Aberdeen Alternative Festival

Last updated

The Aberdeen Alternative Festival was a multi-arts festival which took place every October in Aberdeen, Scotland. The festival featured theatre, dance, comedy, music and visual arts events in various venues across the city. The event began in 1983 and grew to become the second largest festival in Scotland after the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. [1] The idea for it originated with cit councillor David Clyne. In 1992 Clyne arranged for the venue to get a permanent home as an old community centre was converted into The Lemon Tree event space. [1]

In the late 1990s the festival began to see decreasing attendance. In 2000 the municipal government ended its subsidy for the festival and soon after the festival ended. [1] The Lemon Tree remains as an active venue for concerts and events.

Related Research Articles

Aberdeen Third most populous city of Scotland

Aberdeen is a city in North East Scotland. It is the third most populous city in Scotland, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 39th most populous built-up area, with an official 2018 population estimate of 200,680 for the city of Aberdeen and 227,560 for the local council area.

Ullapool Human settlement in Scotland

Ullapool is a port and a village of around 1,500 inhabitants in Ross and Cromarty, Scottish Highlands, located around 45 miles (72 km) northwest of Inverness. Despite its size it is the largest settlement for many miles around, and an important port and tourist destination. The North Atlantic Drift passes Ullapool, moderating the temperature. A few Cordyline australis are grown in the town and are often mistaken for palm trees.The town lies on Loch Broom, on the A835 road from Inverness. The Ullapool River flows through the village.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe Arts festival

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the world's largest arts festival, which in 2018 spanned 25 days and featured more than 55,000 performances of 3,548 different shows in 317 venues. Established in 1947 as an alternative to the Edinburgh International Festival, it takes place annually in Edinburgh, Scotland, in the month of August. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe has become a world-leading celebration of arts and culture, surpassed only by the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup in terms of global ticketed events. As an event it "has done more to place Edinburgh in the forefront of world cities than anything else".

Nairn Human settlement in Scotland

Nairn is a town and former burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It is an ancient fishing port and market town around 17 miles (27 km) east of Inverness. It is the traditional county town of Nairnshire.

Edinburgh International Book Festival

The Edinburgh International Book Festival (EIBF) is a book festival that takes place in the last three weeks of August every year in Charlotte Square in the centre of Scotland’s capital city, Edinburgh. Billed as The largest festival of its kind in the world, the festival hosts a concentrated flurry of cultural and political talks and debates, along with its well-established children's events programme.

Union Terrace Gardens

Union Terrace Gardens is a public park and gardens situated on Union Terrace in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Aberdeen International Youth Festival

Aberdeen International Youth Festival, formerly the International Festival of Youth Orchestras, was a performing arts festival and one of Scotland's major international cultural events, which ran from 1973 to 2017.

:For the similarly named Swedish band, see The Refreshments

His Majestys Theatre, Aberdeen

His Majesty's Theatre in Aberdeen is the largest theatre in north-east Scotland, seating more than 1,400. The theatre is sited on Rosemount Viaduct, opposite the city's Union Terrace Gardens. It was designed by Frank Matcham and opened in 1906. On its centenary in 2006, the theatre was "twinned" with His Majesty's Theatre in Perth, Western Australia.

Edinburgh Festival Theatre

The Edinburgh Festival Theatre is a performing arts venue located on Nicolson Street in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is used primarily for performances of opera and ballet, large-scale musical events, and touring groups. After its most recent renovation in 1994, it seats 1,915. It is one of the major venues of the annual summer Edinburgh International Festival and is the Edinburgh venue for the Scottish Opera and the Scottish Ballet.

Lemon Tree may refer to:

Aberdeen Art Gallery Visual arts exhibition space in the city of Aberdeen, Scotland

Aberdeen Art Gallery is the main visual arts exhibition space in the city of Aberdeen, Scotland. It was founded in 1884, in a building designed by Alexander Marshall Mackenzie, with a sculpture court added in 1905. In 1900 it received the art collection of Alexander Macdonald, a local granite merchant. The gallery is noted for its fine collection of modern Scottish and international art, including works by Ken Currie, Gilbert & George, Ivor Abrahams, Bridget Riley and Bruce McLean.

Culture in Aberdeen

The city of Aberdeen in Scotland has amenities that cover a wide range of cultural activities, including a selection of museums and galleries. There are festivals and theatrical events throughout the year.

Fiona Kennedy Clark, OBE, DL is a Scottish singer, actress, and broadcaster, and the daughter of Scottish and Gaelic singers Calum Kennedy and Anne Gillies. As a child, she appeared with her parents as they performed as a family, and this developed into a successful solo career.

The Stand Comedy Club

The Stand Comedy Club is a chain of three stand-up comedy venues in the cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Newcastle upon Tyne.

Word – University of Aberdeen writers festival

Word – University of Aberdeen writers festival was a book festival that took place from 1999 until 2011, initially every two years and latterly every year, over a weekend of May at the University of Aberdeen. Authors, thinkers and commentators from all over the world came each year to Aberdeen for a three-day celebration of the written word with a mix of readings, discussions, films and exhibitions. There was also a Schools' and Children's festival.

The Flying Pigs are a musical sketch comedy team based in Aberdeen in the North-East of Scotland that has received some UK-wide coverage due to their BBC Scotland radio show Desperate Fishwives.

Aberdeen has been the host of several theatres and concert halls through history. Some of them have been converted or destroyed over the years.

P&J Live Arena in Bucksburn, Scotland

P&J Live is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the suburb of Bucksburn, in Aberdeen in Scotland. Opened in August 2019, it offers a capacity for all types of shows and events from 5,000 to 15,000. Replacing the former Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC), the 10,000-seat arena is used for concerts and other events. It is the largest indoor arena in Scotland, and the fifth largest arena in the United Kingdom.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Wyllie, James (27 October 2020). "How an 'alternative' festival reached round the world to unite Aberdeen". Press and Journal. Retrieved 31 December 2020.