an employer and managing employees.
Of particular interest are three workshops running in February on Financial Strategy for the Cost Crisis, with experienced finance director Derek Leslie.
Information about workshops is issued on a quarterly basis, with the topics suited to those who wish to start a business, grow their existing business, or improve their digital skills.
The workshops are ideal for allowing individuals to upskill in certain subject areas and can be booked online the Business Gateway here.
Experimental traffic regulation order (ETRO) in the city centre
Our recent Merchant Quarter BID Network meeting was given an update on the experimental traffic regulation order (ETRO) in the city centre, which includes Guild Street.
Feedback is currently being sought on the order, which is intended to improve access for all.
The meeting heard that ETRO offer more flexibility than fixed traffic orders, and allow access for local buses, taxis and delivery vehicles at set times.
People can comment or send queries to trafficmanagement@aberdeencity.gov.uk
Our BID Networks influence local policy and planning and help to generate ideas to improve city centre areas including place making projects and city centre marketing. Businesses hear key project updates from Aberdeen City Council, Police Scotland and other relevant partners as well as Aberdeen Inspired.
Aberdeen’s crime writing festival Granite Noir returns this February
With clouds hanging overhead and the historic granite, Aberdeen is the perfect backdrop for a good mystery.
This year’s Granite Noir crime writing festival is back with a fantastic programme of noir writing and stories in unusual places across the city, from the lively festival hub at the Lemon Tree to the Music Hall, The Anatomy Rooms at the heart of the imposing Gothic architecture of Marischal College, Aberdeen Arts Centre and the atmospheric St Nicholas Kirk.
Running from February 23-26, Aberdeen Performing Arts’ much-anticipated festival is inspired by crime fiction of page and screen and the fantastic contribution that Scottish writers make to the Nordic Noir genre.
Explore the darkness within and around us with fascinating authors from near and far...do you dare to be there?!
You can find the full programme here.
Aberdeen hits the small screen!
Did you see Aberdeen hitting the small screen?
The Granite City and our energy industry have both taken centre stage recently, appearing in Amazon Prime’s “The Rig” and BBCs “Granite Harbour” and showcasing the city (on a lovely sunny day) as well as life on an offshore installation!
The supernatural drama and police procedural feature various places throughout the city including Marischal College, Marischal Square, the seafront, Beach Esplanade and Waterloo Quay! Watch here.
“The Rig” also featured actor Iain Glen, who is best known for playing Ser Jorah Mormont in the HBO fantasy television series Game of Thrones. Watch here.
The team at Aberdeen Inspired loved seeing Aberdeen showcased on our TV screens – have you been watching?
Image credit- ©BBC/LA Productions/ Robert Pereira Hind.
The year ahead in exhibitions at Aberdeen Art Gallery
A rich programme of large and small-scale exhibitions for visitors of all ages and many interests has been revealed by Aberdeen Art Gallery for 2023.
The programme includes a celebration of the work of Britain’s best-loved illustrator, Sir Quentin Blake, who celebrated his 90th birthday in December, through his book covers and illustrations for verse. Some of the most renowned artists in recent history have been captured at work in their studios by 20 of the world’s finest photographers from the Magnum Photos collective.
Three of Scotland’s foremost artists – Lennox Dunbar, Ian Howard and Arthur Watson – all of whom have key early works in the collection of Aberdeen Art Gallery, return to exhibit in their native city. And a rare and important 17th-century manuscript is a recent addition to the UNESCO-recognised city archives. It relates to Alexander Jaffray, a Provost of Aberdeen and convert to Quakerism, and sheds light on the civic and religious life of the city at a time of political upheaval and religious persecution.
Councillor Martin Greig, Aberdeen City Council’s culture spokesman said: “The Art Gallery has planned an exciting programme of exhibitions for 2023, showcasing a wide range of artists, subjects and media. Local artist James McBey is a favourite of many and the new display which marks the publication of the first ever biography of the artist will be eagerly welcomed.
“It will be especially good to see the work of Aberdeen-born contemporaries Lennox Dunbar, Ian Howard and Arthur Watson, all of whom were greatly influenced by the art they experienced at Aberdeen Art Gallery. Quentin Blake's illustrations and also photographs from the Magnum Agency are also important highlights of the year.
“The Provost Jaffray manuscript will tell us of his links to the local Quaker community. The beachwear exhibition will demonstrate the expressive potential of clothing. The forthcoming exhibitions programme promises to inspire and inform us, as well as providing a great deal of pleasure for local people and visitors to the city.”
Aberdeen Art Gallery is located on Schoolhill and is open to the public from 10am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday, and from 11am to 4pm on Sundays. Admission is free.
For full information on the programme of events, visit www.aagm.co.uk
Image credit - VisitAberdeenshire
New Aberdeen Gift Card merchants
If you’ve received an Aberdeen Gift Card recently and want to get spending, there’s now even more choice! Several new merchants have signed up to accept the card, including restaurants which enjoyed huge success during Aberdeen Restaurant Week.
The Pigs Wings on Upper Kirkgate, Faffless on Netherkirkgate and The Terrace at His Majesty’s Theatre have all signed up following Aberdeen Restaurant Week, which encouraged thousands of diners to try special set and tasting menus.
Luxury skincare and home brand Rituals in Union Square and Edwards Blinds and Interiors on Virgina Street have also signed up.
With nearly 300 businesses to choose from, the Aberdeen Gift Card is the perfect way to experience your city centre – whether that’s shopping, dining or entertainment.
From national retailers like Marks & Spencer, to independents like Books and Beans, the Aberdeen Gift Card supports Aberdeen businesses, jobs and livelihoods.
The Aberdeen Gift Card can be bought at the Bon Accord Centre help desk or online at aberdeengiftcard.com.
Sign your business up to the Aberdeen Gift Card Scheme
The Aberdeen Gift Card is delivering a much-needed boost directly back into local economy. Funded by Aberdeen Inspired, the scheme is free to join and does not cost your business or the consumer anything, it’s simply another payment method for the goods, services or products your business sells.
Want to join the free scheme? Click here.
Buy instantly and offer a world of buying options!
Our super popular digital (e-cards) can be purchased online at www.giftcard.com and can be sent to the recipient’s phone by either text or email. Physical cards can still be bought at the Bon Accord Centre Aberdeen information desk.
Whether it’s great shopping, fantastic food, a spot of pampering or excellent entertainment, with nearly 300 businesses already signed up, there is really something for everyone with the Aberdeen Gift Card! View all participating businesses here> https://townandcitygiftcards.com/product/aberdeen-gift-card/
If you received a gift card for Christmas, spend it soon! Valid for 12 months from the date of purchase. If you are a customer with a card who has been unable to use it within their 12-month validity period, you can contact the gift card provider by emailing support@mi-cnx.com to receive a one off 3-month validity extension.
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