Hundreds of young performers will show off their talents at a festival in Aberdeen this weekend.
Preparations are well under way for the Light the Blue, a festival for and by young people.
Throughout the weekend there will be dance, music, film and spoken word performances at venues across the city, as well as outdoor performances at the Bon Accord Roof Garden tomorrow and Saturday.
The festival started in 2018, but has been postponed over the last two years due to Covid.
Creative producer Jordan Blackwood said: “It is really exciting to be back and opening our doors to young people across the city.
“We have got lots of different types of events including multi-artform events and free workshops.
“It is good to get young people involved in the arts from as soon as possible.”
‘Inspired by the community at Foresterhill’
Kicking things off today at the Music Hall was a special performance of All About People, which is based on a video by the charity Grampian Hospitals Art Trust focusing on the creation of the Foresterhill hospital campus.
The video was created from many sets of archival footage about the pioneering plan that brought together public health services across the city into one location.
The performance All About People is a mixture of sound and imagery, inspired by the community at Foresterhill to help share their stories from the past.
The performance stars Morna Ross, 23, from Nairn, and Eve Martin, 21, from Aberdeen.
Miss Martin said: “In the archival footage we saw that were a lot of folk trying to upstage each other and be the one in the view of the camera.”
Miss Ross, added: “It is almost as like when they saw a camera it was something quite unusual, nowadays you probably see cameras and phones all the time.
“But back then people were either jumping in front or trying to hide – kind of like people now.
They believe the show is “uniquely Aberdonian” and will resonate well with audiences.
Beatboxing workshops and performances
Jason Singh, an accomplished beatboxer and DJ, also opened the event with a live beatbox set.
Mr Singh believes beatboxing can help bring people who find talking or singing difficult. He will be at taking part in several workshops and events across the weekend.
A total of 33 different events have been announced, and the organisers are hoping to get as many people involved as possible.
Free events on Friday include a hip hop workshop, an emerging artist showcase and a SC&T youth concert at the Lemon Tree.
On Saturday, more free workshops will run including topics such as audio performance as well as behind-the-scenes insights from Ten Feet Tall Theatre and Aberdeen Jazz Festival.
And although the cost of living crisis hitting people’s pockets, meaning cultural events could take a hit, Mr Blackwood assured audiences that Light the Blue is affordable.
Mr Blackwood, the festival producer, said: “Most of our events are free or are very very low cost.
“On Saturday we have loads of free performances on Bon Accords roof garden, which would be an opportunity for people who maybe don’t feel comfortable coming to a theatre space.
“They could come along and enjoy some outdoor performances and outdoor music.”
The festival is produced by Aberdeen Performing Arts in partnership with Culture Aberdeen. To see what’s on and get involved, click here.
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