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Nuart Aberdeen, the globally acclaimed street art festival, will make its long-awaited return to Aberdeen next month.
Postponed in April 2020 because of the global pandemic, organisers today announced that it would make its much-anticipated return to the Granite City beginning in June 2021.
Covid-secure series of individual street art productions will take shape on the city’s walls over the summer.
Planners hope the outdoor festival will help attract both locals and visitors to the heart of Aberdeen as it recovers from lockdown.
Nuart Aberdeen 2021 will run throughout June and July with artists producing work supported by a local production team during the extended festival period.
The first artist to be announced as part of the line-up is renowned UK artist Helen Bur, whose dual mural disappeared as part of the demolition of Greyfriars House on Aberdeen’s Gallowgate in late 2020.
Her return to the city will see her explore the festival’s theme of “Memory and the City” as she takes on a prominent city-centre wall.
Wielding brush, roller and masonry paint to create larger-than-life works on walls, her work can be found across the world including in Germany, Spain, Norway and India.
She is one of several UK based artists who will come to Aberdeen over a six-week period to create works that explore the festival theme.
Unlike previous years, when all the street art is created within a week, the production period has been extended and the artists’ time in the city will be staggered.
By running the production period over several weeks ensures that the event can return safely and be Covid-secure, with plans in place to work with a streamlined team of local producers, partners and volunteers to facilitate the production.
Festival organiser Aberdeen Inspired has emphasised it has plans in place to ensure the safety of artists, the production team, volunteers and the public.
Elements that would attract large scale gatherings, like the guided tours and public launch will not take place, at this stage, to keep the public safe.
Instead, the emphasis will be on providing resources and information to allow members of the public to conduct their own self-guided tours, in accordance with the latest Covid-19 restrictions and regulations.
Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, said: “Nuart Aberdeen has had a transformative impact on Aberdeen firmly placing the city as a must-visit destination for street art lovers from across the globe.
“The festival holds a special place in the hearts and minds of locals and visitors alike and we are excited to see it return to our city now that it is safe to do so.
“With the country now reopening, it’s important that we do everything we can to encourage people to come back and enjoy all that the city centre has to offer, safely.
“There is no better festival to mark the return to some form of normality that Nuart Aberdeen.
“Taking place outdoors the festival will give people the freedom to both watch as the new works of art are created and explore when they are completed.
“Aberdeen Inspired has worked hard to support the city and its businesses over the period of the pandemic.
“The city has been challenged and the return of Nuart Aberdeen will provide a welcome boost to the local economy, help support local jobs and the creative community.
“We urge all businesses to support it and help make this summer-long festival of street art a huge success.”
Nuart Aberdeen is curated and produced by the Stavanger-based arts organisation Nuart, spearheaded by curator and director Martyn Reed.
Mr Reed said: “We’re incredibly happy to announce we’ll be back on the streets of Aberdeen this summer with a series of projects we hope can give us all a lift by re-connecting us with those spaces and places that have become a part of us.
“Those crown-like corona protrusions that are the perpetrators of this whole ordeal have proved uncannily versatile and stubborn, but I like to think we’re more than a match for it in both senses.
“However, uncertain things may be, with vaccination campaigns well underway there seems to be a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel, hopefully, Nuart can contribute to getting us a little closer to it.
“Until we get there, we can take some solace in the knowledge that it’s been street artists the world over who have been at the forefront of keeping art in the public domain.
“As they keep finding novel ways to engage an audience and express themselves by embellishing the cities we inhabit, so we remain committed to tracking them down and bringing them to you.
“We’re looking forward to reconnecting with all those that have made Nuart Aberdeen possible and can’t wait to get started.”
Aberdeen City Council has been key to the festival’s success and council co-leader Councillor Jenny Laing, welcomed the news of the festival’s return.
She added: “The news that the much-loved Nuart Aberdeen festival will return this summer, despite all the challenges, is incredibly exciting and should be warmly welcomed as it will provide people with another fantastic reason to visit the city centre, enjoy all of the artworks, old and new, and feel safe as they do so.
“As the city council continues to draw up transformational plans for the heart of our city, the continued delivery of Nuart Aberdeen will play an integral role in creating a vibrant city centre that residents and visitors alike can enjoy and by producing more powerful and vibrant artworks in our public space I am confident the festival will attract greater footfall and support the city’s wider economic recovery.”
Further announcements on artists, walls and opportunities for public engagement will be made in the coming weeks.
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