Artist NeSpoon. Photo credit - Conor Gault Photography
Nuart Aberdeen – ‘the best street art festival in the world’ – bringing glorious colour and vibrancy to the Granite City
Nuart Aberdeen bursts into glorious life from Thursday June 8 – Sunday 11 June with a claim to it being ‘the best street art festival in the world’ says the man behind the award-winning event.
“I have heard other people say it is the best street art festival in the world – and it really is,” said Martyn Reed, curator of Nuart both here in Aberdeen and Stavanger.
Nuart Aberdeen will transforming the city centre into a huge canvas for 13 internationally renowned street artists who are currently turning walls into spectacular murals and eye-catching artworks.
Working their magic is some of the finest street artists from around the globe, such as Brazilian street artist Thiago Mazza and Swoon from the USA, as well as Aberdeen’s own KMG and Jamie Reid, who pioneered the artwork of the Sex Pistols and punk movement.
The walls they are working on range from the old Queen Street police station and walls on Flourmill Lane, Crooked Lane, Thistle Lane and Rose Street.
A full list of the artists for Nuart Aberdeen 2023 and an interactive map of the walls they will be transforming – as well as all the previous works – can be found here.
We encourage you to get out there this weekend, see the Nuart in person and get involved in all the free family-friendly events this weekend including Guided Walking Tours and Chalk Don’t Chalk on both Saturday and Sunday. View the full Nuart Aberdeen programme here.
Attended a Nuart event and/or viewed the Nuart murals? We would love to hear what you thought by taking the short survey here. This will help us make improvements to future events.
View drone footage here of Nuart Aberdeen 2023 mural productions. Drone footage credit - Ross Byrne
Turn the town tartan for the European Pipe Band Championships
We're delighted the European Pipe Band Championships are coming to Duthie Park, Aberdeen on Saturday 24 June.
Hosting the second largest pipe band event in the world in Aberdeen is a big deal and is bound to draw a lot of visitors into the city. To celebrate, we would love to turn the town tartan. Will you join in and celebrate with us? This could include decorating your business with Scottish and tartan themed décor, offering themed drinks, menus and/or discounts.
Don’t forget to promote your offers on your social media and share them with us by tagging @abdninspired.
The event will feature a range of family fun activities that all ages can enjoy, as well as a wide selection of food and drink from local producers.
Unfortunately, it won’t be possible for those attending the event to park on site, or in the area surrounding Duthie Park. However, Duthie Park is a short walk from the City Centre and there are various public transport options on hand.
A FREE shuttle service will run from the City Centre and a paid for (£6) park and ride site will operate from Altens Farm Road, Aberdeen AB12 3FY. Tickets for the park and ride can be purchased in advance. Full details of the shuttle service will be released in due course.
Attend both Aberdeen's Highland Games on the 18 June and the European Pipe Band Championships on the 24 June and buy one get one half price on tickets.
Buy your event and park and ride tickets here.
READY, STEADY, REGISTER!: City restaurants encouraged to sign up for Aberdeen Restaurant Week
Aberdeen’s foodie fortnight is set to make a return to the Granite City in August, with restaurants, bars and cafes being urged to sign up by Friday 23 June to take part in the ever-popular Aberdeen Restaurant Week initiative.
Following a hugely successful event in January, which saw more than 50 venues taking part, Aberdeen Restaurant Week will return from Monday, 7 August to Sunday, 20 August.
All establishments signing up to Aberdeen Restaurant Week will be asked to create a unique set price dining offer which will be available throughout the fortnight. The range of experiences on offer will include lunch, dinner, afternoon tea and tasting menus.
The fortnight is the perfect opportunity for local eateries to highlight their offering. Delivering special offers to customers at several price points, the city’s cafés and restaurants can connect with new customers while also delighting their regulars.
For more information and to sign up click here.
Photo credit - Norman Adams / Aberdeen City Council
Aberdeen retains Purple Flag status
Aberdeen has retained its prestigious Purple Flag status for a 10th year, recognising both the safety and vibrancy of the city centre. The Granite City is the only city in Scotland to hold the status.
The national safety accreditation was awarded after inspectors visited the city in March to carry out an assessment, which was overseen by Aberdeen Inspired on behalf of its city centre partners.
Innes Walker, Aberdeen Inspired’s City Centre Manager said: “Aberdeen is the only city in Scotland to have Purple Flag status and we are extremely proud to be able to say that Aberdeen has now held its award for 10 years.
“Receiving the award from the Association of Town & City Management is recognition of a safe and vibrant city centre, both during the day and in the evening and night-time.
“Continued Purple Flag status is also testament to the teamwork which is seen from organisations across the city including the police, Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeen Inspired, the licensing and hospitality sectors and Street Pastors, who are all working together to make Aberdeen a safe place to live and work.”
Aberdeen Performing Arts - Light The Blue
Aberdeen Performing Arts (APA) is once again hosting the Light The Blue festival.
