Creative Aberdeen (2008 - 2024)

One of the few things I like about Christmas is knowing that the Tea Cosy Fair will be popping up! The Tea Cosy Fair is a chance to check out some amazing hand made goods from some of Scotland's most talented makers and crafters both from Aberdeen and further afield. As always Smart Consultants pull together an impressive range of artists, makers, designers and crafters to create this unique event. Although there's more of these types of fair's happening over the year in Aberdeen I still think Tea Cosy is the best! And its perfect for my plan to only buy Christmas presents from local independent shops and makers! Check out the makers list below and be sure to get down for a looksie on Saturday 8th December at the rather stunning Cowdary Hall!

Happy New Year friends. After 14 years, Mood of Collapse blog has a new name for the new year,   Creative Aberdeen ! This might not seem like much to others but I've decided or realised that what I'd set out to achieve has grown and changed so much over the years as have I and it's become more than just one persons idea or take on culture, or at least it should be. The rationale that mood of collapse blog was my own personal views on things provided some safety and allowed me to advocate for artists and projects I believed in which has brought me a lot of fulfilment and many amazing friends. But I've always disliked the gaps in the representation of the spectrum of culture, one of the pitfalls of only being able to cover so much ground working alone. Indeed there's entire area's of culture that I've had a blind spot for in theatre & dance and I find I'm still only learning about artists through chance conversations or online research despite them ope...

With a move from Rosemount to Marischal College, Kekun Studio have revamped their indoor wall into an outdoor street art oasis! Ok that's maybe a bit conflated and its weird to write about Kekun in the third person as Kekun Studio is myself and Mary Louise Butterworth along with a host of creative friends who help us run projects and exhibitions. But having our own street art wall has been a dream which we never quite managed to achieve at the old studio due to a lack of outdoor space and problems with a neighbour which eventually led to our move. But Arkade has welcomed us with open arms and given us a renewed sense of purpose when it comes to making projects happen and looking at where both Arkade & Kekun can cross over. It's been really important to have space and the freedoms that Jim has afforded us and its led to some great new initiatives that will have an impact on various communities in Aberdeen beyond the creative network.  Arkade Gallery & Studios is housed...