The University of Aberdeen's acclaimed WayWORD Festival returns this autumn (1-5 October and beyond) with a bold and inclusive programme that champions marginalised voices, challenges convention, and celebrates creativity across literature, art, music and performance.
The event will take place at the University of Aberdeen and in the city centre at Aberdeen Art Gallery, the Central Library and the Blue Lamp.
This year’s line-up is WayWORD’s most vibrant yet, featuring everything from poetry and live music to workshops, exhibitions and immersive theatre. Headliners include former first minister Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s new Makar Peter Mackay, much-loved Scottish authors Damian Barr, Len Pennie, Michael Pedersen and Chris McQueer, the Witches of Scotland podcast hosts, and award-winning Young Adult fiction authors Danielle Jawando and Margaret McDonald.
There are also lots of fantastic North East talents such as singer Fiona Soe Paing, comedian Aiden Cowie, and poet Mae Diansangu.
True to its mission of accessibility and inclusion, free tickets are available for all events with BSL interpretation provided at the majority of sessions, making WayWORD one of Scotland’s most welcoming cultural festivals.
Festival highlights include:
- Nicola Sturgeon in conversation: Scotland’s former First Minister discusses her candid memoir Frankly with poet Michael Pedersen, reflecting on politics, public life and the personal stories behind the headlines.
- North East Voices Showcase at The Blue Lamp: an electrifying night of comedy, poetry, music and spoken word spotlighting regional talent including Fiona Soe Paing, Sheena Blackhall and Aiden Cowie.
- Jazz Poetry night: A unique collaboration between poets Jo Gilbert, Mae Diansangu and jazz musicians at Aberdeen’s iconic Blue Lamp venue.
- Feminist Futures & Queer Histories: A programme strand foregrounding LGBTQ+ and feminist perspectives, with events like Scotland’s Hidden Queer Art History with Damian Barr and Re-Writing Queer Relationships in Literature with Kirsty Logan.
- Celebrating difference: performers who explore living with disability, and new novels foregrounding life with ADHD including Bloody Scotland Debut Prize-shortlisted The Malt Whisky Murders.
- Interactive workshops: creative writing with YA stars Danielle Jawando and Katherine Woodfine, plus hands-on creative sessions in animation and model-making, Gaelic theatre and alternative fashion.
- Exhibitions and film: from Swedish photographer Lisa Brunzell’s exploration ABBA tribute bands to the premiere of Saliqmiut – a powerful climate documentary by Professor Alan Marcus.
In addition, WayWORD continues its commitment to environmentalism through its presence at Envirolution at Seaton Park with award-winning poet Gen Carver, and to mental health and wellbeing with creative sessions for healthcare workers and the co-hosting of the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival Writing Competition awards ceremony.
Lecturer and WayWORD Festival Director, Dr Shane Strachan, explains: "The festival is shaped by a team of local young programmers, offering a rare platform for intergenerational, interdisciplinary and international creative exchange, which is accessible to all with free tickets, BSL provision and accessible venues. This is the first year of Multi-Year Funding from Creative Scotland, which has allowed us to grow to our biggest festival yet, alongside even more events year-round."
As part of this year’s festival, budding North East playwrights are being offered the opportunity to have their draft scripts workshopped and performed by professional actors as part of the festival weekend’s closing First Footings event. Submissions for this opportunity are now open until the end of August and can be applied for through the WayWORD website.
Explore the full programme and book tickets now at www.waywordfestival.com.