For young people, by young people, Light The Blue festival aims to spark creativity and inspire the younger generation This event will take place over eight days (10-18 June) across Aberdeen City Centre through various electrifying line-ups of gigs, theatre, film and workshops.
The objective of this festival is to ignite imaginations and spark creativity within young people, it’s also an opportunity to socialise, meet new people, share ideas, and become inspired. Young people aged 5-25 are being welcomed to this multi-artform festival to express their creativity and become inspired.
With an exciting line-up of theatre, dance, film, music and more, this event has something for everyone, and is likely to appeal to family audiences, teenagers and emerging creatives.
For information about the event and to buy tickets, click here.
Colourful umbrellas are popping up around town
The Umbrella Project, which celebrates the intelligence, ability and talent of every human being- including every neurodiverse individual, empowering and enabling the next generation of children and young people, is back. The official Shiprow installation was unveiled in the middle of May and will soon be joined by numerous private installations hosted by business and other organisations.
The P&J Live at TECA and TMM Recruitment were amongst the first to sign up to host a mini umbrella installation this summer. Schools can also get involved in creating their own mini umbrella displays, highlighting neurodiversity in children and young people in educational settings.
Louise Stewart, Interim Managing Director at P&J Live, said: “P&J Live is proud to support the ADHD Foundation Umbrella project. While this creative, eye-catching installation is fun to have within our venue, the message behind it is incredibly important. As a live events venue, we are wholly inclusive but recognise that there’s still some work to do to within society to challenge the stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences. By supporting this fantastic project, in line with our ASM Global Acts initiative that invests in and supports diversity, we hope to open up the conversation to celebrate and respect the unique strengths, talents and perspectives that fall under the neurodiversity umbrella.”
Schools can also get involved in creating their own mini umbrella displays, highlighting neurodiversity in children and young people in educational settings.
Those interested in hosting a mini-installation this year can sign up here.
Pictured Mavis Anagboso. Photo credit - Eilidh Guyan
Neurodiversity in the Workplace conference hosted in Aberdeen
Aberdeen’s Douglas Hotel hosted the ‘Neurodiversity in the Workplace: Unlocking potential and Driving Innovation’ conference at the end of May.
Delegates heard from an incredible line of speakers, covering a wide range of topics including diversity, inclusion, autism, ADHD, the legal landscape and recruitment, as well as comedian Joe Wells.
The speakers talked about the need to harness the benefits of diversity and move away from dated ways of identifying talent.
The line up of inspiring speakers included Mavis Anagboso, Global Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Harbour Energy; Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired; Tony Lloyd PhD FRSA, chief executive of the ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity; Amanda McCulloch, chief executive of TMM Recruitment; Professor Amanda Kirby, chief executive of Do-It Solutions and chair of the ADHD Foundation; Veli-Matti Raikkonen, senior associate at Ledingham Chalmers LLP; Colin Foley, national director of training at the ADHD Foundation; Angela Prentner-Smith (FRSA), founder and managing consultant at consultancy This is Milk; Professor Charlotte Valeur, chair of the Institute Of Neurodiversity ION, and comedian Joe Wells.
Sponsored by Harbour Energy and TMM Recruitment, the conference included Dr Tony Lloyd, CEO of the ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity, our partner in the Umbrella Project, which has seen colourful umbrellas strung up on Shiprow to celebrate neurodiversity.
Seagull Nest and Egg Removal Programme
Over 70 sites have been pre-selected for the Seagull Nest and Egg Removal Programme.
The joint venture, funded by Aberdeen Inspired and Aberdeen City Council, initially commenced in 2018 but was interrupted by the global pandemic. It will now run for the term of this BID, until 2026.
Nests and eggs will be removed at certain times of the year to tackle the over-population of seagulls. It is hoped that the activity, which is licensed by Nature Scotland, will disrupt the breeding cycle and encourage the birds to leave the area and return to nest by the sea.
Any levy paying businesses with queries, should contact info@aberdeeninspired.co.uk for further details.
Lidl, Dos Amigos and MacBeans join the Aberdeen Gift Card Scheme
Supermarket chain Lidl, Spanish/Mexican restaurant Dos Amigos plus coffee and team specialists MacBeans have joined the nearly 300 businesses in Aberdeen City already signed up to the Aberdeen Gift Card scheme.
The cards are preloaded Mastercards which can be used in a huge range of shops, hospitality and leisure venues. Physical versions of the Aberdeen Gift Card, which can be sent to the recipient by post, are available online, from the information centre in the Bon Accord shopping centre and ‘load at home’ cards available from Suite 2 in the Trinity Centre.
The Gift Card, is also available as an e-card, can be used in participating venues including shops such as Primark and Marks & Spencer, bars, restaurants, beauty salons and Aberdeen Performing Arts venues and box office.
For more information on where you can spend your gift card, click here.
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