Nuart Aberdeen has gone national with billboards appearing in cities across Scotland inviting anyone and everyone to be an artist for the day by creating their own poetry in the streets.
Whether drawing inspiration from personal experiences, the surrounding streets, or even dabbling in abstract haiku, the space is there for passersby to takeover the billboard or poster and show off their unique creativity ahead of the Granite City’s celebration of poetry and text-based street art running from April 22 to 26.
The theme for this year’s Nuart Aberdeen – staged by Aberdeen Inspired and Aberdeen City Council with support from Finnies – is Poetry Is In The Streets.
The billboard and poster sites at locations in Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow - from now until April 27 - is a collaboration between Nuart Aberdeen and creative street advertising specialists BUILDHOLLYWOOD Scotland.
Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, said: “These creative billboards and posters are an ideal way to shout out across out across the country that Scotland’s national street art festival is here in the Granite City.
“I hope that people in Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow not only enjoy letting loose with their artistic side in their home cities but are inspired to come to Aberdeen to see what one of the top six street art festivals in the world is all about.”
The billboard collaboration is the latest in a series of projects spanning multiple editions of Nuart – with BUILDHOLLYWOOD previously supporting the print and installation of the festival’s artist programme, alongside participating in panels at their artist conference.
Martyn Reed, Nuart founder and curator, said: “Absolutely thrilled to be collaborating once again with BUILDHOLLYWOOD, a company who genuinely recognises the importance of artists, subcultures and how works in the streets, help shape the people who move through them.
“It is the very antithesis of the usual ‘work, buy, consume, die’ ethos behind most advertising companies. This is more ‘work, inspire, participate, live’, which this and many other of their projects seeks to promote.
“We can’t wait to see how this, our largest collaboration yet, and a genuine one at that, turns out."
Charlotte Black, General Manager, BUILDHOLLYWOOD Scotland, said: “We’re proud to collaborate with Nuart Aberdeen again this year – a festival committed to celebrating and supporting Scotland's vibrant street art scene.
“We believe creativity should be accessible to everyone, and Nuart champions that sentiment, platforming the work of artists at all stages in their careers on public sites across the city’s streets, and amplifying their voices through a free events programme.”
Nuart Aberdeen 2026 will see 13 acclaimed artists transforming walls and spaces across Aberdeen from Chapel Street Car Park to the Ibis Hotel.
It will officially open on Wednesday, April 22, at 8pm at Bon Accord Baths with the unveiling of Robert Montgomery’s signature illuminated work. Free to all.
You can find out more about Nuart Aberdeen at the Aberdeen Inspired website.