A well-known taxi firm in the north east of Scotland has pledged a five-figure sum to a fundraising campaign aiming to save one of the region’s best-loved arts venues.
Rainbow City Taxis will donate £30,000 over a three year partnership with Aberdeen Arts Centre.
The significant donation will allow the popular arts venue to continue to support grassroots arts in the community and professional touring productions; provide creative learning opportunities for all ages; and support early-year creatives through its artist development programme.
Lauren Bisset, operations director at Rainbow City Taxis, said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Aberdeen Arts Centre, and supporting the Save Aberdeen Arts Centre campaign to ensure this amazing organisation is here for generations to come.
“As a family-run business, we’re passionate about supporting local organisations like Aberdeen Arts Centre that provide for people of all ages in the community.
“Performing at the Arts Centre is a rite of passage for so many local performers, and many of our family members have trodden the boards there. It’s a lovely feeling to be able to work together to enable those opportunities for even more people in our community.”
The Save Aberdeen Arts Centre campaign was launched in May 2025, aiming to raise £660,000 over three years. To date the campaign has raised over £279,000 thanks to overwhelming support from the general public, local business community, and grants and foundations.
Rainbow City Taxis (RCT) has made a five-figure pledge to the Save Aberdeen Arts Centre (AAC) campaign. Left-right: Julia Smith, AAC fundraising manager; Lauren Bisset, RCT operations director; Holly Paterson, AAC executive director; and Allana Duncan, RCT general manager.
Julia Smith, fundraising manager at Aberdeen Arts Centre, said: “The arts should be accessible to everyone, no matter their background or circumstance, and Rainbow City Taxis’ generous donation will help to provide a space for local people to learn, perform, and enjoy the wonders of live entertainment in Aberdeen.
“The community is at the heart of everything we do at Aberdeen Arts Centre, and Rainbow City Taxis shares that passion for supporting those in the areas we live and work.
“With this partnership, not only will the community benefit from the Arts Centre’s continued performances, creative learning classes and artist development support, but our audiences will also have easy access to transport to and from the venue.
“We are incredibly grateful to Rainbow City Taxis for their support, and are excited to see where this partnership takes us over the next three years.”
Audience members can book with Rainbow City Taxis by calling 01224 878787 or by downloading the uBook app on Apple and Android.
Aberdeen Arts Centre is an independent arts venue in the heart of Aberdeen, operated by registered charity Castlegate Arts Ltd for over a quarter of a century.
For more than 60 years, Aberdeen Arts Centre has played a crucial role in the north east’s vibrant arts scene through its programme of performances, Creative Learning Programme for children and adults, and an Artist Development Programme to support local professional creatives.
In May 2025, the centre launched the Save Aberdeen Arts Centre campaign – a three-year fundraising drive to raise £660,000 to secure its future. Individuals and corporate sponsors can find out more and donate at https://www.aberdeenartscentre.com/save-aberdeen-arts-centre.
Aberdeen Arts Centre encompasses a 350-seater auditorium; café bar; flexible spaces for performances, events, exhibitions and meetings; and the Children’s Theatre, opened by Catherine Hollingworth in the 1950s as a pioneering youth theatre (the first of its kind in the UK) and now used as a vital resource for professional artist development.
For more information, visit www.aberdeenartscentre.com or follow Aberdeen Arts Centre on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube at @AberdeenArtsCentre.