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Aberdeen is fast becoming Scotland’s biggest city for street art. Each year, during the Nuart Aberdeen festival, national and international artists are invited to this northeastern city to brighten up the grey granite streets that the city is known for.
Big names such as Vhils and Smug have claimed walls in the Silver City, leaving their message for locals and visitors to absorb, reflect and even argue over all year round.
Expect to see a unicorn made out of junk, seagulls stuffed into boxes, and delicately drawn portrait murals on site-specific gable ends.
However, this public art festival in Scotland uses more than just the walls! Look up for miniature people, look out for Lego, and look down for mosaics.
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Where to Find Street Art in Aberdeen
Area: The Green
Jan Vormann (2019)
Street art is known for covering up ugly public spaces to make them accessible to the community again.
Vormann takes this one step further and instead of hiding the flaws in the walls, he fixes them with… Lego.
Plugged in holes can be spotted by the stairs in The Green and around the city.
Smug, Australia (2019)
Sam Bates.
This is Smug’s first piece in the city and true to form he has freehand (no projection, no grids) sprayed a real person holding a dog.
Smug is renowned for using people that he knows as his muse and this time the model in question is a tattooed barber based in Scotland.
You may be familiar with his other murals in Glasgow – a man holding a robin or a mother with their baby.
Down The Green, you will also see some of Aberdeen’s Painted Doors.
Next: Walk to the left of the Aberdeen Market, towards the tunnel.
Area: The Tunnels/East Green
Ben Eine, UK (2019)
London-born Eine works with letterform and has left (with the help of his assistant, Andy) a message that describes Aberdonians.
Locals find the choice of words pretty funny.
I love the colours and 80s vibe!
Eine uses stencil, spray and paint for this piece.
Julio Anaya Cabanding (2019)
Anaya’s “Inspired Space” is located just under Eine’s work.
Admittedly, we never found any of Anaya’s framed landscape or portrait images during our time at Nuart Aberdeen.
It gives us a reason to go back!
Hyuro, Argentina (2018)
Hyuro is known as one of the most influential female artists in public art.
This mural shows two figures holding each other’s faces with their shirt buttoned up together.
A question of conflict or union?
Look behind after you have passed Eine’s work to catch it.
Next: Walk straight past Marks and Spencer, and look left.
Evol, Denmark (2019)
It’s time to go house hunting Aberdeen!
Evol has transformed many of the city’s grey electronic boxes into high-rise flats with coloured balconies.
He uses a stencil and spray to do this.
One sits across from The Tunnels, another in the shadows of Marischal College and a third by a bus stop at Queens Street.
We’ve asked how many houses are around Aberdeen but Evol went rogue and the headcount is unknown!
Carrie Reichterd, UK (2018)
Reichterd has frequently been involved in activism art, they’re commitment to making change through the medium.
During her career, they have worked with Romanian orphans, political prisoners on death row in the States and now, the Aberdeen community.
The ‘craftivist’ has created a mosaic paid for by Amnesty International Scotland called Suffragette Spirit.
This mural celebrates a variety of women such as one of the Glasgow Girls who fought to change the dawn raid laws in Scotland, Amal Azzudin.
I remember learning about the Glasgow Girls when I was a Social Policy student at the University of Glasgow.
Their input into the democratic process has featured consistently in my teaching as a politics and current affairs teacher so this mural really hit me.
That’s the beauty of street art.
You can’t guess what pieces you’ll feel a connection with.
Reichterd’s Everyday Heroes community project’s new home is just after The Tunnels.
Here locals chose their Aberdeen heroes, from singers to teachers, to display in mosaic.
Deeds Not Words and Gallus Quines mural windows can also be found at St Nicholas Lane, located to the left of Aberdeen Market on The Green.
We had the pleasure of hearing Reichterd discuss her artistic journey during the Nuart festival talks at the Belmont Filmhouse.
Next: Keep walking straight with Reichterd to the left, veer to the right.
Area: The Nethergate
Dotmasters, UK (2019)
Next on the Aberdeen art trail is the much-loved Esslemont and Macintosh building.
Look at the windows to see the Rude Kids getting up to no good with a colour pop being provided by ‘wallpaper’.
Larger than life in reality and the public space, Dotmaster has taken over quite a few spaces in Aberdeen for his beautiful yet cheeky Rude Kids.
Dotmaster also appears in Café 52 on The Green and Jopps Lane.
Next: Walk straight ahead with Dotmaster to the right of you, and turn left.
Walk towards Marischal College until you reach Queen Street.
