Aberdeen Performing Arts are looking for proposals from professional artists based in Scotland to present pre-existing pop-up, interactive and walkabout work as part of the Family Arts Day on Sun 7 June 2026.

Light the Blue, Aberdeen Performing Arts’ multi-artform festival for and by young people, will next take place 1 – 14 June 2026. Each year they present a programme of theatre, dance, music, film, visual arts and more, engaging over 1000 young, professional and emerging artists through performances, engagement projects, skills development opportunities and networking events. To find out more about the festival, visit www.aberdeenperformingarts.com/light-the-blue.

Family Arts Day is a free event featuring pop-up, interactive and walkabout performances by young and professional artists; arts and crafts; sports; food trucks; backstage tours; installations and more. Taking place across indoor and outdoor locations including Union Terrace Gardens and His Majesty’s Theatre, they invite young people aged 0 – 12 and their families to spend an inspiring, creative and fun day.

What are they looking for?
They’re looking for artists based in Scotland with pre-existing pop-up, walkabout, interactive or durational theatre, music and dance performances. They’re also open to considering sensory, interactive or experiential installations and art activities.

Performances must be suitable for noisy public spaces, have strong visual appeal, be interactive and accessible to a wide range of audiences. They are most interested in work that can be performed outdoors. They want to programme work that is exciting, challenging, perfectly pitched for young people and is ready to go having already been tested out in front of an audience.

They are particularly interested in hearing from artists with work that connects in some way to the festival theme looking forward / looking back – looking forward to the future and the imagined world we’ll find ourselves in; looking back on childhood memories that have shaped who we are today.

Connecting to their ‘for and by young people’ mission, they are interested in hearing about work that has the option to involve young artists in performance or presentation, or that has been developed in collaboration with young people.

All programmed artists will be offered an appropriate fee and relevant expenses as well as technical and producing support.

For further information, please contact lightthebluefestival@aberdeenperformingarts.com (Jordan Blackwood) or visit https://www.aberdeenperformingarts.com/call-outs/light-the-blue-2026-family-arts-day-proposals-from-professional-artists-call-out/.