Record numbers visit SPECTRA festival

Aberdeen's Spectra festival has welcomed bigger crowds than ever before.

The award-winning festival drew over 91,000 visits to over 30 installations across three stunning sites in the city, topping the 65,000 visits to the 2017 festival.

BAFTA award-winning artist Seb Lee-Delisle’s Lightning Strikes and Lightbombing by SOLA wowed the crowds at Marischal College; while St Nicholas Kirk was transformed into an ethereal and contemplative space by the beautiful and hypnotic OctopusGarden by RaumZeitPiraten and Sun at Night by David Henkel inside the Kirk itself.

Union Terrace Garden was the location of the eagerly anticipated installations Wave-Field by Lateral Office and Light Battle by Venividimultiplex that delighted visitors and saw Union Terrace Gardens reimagined as into a whimsical playground.

Aberdeen City Council Culture Spokesperson Councillor Marie Boulton said: “Aberdeen has really taken SPECTRA to its heart, and the sights in the city centre over the four days were absolutely incredible, with the streets, Marischal College/Anatomy Rooms, Kirk of St Nicholas Uniting and Union Terrace Gardens full of friends and families enjoying the occasion.

“Each installation was so unique and it was such a thrill to see these installations by internationally renowned artists here in Aberdeen. Year-on-year SPECTRA gets bigger and better; the festival is constantly evolving and this year is no exception with the introduction our new music programme.

“The Catalyst Conference held alongside SPECTRA has also shown the commitment of the arts industry to the changing creative, cultural and economic landscape of Aberdeen. Industry leaders have participated in discussions that will not only influence the arts community locally, but also on a national and international scale.

“As part of our Aberdeen Events 365 Strategy through our City Centre Masterplan, Aberdeen City Council is committed to making our city an even more vibrant place to live, work and visit – and SPECTRA encourages people into the city centre at a quieter time of year, boosting the local economy and reactivating city centre spaces.

“As Scotland, and Aberdeen’s reputation as a tourist destination continues to develop, attractions such as SPECTRA will play a pivotal role in the cultural offering that attracts visitors.

Andy Brydon from Curated Place said “For Spectra 2018 we set our sights on expanding the festival experience by introducing a spectacular music programme alongside incredible artworks from around the world.

“Our close partnership with Aberdeen City Council has enabled us to develop an ambitious, effective and close-knit team across the two organisations whose enthusiasm allows us to deliver an event that is helping to expand horizons for the city, and the possibilities for major cultural events in Aberdeen and the wider region.

“2018 also saw us expand the festival to include a major conference bringing the best cultural leaders from Europe, inspiring speakers and some of the most amazing visual and sonic artists together to explore cultural leadership on the edge”.

SPECTRA 2018 was also one of the first events celebrating Scotland’s 2018 Year of Young People, which showcases the amazing young personalities, talents and achievers that make up Scotland.

Venues across the city were brought to life with a smorgasbord of UK and Nordic Talent including Steve Cobby, Science of the Lamps, Mammút, and Plaid, to name just a few of the artists playing over the weekend.