Scotland’s largest urban light festival is to return to Aberdeen, it has been revealed.
The four-night event will run from February 9 to 12 on multiple sites.
This year’s theme, A New Light, will see the return of multimedia artists Impossible to Union Terrace Gardens. Visitors will be invited to have their faces 3D scanned and transformed into monolithic Easter Island style totems, reciting Doric prose by some of the north-east’s best loved poets.
In the Kirk of St Nicholas, an all-new commission, Les Araignées, will see giant light spiders taking over the graveyard in tribute to Robert Bruce thanks to Aberdeen’s international artistic connections with French masters of light installations Groupe LAPS.
Shining a new light on Marischal College, BAFTA award winning digital Artist Seb Lee-Delise will transform the stunning building into a massive interactive instrument.
The 2016 event was named Scottish Festival of the Year and organisers aim to build on that success when it returns in February.
Councillor Marie Boulton, Deputy Leader of Aberdeen City Council, said: “SPECTRA is one of the most eagerly anticipated events on what is a growing events calendar in Aberdeen.
“The 2016 festival was hugely successful, engaging with local audiences as well as attracting visitors from throughout Britain and overseas.
“We aim to build on the momentum which has built in recent years and the 2017 programme offers new and exciting attractions which promise to bring the city to life in February.
“We’re proud to be bringing SPECTRA back to Aberdeen, another big step towards establishing the city as a destination with a rich cultural offering.”
