Robert Montgomery will be bringing his unique artistic vision back to Nuart Aberdeen next month. Image - Nuart Aberdeen
Nuart Aberdeen has unveiled its line-up of artists for 2026 with a distinctly Scottish flavour – cementing its place as Scotland’s national street art festival.
The roster of 13 world-acclaimed artists leans heavily into Scottish talent, such as Aberdeen’s own KMG who returns not only as an artist but also one of the producers of what has been hailed as one of the top six street art festivals in the world.
Martyn Reed, curator of Nuart Aberdeen – delivered by Aberdeen Inspired in partnership with Aberdeen City Council – said he was looking forward to producing something “a little different” this year, alongside the festival’s theme of “Poetry Is In The Streets”.
“I started to look closer to home and saw that Scotland did, in fact, have enough talent to warrant a majority Scottish event. After all, it’s Scottish businesses and taxpayers who co-finance the event. I thought it would be a good opportunity to showcase Scottish talent to an international audience,” he said.
Aberdeen's own KMG now has her street art in pride of place in communities across the country. Image - Nuart Aberdeen
Martyn added that with the range of artists taking part, many creating smaller, more human scale works the possibilities for transforming the cityscape during the festival, running from April 22 to 26, are endless.
“There will be works no bigger than your hand and there’ll be works as big as a house – most, but not all, text and poetry based,” he said. “At this stage, you have as good an idea of what we might see as I do. We’ll have to wait and see.”
Martyn said the three people heading up production this year - KMG, now based in Edinburgh; Ciarán Glöbel in Glasgow and Martin “Tazzy” Widerlechner in Aberdeen - create a “trifecta of Scottish cities” that will hopefully help establish a national network and foster collaboration, further enhancing street art in Scotland.
“The fact that all three producers have previously volunteered with Nuart just shows their genuine dedication to the culture and has helped nurture the skills and values to run something like this. It also means the Nuart crew follows the same strategy as the artist line up, which is a good 90% Scottish,” said Martyn.
The stunning work of Remi Rough will be coming to the Granite City with Nuart Aberdeen next month. Image - Nuart Aberdeen
Another big name taking part in the festival next month is acclaimed Scottish artist Robert Montgomery, who took part in the first Nuart Aberdeen in 2017. An internationally acclaimed artist, his works are in museum collections around the world.
Martyn said: “Robert is not only one of my favourite artists, he’s one of my favourite people, and it’s a privilege to have him back. Robert is from a small Scottish mining town, he has working-class roots, he’s an artist working with text, works in public space and is a published poet.
“Who else but Robert Montgomery to head up an event titled ‘Poetry is in the Streets’. We have something very special planned. Watch this space.”
Another standout artist coming to Aberdeen next month is Trackie McLeod, a Glasgow-based artist who uses sculpture, textiles, video and print to explore ideas ranging from masculinity to queerness, class, politics and popular culture.
His innately Scottish work has been described as one part tongue-in-cheek, an ounce of sarcasm and a pint of Tennent’s lager.
Nuart Aberdeen curator Martyn Reed with Robert Montgomery's mural at Jopps Lane, created during the first Nuart Aberdeen. Image - Aberdeen Inspired.
Martyn said: “I wouldn’t normally pick out a name, but I’m absolutely thrilled that Trackie McLeod will be joining us. Trackie isn’t a ‘street artist’ as such, though he does work in public space, but he is one of the current generations leading contemporary artists.
“I’ve been watching him for some years now and he’s gone from strength to strength, becoming one of the most vital and relevant voices for his generation.”
Martyn said he hoped this year’s Nuart Aberdeen would leave a lasting legacy beyond the works which are created.
“I’d love to think that this year’s Nuart goes some way towards giving ‘street art’ back to the people, in the sense that it encourages more people to have a go themselves, young and old alike,” he said.
“This year hopefully shows that you don’t need the skills of an old master, a Mexican muralist or have the privilege of an art degree, you just need to know your ABC’s, and maybe, just maybe, it inspires some young lad or lass who otherwise wouldn’t have thought of becoming an artist, that spark of possibility.
“This is how we keep this culture alive and we nurture the idea that Poetry is in the Streets.”
Molly Hankinson specialises in playful, emotive, and energetic works. Image - Laura Wooff
The 13 artists who will be transforming the cityscape of Aberdeen on the theme of “Poetry Is In The Streets” are:
- Alisa Oleva: A walking artist based in London who works within the spaces and streets of the city.
- Ciarán Glöbel : A signpainter and designer from Glasgow. Inspired by the graphic ephemera of a bygone era.
- dr.d AKA Subvertiser: dr.d is a veteran street artist and ‘subvertiser’ based in London. Using a cut and paste technique developed in the fly posting industry of the 90’s to ‘doctor’ everything from big brand billboards to bus stops and beyond,
- HICKS : A London mural artist working through the tradition of the sublime landscape in British Romanticism
- James Klinge: An artist from Glasgow that brings an exciting contemporary approach to traditional forms of portraiture and figurative painting, specialising with hand cut stencils and spray paint
- KMG: KMG is an Aberdeen-born artist, who has been creating work on the street for over a decade. Inspired by the Celtic folklore stories that have shaped her own cultural identity. Her previous Nuart Aberdeen works include murals on Union Square and at Aberdeen International Airport.
- Molly Hankinson: Molly is an English born artist living and working in Glasgow, Scotland. Her work deconstructs ideas of personal and collective gendered experiences into her playful, emotive, and energetic artworks.
- Remi Rough: Remi Rough creates meticulously composed abstract paintings defined by precision, rhythm and chromatic intensity.
- Robert Montgomery: Scottish-born Robert Montgomery is well known for his work in public space. He makes light works, billboard poems, fire poems, woodcuts, paintings and watercolours. His previous Nuart Aberdeen work can be seen at Jopps Lane.
- The Rebel Bear: The street artist, known as ‘The Rebel Bear’ has been creating street art over the last 10 years throughout Scotland as well as London, Calais, Havana, Mumbai & New York.
- The Writing Is On The Wall: Self-styled “street poet – wall botherer” who animates urban locations with thoughts, words, deeds – and a bucket of paste.
- Trackie McLeod: Trackie McLeod is a Scottish artist based in Glasgow. He uses sculpture, textiles, video and print to explore his lived experience.
- V2k: V2k is a self-taught Lithuanian/Scottish street artist based in Aberdeen. He creates in a variety of mediums, from small to large-scale works on the streets. His practice is predominantly stencil based images and text/poetry in public spaces.
The Writing Is On The Wall brings thoughts, words and deeds - and a bucket of paste - to urban locations. Image - Nuart Aberdeen
Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, welcomed the drive to establish Nuart Aberdeen as Scotland’s national street art festival.
“This truly transformative event has already been hailed as one of the top six must-see street art festivals in the world. It makes perfect sense that it now takes is place as Scotland’s national street art festival,” he said.
“Beyond the prestige that it brings to the Granite City, Nuart Aberdeen also attracts thousands of visitors from near and far into the city centre all year round to enjoy these stunning large-scale murals and more intimate pieces. Those visitors then linger to discover the many other fantastic attractions Aberdeen has to offer.”
Aberdeen City Council’s Education and Children’s Services Convener, Councillor Martin Greig, said: “It's great that so many talented artists will be working to transform familiar areas of our city with their imaginative new designs. Residents and visitors alike will be able to enjoy the thought-provoking artworks that Nuart adds to our city centre.
“I would like to encourage everyone to come and appreciate the creative spectacle. This artistic project is another positive reason to visit and spend time in our city centre."
Artists for Nuart Aberdeen 2026
