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For Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire creatives. Events, spotlights, mentorship, fun + more 💥

As one half of electronic duo Lemon Jelly, Fred Deakin toured the world, headlined Glastonbury, T in the Park and more, was Mercury Prize and Brit nominated, and sold over half a million albums. A huge name that we&#39;re beyond buzzing is coming to The Tunnels 🍋 His set will be accompanied by brand new visuals made by local Aberdeen creatives the previous week as part of another Rotate Fest event. It really will be a &lsquo;one night only&rsquo; event.&nbsp; If you&#39;re a big Fred Deakin/Lemon Jelly fan, then come along to <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.zeffy.com/en-GB/ticketing/fred-deakin-rotate-fest" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">his talk</a> earlier in the afternoon where he&#39;ll be talking all about the messy middle part of a winding creative career.&nbsp; Line Up9pm &mdash; Doors open9-9:30pm &mdash; *Support DJ TBA*9:30-11pm &mdash; Fred Deakin11pm-12am &mdash; Hang out, chat, dance etc. Potentially another local DJ 👀 Open to allWhile Kin is a charity for the local creative community and Rotate Fest is a series of events aimed at creatives, this event is well and truly open to anyone.&nbsp;This one&#39;s all about the music. AccessibilityThe Tunnels have step-free access to the building and an accessible toilet. Please note: we&#39;re in Tunnel 1, which is split level so there are a few steps to get to the lower part of the room nearer the stage. Give us a shout on <a fr-original-style="" href="mailto:info@kin-abz.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">info@kin-abz.org</a> if you have any questions. About KinWe want more Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire creatives to see a future here in the region, so we&rsquo;re focussed on connecting emerging creatives with established professionals to show them it&rsquo;s possible. More connections, more support, more roots planted here early to give our emerging creatives the option to stay.&nbsp; We do this through our Next of Kin mentorship programme, putting on creative events to bring people together, informal creative networking opportunities, our skills swap shop that encourages collaboration and support, and live projects to gain real experience. We&rsquo;re only just starting, and we&rsquo;ve got big big plans for the future. The support from the local creative community has been so touching. The demand is there, just gotta make it happen. So let&rsquo;s gooooo! Charity no. SC054965.&nbsp;

Fred Deakin: DJ Set — Rotate Fest

As one half of electronic duo Lemon Jelly, Fred Deakin toured the world, headlined Glastonbury, T in the Park and more, was Mercury Prize and Brit nominated, and sold over half a million albums. Alongside all that, Fred is a huge name in the design world too. He designed all the artwork for Lemon Jelly, and co-founded design agency Airside in London for more than a decade. He later went on to become Professor of Digital Art at University of the Arts London. He&rsquo;s a design and music powerhouse, and we&rsquo;re beyond buzzing that he&rsquo;ll be chatting to us in The Tunnels.&nbsp; Fred&rsquo;s talk will focus on the messy middle part of a creative career when you&rsquo;re maybe finished uni, or been working for a while and not sure where your next milestone is, and you&rsquo;re navigating that awkward in-between bit. After his talk (and a brief break!), Fred will be doing a DJ set in the next door tunnel alongside some visuals created by local creatives in another Rotate Fest event the previous week. This is a separate event so requires a separate ticket, which you can purchase <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.zeffy.com/en-GB/ticketing/fred-deakin-dj-set-rotate-fest" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">here</a>. It&rsquo;s gonna be a magical night and we can&#39;t wait 🍋🪩 Doors open 6:30pm for a 7:30pm start. AccessibilityThe Tunnels are fully accessible, with step-free access and an accessible toilet. There will be seating for everyone during the talk. Give us a shout on <a fr-original-style="" href="mailto:info@kin-abz.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">info@kin-abz.org</a> if you have any questions. About KinWe want more Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire creatives to see a future here in the region, so we&rsquo;re focussed on connecting emerging creatives with established professionals to show them it&rsquo;s possible. More connections, more support, more roots planted here early to give our emerging creatives the option to stay.&nbsp; We do this through our Next of Kin mentorship programme, putting on creative events to bring people together, informal creative networking opportunities, our skills swap shop that encourages collaboration and support, and live projects to gain real experience. We&rsquo;re only just starting, and we&rsquo;ve got big big plans for the future. The support from the local creative community has been so touching. The demand is there, just gotta make it happen. So let&rsquo;s gooooo! Charity no. SC054965.&nbsp;

