Nuart Plus at Nuart Aberdeen 2026: Beyond the Walls

While the murals of Nuart Aberdeen 2026 will once again transform the city’s surfaces, it’s Nuart Plus that brings the deeper narrative into focus.

Nuart Plus is where ideas are unpacked, challenged and shared. Through installations, talks, walks and late-night debates, it offers a way to experience the festival that goes beyond the visual. At each turn, inviting audiences into the thinking behind the work.

As curator Martyn Reed puts it, Nuart Plus is “an umbrella term for Nuart’s activities outside of physical art production. A platform that blends research, discussion and cultural exchange. Or, more informally, a kind of “vandal’s cultural and academic alibi”. A space where the thinking around street art is given just as much importance as the work itself.

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Nuart Plus Opening: Robert Montgomery at Bon Accord Baths

Everything begins with a moment of reflection. Festival artist Robert Montgomery presents “Even After All This Time The Sun Never Says to the Earth ‘You Owe Me’”. It’s an ambitious installation created with curator Martyn Reed.

Set within the atmospheric Art Deco surroundings of Bon Accord Baths, the work establishes one of the key themes running through Nuart this year, empathy. Known for his poetic text-based works, Montgomery’s installation acts as both a visual statement and a philosophical anchor for the programme.

Location: Bon Accord Baths, Justice Mill Lane, Aberdeen, AB11 6EQ
Dates & Times: Opening Night – Wednesday April 22, 20:00–22:00 | Open Daily April 23–26, 12:00–18:00

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Double Bill: Poetry in the Streets

The Nuart Plus programme formally kicks off at The Lemon Tree with Poetry in the Streets, a double bill that brings together some of the most influential voices in contemporary urban art.

Evan Pricco joins Robert Montgomery in conversation, offering insight into the evolving landscape of street art. Then Carlo McCormick returns with his much-loved fireside chat, an annual highlight. Festival artist HICKS rounds off the evening with his characteristically sharp cultural commentary.

It’s a night that perfectly encapsulates what Nuart does best. Blending insight, entertainment and critical discussion.

Location: The Lemon Tree, 5 West North Street, Aber4deen, AB24 5AT
Date & Time: Thursday April 23, 20:00–23:00

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Nuart Plus Street Art Conference

At the core of Nuart Plus is the Street Art Conference, a two-day exploration of urban creativity in all its forms.

Day one, hosted at the University of Aberdeen, examines the wider context of art in public space. Past, present and future. It’s here that the festival rally leans into its role as a platform for discussion and debate.

Day two at Cowdray Hall shifts the focus towards the artists themselves, offering audiences the chance to hear directly from those shaping the festival. These sessions highlight the depth of thought behind the works appearing across the city.

Day 1 Location: King’s College Conference Centre, University of Aberdeen
Date & Time: April 24, 11:00–17:00

Day 2 Location: Cowdray Hall, Aberdeen Art Gallery
Date & Time: April 25, 11:00–17:00

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After Dark: Fight Club

Nuart Plus isn’t confined to lecture halls. As night falls, the tone shifts.

Fight Club, the festival’s now infamous pub debate, returns to Cheerz. It brings with it strong opinions, lively exchanges and a crowd ready to decide the winner. It’s informal, unpredictable and very much in the spirit of Nuart: open, critical and participatory.

Location: Cheerz, 2 Exchange St, Aberdeen, AB11 6PH
Date & Time: April 24, 21:00–23:00

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Nuart Plus in Motion: Walking Tours

A key part of Nuart Plus is learning to experience the city differently.

Festival artist Alisa Oleva leads a series of walking tours that reframe Aberdeen as something to be read, heard and responded to. These aren’t traditional tours, they are immersive experiences that align closely with the conceptual side of Nuart Plus.

Alongside this, Inspiring City guides street art tours through the newly created works of 2026, connecting audiences with the stories behind them.

Together, these walks embody the participatory nature of Nuart Plus, where the audience becomes part of the narrative.

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Nuart Plus Meets the City: Big Belmont Bash

Nuart Plus extends beyond formal programming and into the streets themselves.

The Big Belmont Bash transforms Belmont Street into a celebration of community, creativity and local culture. With music, games and activities running throughout the day, it reflects the inclusive spirit at the heart of Nuart Plus, bringing art into everyday life.

Location: Belmont Street (including Back Wynd, Gaelic Lane & Little Belmont Street)
Date & Time: April 25, 12:00 till late

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Nuart Plus Finale: F*ck Art, Let’s Dance

As Nuart Plus draws to a close, the focus shifts from discussion to celebration.

The closing party at EXODUS sees Martyn Reed and friends deliver a night of vinyl-driven house music. Artists, organisers and audiences come together one last time—marking the end of the festival in true Nuart Plus fashion.

Location: EXODUS, upstairs at Triplekirks, Schoolhill
Date & Time: April 25, 23:00–03:00

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For more Inspiring City articles you will like, take a look at…

• Nuart Aberdeen returns with Poetry in the Streets for 2026
• All the Murals and Street Art from Nuart Aberdeen 2024
• Murals of the Nuart Aberdeen Street Art Festival 2023