Aberdeen to Rise Up! as new festival brings weekend of events to city

A weekend celebrating Black and People of Colour Creatives in Aberdeen and Scotland is set to take the Music Hall and the Lemon Tree by storm this weekend.

Curated by We Are Here Scotland and commissioned by Aberdeen Performing Arts, Rise Up! will take place on 13 and 14 May with a dynamic programme of performances, talks, and workshops.

Aberdeen Performing Arts Director of Programming and Creative Projects, Ben Torrie said: “Providing a stage for emerging talent and creating space for all voices to be heard is so important for a thriving artistic environment, so Rise Up! is a hugely significant addition to Aberdeen’s cultural calendar this year. The sheer breadth of talent from the artists taking part is incredible and this festival is a fantastic opportunity to discover more about the diverse range of creatives here in the North East and beyond.

“As well as the headline events there are plenty of free ticketed talks and workshops taking place on Saturday and we hope as many people as possible come along to check out what’s on offer.”

We Are Here Scotland Director Ica Headlam said: “We are pleased to be working in partnership with Aberdeen Performing Arts on Rise Up! We feel that it is a very important and unique opportunity to spotlight a variety of Black and PoC artists and performers from the North East of Scotland and further afield. With a variety of performances, free panels, and workshops, we hope these events bring new and diverse engagement for Aberdeen’s creative community.”

Headline events include Rise Up! In Our Own Words on Friday, May 13 in the Music Hall’s Big Sky Studio, and Rise Up! With Our Voices on Saturday, May 14 at the Lemon Tree.

In Our Own Words is an evening of performance by artists of colour, exploring and celebrating themes of identity, culture and a sense of place in Scotland. With a line-up including 16 year-old Aberdonian singer-songwriter Aiysha, Aberdeen-based spoken word artist Noon Salah Eldin, Glaswegian performer Paix and poet Mae Diansangu, this your chance to see firsthand the power of art as a tool for social representation and change.

With Our Voices will see up and coming artists join more established voices who are all changing the narrative within the country’s music scene.

Celebrated Aberdeen rapper Chef joins Edinburgh-based singer-songwriter Danny Cliff on a line up which also includes Glasgow based rapper Clarissa Woods, songwriter and soundsmith Kapil Seshasayee and DJ and visual artist DIJA.

One Mississippi takes place at the Lemon Tree at 7pm on Saturday, 14 May. Described as a hard-hitting play that explores how the impact of childhood experiences shape men’s adult lives, One Mississippi blends humour and storytelling with powerful elements of physical theatre to create an uncompromising insight into what takes us to breaking point.

A series of free talks and workshops taking place at the Music Hall Big Sky Studio on Saturday 14 May cover topics including representation within Scottish creative industries, climate narratives, knowing your worth, and culture and identity as an artistic influence among others. The Music Hall’s Coda Café will be open throughout for refreshments between events.

Information for all Rise Up! Events is available at www.aberdeenperformingarts.com