Martin Whatson, Norway (2017)
Whatson has mixed the image of a traditional golfer with tagging at 31 Queen Street.
The Golfer is seen taking a swing at the tags, which include the bubble writing ‘love’ and ‘peace’.
One of Evol’s house boxes sits beside the bus stop too.
Next: Head back towards Marischal College.
Area: Marischal College
Not part of Nuart but still worthy of mention, Poised by Andy Scott (Scotland’s Kelpies designer) is the first of the Aberdeen leopards that you will see on this art trail.
Pop into Marischal Square to see it and grab an ice cream at Mackies 19.2.
I also love the Russell Head, which is a hangover from Ragg’s Lane that was demolished in 1955.
There is also the bronze Robert the Bruce statue located outside of the Marischal College.
One of Evol’s houses is tucked into the right-hand corner of Marischal College.
Blink and you will miss it.
Next: With Marischal College to your right, veer left across the roundabout, keep looking right.
Read more about things to do in Aberdeen.
Area: Gallowgate, Greyfriars House
Helen Bur, UK (2019)
Another artist that uses people they know as muses, Bur’s painted murals sit balanced on either side of a block of accommodation.
Their murals look as if the paint has jumped off the canvas and onto the wall; simple yet pretty.
We came across Bur as she was close to completing her final mural, tuned into the headphones and head in the game.
Next: With Bur on your right, turn left and walk down the hill.
Area: St. Andrew Street, John Lewis
Hush, UK (2019)
Exquisite and delicate yet modern, Newcastle-born street artist, Hush, has two women built into a blue arch and draped in different designs which include tagging.
Next: Stare at Hush then do a 180 turn.
Area: Jopps Lane
Robert Montgomery, UK (2017)
A stark black wall with bright white text highlights Montgomery’s poem.
The mural really contrasts with the coloured doors of the flats.
Next: Turn your head to look across from Montgomery.
Fintan Magee, Australia (2017)
Bodiless legs stand over broken walls.
A comment on the current political climate?
The legs belong to people connected to Nuart!
Next: Keep walking along Jopps Lane.
Elki, UK (2018)
Jaune keeps good company next to Elki’s mural of DJ equipment and an earlier piece, the bagpiper.
Elki’s bagpiper is one of the longest-standing stencils in Aberdeen, an illegal piece of work from the 2000s.
Isaac Cordal, Spain (2017)
Get off your phone and look up.
Cordal’s miniature people are watching you!
Some dressed for work, some undressed for the nudist beach, these hidden figures are worth looking out for and a reminder that street art does not have to appear on the end of a building.
It can be built into it!
It is a challenge to spot these sculptures around Aberdeen.
Discovery brings on a mix of emotions including joy that you spotted one and confusion because they often look quite sad.
Next: Keep walking straight.
Dotmaster, UK (2019)
The Rude Kids have been defacing the Mona Lisa and painting the town red in this back-to-back mural!
This is one of the murals which has seen the most physical interaction from the public with fans doing headstands next to the rude kid and balancing on the fireplace for social media photos.
Next: Head back to Hush’s mural, turn right and then take the second left.
Look for the car park on your left.
Area: Crooked Lane
Hama Woods, Oslo (2019)
The second leopard on your Aberdeen street art tour is the stencil and spraywork of Woods.
Don’t just be stunned by the bright shapes and prancing leopard, look out for the wee mice in jumpers too.
The mice also appear above the Science Centre on George Street.
Look out for Jaune’s sanitation men around Crooked Lane too.
Next: Head out of the car park to the left.
Area: Harriet Street
M-City, Poland (2017)
M-City’s nautical-themed mural is apt for Aberdeen’s relationship with the sea.
Although purely painting walls in Scotland, M-City has sprayed an offshore vessel before too!
This black, white and blue mural takes over two walls on Harriet Street.
Next: Turn right onto Schoolhill.
Look for St Nicholas Kirk.
Area: St Nicholas Kirk (Graveyard)
Area: Rooftop Garden, St Nicholas Centre
Bortusk Leer, UK (2018)
These wee monsters plastered on vintage newspaper are supposed to make us smile and that they do!
You can’t miss the primary coloured and neon cartoon characters who live on the back wall of the park.
Next: Head back out of the rooftop, down the stairs and head towards Rosemount Viaduct and down onto Union Terrace Gardens
Ememem, France (2019)
Ememem encourages us to do a bit of shoegazing as his work is mostly placed on the ground.
An unusual ceramic mosaic can be found in a tree trump in St Nicholas’s graveyard.
Ememem’s mosaics can also be found in Union Terrace Gardens.
Next: Walk up the Bon Accord steps, veer to the right of the cafe and into the park. Look for a covered wall to the left.
Area: Rosemount Viaduct
Anders Gjennerstad, Norway (2019)
Stop when you walk past Gordon Bell’s piano shop and look up.
Next: Turn left onto Skene Street as it turns into Woolmanhill.
Area: RGU Woolmanhill Halls
Axel Void, US (2019)
Void has two painted murals at the end of the student halls buildings and they both conjure up a sense of nostalgia.
The hula hoop mural is a personal favourite of mine.
The other mural features a crowd mixed with local police during a visit from the Queen in Aberdeen I’m told.
Next: Walk back along Skene Street, take a left on Rosemount Viaduct, past or through the Gardens to Union Street.
Turn right onto Union Bridge.
Area: Union Bridge
Add Fuel, Portugal (2017)
Add Fuel is inspired by one of the things that his home country is famous for, tiles!
Unlike Ememem who actually works with ceramics, Add Fuel only uses their designs.
For his Aberdeen mural, next to the bar, Siberia, Add Fuel uses layers of paint and stencil to give that ‘ripped and unveil’ effect.
Next: Turn left onto Union Row
Area: Union Row
Bordalo II, Portugal (2018)
The unicorn, which is part of Bordalo’s Big Trash Animals project, is a popular mural in Aberdeen from 2018.
Look closely to identify the discarded and recycled materials hidden behind the bright colours.
Ernest Zacharevic, Lithuania (2018)
The boy climbing the building is the first thing you see when you get to the collection of murals on Union Row.
It is evident that Zacharevic is “a fine artist who prefers to work on the street.” The clean colours are in keeping with its surroundings. Subtle but beautiful.
Milu Correch, Argentina (2018)
One of South America’s leading figurative street artists, Correch’s Masked Women is dark and leaves you wondering what happened that night…
Correch also has a second wall at Langstane Place.
Nimi and RH74, Norway (2018)
The Girl with the Castle is my ultimate favourite.
I love the contrast of colours, red and green for her dress and yellow for her hair with a splattering of shades for her flower bed.
She looks really sad, clutching onto her castle.
The castle in question is actually Crathes Castle on the Royal Deeside and the woman in question is the Green Lady who haunts it.
Find out more about the area in our guide to Aberdeenshire.
Hungry?
Pop into FoodStory on Thistle Street for vegan pasta, salads, stews and sandwiches.
There is also a zero-waste shop upstairs.
Bordalo II would approve!
Next: Walk back along Union Street towards the Gardens and turn left onto Belmont Street.
Area: Belmont Street
Belmont Street feels like that one street in a new city you always find yourself on.
Here you will find Belmont Filmhouse, which is the hub for the Nuart Plus talks, films and panels.
Alice Pasquini, Italy (2017)
As you walk from the Belmont Filmhouse and head towards Union Street look out for Pasquini’s side profile with bright colours.
Pasquini can be found on Shiprow too.
Next: Walk along Union Street towards Brewdog, keep your eyes peeled for an opening or your left-hand side.
Area: Adelphi Lane, Scotland (2019)
The LATA 65 crew is made up of Aberdeen’s more mature citizens!
This international project educates members of society less likely to engage with public art and skills them in the use of stencils and spray paint.
You can see the work of the 2019 LATA 65 aka Graffiti Grandmas at Adelphi Lane just off Union Street.
Next: Back onto Union St and head off towards Brewdog again until you see another opening.
Area: Shiprow
Alice Pasquini, Italy (2017)
Pasquini’s young couple look lovingly into each other’s eyes as sparks fly.
The sea and a ship blend into the background.
There’s something space-like about this mural on two doors.
Aberdeen’s Maritime Museum is also on Shiprow.
Next: Walk down Ship Row, and turn left onto Virginia Street.
Case Maclaim, Germany (2024)
You can see Andreas Chrzanowski’s photorealistic mural painted on the side of the Ibis Hotel.
The portrait features fellow artist Addam Yekutieli.
Area: Ferry Terminal
HERA, Frankfurt (2024)
HERA returns to Aberdeen with a large-scale mural which can’t be missed if travelling to the ferry terminal.
Their first piece from Nuart 2017 Because You Are That Light, was demolished at Aberdeen Market.
Area: SNIK, UK (2018)
This UK duo say they don’t intend to paint out a full story in their murals, preferring to leave a touch of mystery for the viewer.
They definitely have succeeded with this in Aberdeen!
Their mural shows a girl being pulled up by a bird via a rope as a series of birds look on.
The blues of the bird and the girl’s top match but contrast against the white of the wall.
Next: Walk back down Virginia St and turn left past the harbour towards the rear of Union Shopping Centre.
Area: Palmerston Road
Vhils, Portugal (2019)
Vhils is one of the world’s biggest street artists and frequently appears in the top 10 lists.
He ‘destroys to create’ using pyrotechnic explosions and carving as well as stencil work.
This mural behind Union Square, close to the River Dee, is an image of Aberdonian John Londragan (left).
Londragon and other dockworkers supported Spanish seamen during their strike for better pay and for workers’ rights.
Vhils wanted to share a local hero’s story as his contribution to the 2019 Nuart theme ‘storytelling’.
Vhils uses carving, drilling and spray to depict the image.
Next: Go through the shopping centre towards Guild St, once there turn left then turn left down South College Street until you reach the turn for Willowbank Road, continue walking up this street.
Area: Willowbank Road, Scotland
The Glöbel Brothers
One of the most celebrated Nuart Aberdeen murals is Super Scury, the local seagull!
It is so popular, that Nuart even put it on a t-shirt for 2019.
Aberdeen is famous for its pesky-winged friends who are always after yir chips so Ciaran Glöbel and Conzo Throb thought they’d box the wee beggar and put it up for sale.
Next: Continue walking up Willowbank Road until you intersect with Holborn Street, and head right towards Union Street.
Phlegm, UK (2018)
Phlegm’s surreal black-and-white illustration is located at the intersection of Holburn and Union Street.
Now you’re at “the other end” of Union St, you’re probably in need of some refreshments after all the walking!
Thirsty? Grab a drink and watch a game at McGinty’s Meal an’ Ale.
Here’s our guide detailing everything you need to know about spending time in Aberdeen including activities, attractions, food, and of course, drink.
What is Nuart Aberdeen?
Nuart Aberdeen is an annual festival which takes place in the city of Aberdeen in Scotland.
Each year, street artists are invited from around the globe to help open up Aberdeen’s abandoned spaces, to add a splash of colour to the city and to spark conversation.
Although the more visual aspect of Nuart Aberdeen is obviously the artists at work on the days running up to the public opening, the festival is actually more than just murals.
During the festival, Nuart invites you to attend Q&As with the likes of the legendary John Byrne, panels, films and late-night events such as debates.
All of the above are open to the public, some events require pre-booking and sell out fast.
One of the highlights of Nuart Aberdeen is the seasonal walking tour.
Nuart is organised by Aberdeen Inspired and Aberdeen City Council.
It is funded through council funding and support from partners.
A clan of volunteers make Nuart possible, many of whom return to develop their skills further the following year.
Nuart is not a new idea.
It actually started in Stavanger, Norway in 2001.
What do the city of Aberdeen in Scotland and the city of Stavanger in Norway have in common?
The two are twinned towns and when they were looking for ways to consolidate their twinning the story of street art came up.
Nuart Founder and Director, Martyn Reed, describes Nuart as ‘Nuart is a not-for-profit organisation run by a small group of idealistic volunteers, vandals and bored arts professionals’.
How could Aberdeen resist?
How to Get to Aberdeen
Aberdeen is in the northeast of Scotland, 127 miles from the capital, Edinburgh, 149 miles from Glasgow and 66 miles from Dundee.
Frequent trains connect Aberdeen with the bigger Scottish cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow.
The Edinburgh to Aberdeen train takes just over two and a half hours whereas the Glasgow to Aberdeen train takes three hours.
The Aberdeen to Inverness train ride takes just over two hours.
Aberdeen Railway Station is the only train station in Aberdeen (Guild St, Aberdeen AB11 6FD).
There are also bus routes to Aberdeen served by Megabus.
The Edinburgh to Aberdeen bus takes around three hours, and Glasgow to Aberdeen is just a little over three hours.
The Aberdeen to Inverness bus takes four to six hours.
Where to Stay in Aberdeen
I’ve stayed in Aberdeen several times at the following accommodation.
- The Park Inn by Radisson – Big hotel, continental and cooked breakfast, car park next door.
- Skene House Rosemount – Apartment with kitchenette and parking.
- Jewel Guesthouse – Affordable, clean and cosy rooms, private.
Shout out to my friend Jen who has hosted me in Aberdeenshire many times too!
Our Aberdeen Guides
Disclaimer
I worked with Visit Aberdeenshire and Nuart (through Aberdeen Inspired and Aberdeen Festivals) to create this guide. I hope it has made you consider the Granite City for your next trip to Scotland!
The first version of this article initially appeared on my other site, Two Scots Abroad.