Fred Deakin: Talk — Rotate Fest

Stonehaven loon Rob Johnson joins us for an evening of insight into creative process, design, animation, illustration, advertising and all the ways you can unlock your creative super powers (pssst its not AI). With over 20+ years advertising experience and a love for design, Rob&#39;s expertise are animation/motion lead. Constantly having to adapt style, trends and technologies has made for an ever evolving skillset and toolkit. Currently freelancing in Glasgow and enjoys nothing more than a wildly diverse output and frustratingly difficult brief to decipher. AccessibilityThe Tunnels are fully accessible, with step-free access and an accessible toilet. There will be seating for everyone during the talk. Give us a shout on <a fr-original-style="" href="mailto:info@kin-abz.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">info@kin-abz.org</a> if you have any questions. About KinWe want more Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire creatives to see a future here in the region, so we&rsquo;re focussed on connecting emerging creatives with established professionals to show them it&rsquo;s possible. More connections, more support, more roots planted here early to give our emerging creatives the option to stay.&nbsp; We do this through our Next of Kin mentorship programme, putting on creative events to bring people together, informal creative networking opportunities, our skills swap shop that encourages collaboration and support, and live projects to gain real experience. We&rsquo;re only just starting, and we&rsquo;ve got big big plans for the future. The support from the local creative community has been so touching. The demand is there, just gotta make it happen. So let&rsquo;s gooooo! Charity no. SC054965.&nbsp;

Rob Johnson: Talk — Rotate Fest

Work alongside a jam-packed room of local creatives to create a visual experience which will be shown at Fred Deakin&rsquo;s DJ night the following week.&nbsp; We&rsquo;ve got mentors lined up, a brief that will get you thinking, and 2 days in the underbelly of Aberdeen to come up with a visual response to the brief. It&rsquo;ll be fast paced, an exciting challenge, and a great chance to connect with your peers and local industry professionals.&nbsp; On day 2, everyone will present their outputs to the other project participants, the mentors, and more local creatives who are invited in for a nosey. After the project finishes, your ticket includes entry to Rob Johnson&rsquo;s talk on the Thursday evening which will be an excellent way to round off your two days with us!&nbsp; What type of creative discipline is this aimed at?Truly any. Your task is just to create a visual output in response to the brief. &nbsp;That could be an animation, a series of photos, textile patterns, sculptures, paintings, anything! Then after the workshop, a team of creatives will work with Fred Deakin to translate your visual output into video assets to be displayed on a big ole screen for the DJ night.&nbsp; Where is it?Our base for the 2 days will be The Tunnels under Union Street. After the briefing on the Wednesday morning, you&#39;ll have the option to scamp around the city to soak up some inspiration in response to some prompts we&#39;ll provide.&nbsp; What do I need to bring?Your output can be truly anything, so there&#39;s no set requirements with regards to equipment. You can bring laptops/tablets if you want, but there&#39;s not a need or expectation to do so. We&rsquo;d advise thinking about any materials you usually work with or might want to experiment with, and bring them along. There will be drawing materials provided. Who can attend?Open to all, but we&#39;re particularly keen for students and emerging creatives to get involved as they&#39;d benefit most from the mentorship. AccessibilityThe tunnel we&rsquo;ll be based in (Tunnel 2) is fully accessible, with step-free access and an accessible toilet. There will be seats for everyone. Any questions, just give us a shout <a fr-original-style="" href="mailto:info@kin-abz.org" style="text-decoration-color: currentcolor; user-select: auto; box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">info@kin-abz.org</a> 🧡 Only 30 spaces available so book soon if you want in :-)

2-Day Live Project — Rotate Fest

Come together for conversations, connection and community, featuring TWO amazing speakers with stories and perspectives to share. Expect a double dose of motivation and creative energy. Spaces are limited so get your ticket soon. Finlay MacAulay is a Scottish Casting Director based between Tokyo and London.&nbsp;His work spans runway shows, campaigns, commercials, editorials and special projects, taking him from New York, London, Milan and Paris to Jamaica, Shanghai, Beijing, the Isle of Skye and beyond. In 2024, Finlay launched his own casting venture in Tokyo, where he collaborates with East Asian clients and global fashion brands including Issey Miyake, Onitsuka Tiger, Zara and Auralee across fashion, luxury, editorial and cultural projects. Drawing on his background in history of art and theatre, Finlay&rsquo;s approach to casting is rooted in a deep interest in characterisation and storytelling, ensuring each project has a compelling and impactful narrative. With over fifteen years of experience, he remains fascinated by faces and the unique stories they tell. Laura Sim is an Emmy-winning Hair &amp; Make-up Artist from Ellon, Aberdeenshire. She began her creative journey at Gray&rsquo;s School of Art before moving to London to pursue a career in Graphic Design. She later transitioned into Hair &amp; Make-up, building an impressive portfolio across television and film. Her credits include acclaimed productions such as Bridgerton S2 &amp; S3, Bait, and Alan Bennett&rsquo;s - The Choral. Doors open 6.45, first speaker on at 7.30pm. Please note we are upstairs in the venue. By coming along, you help Kin grow a welcoming, sustainable creative community through events, collaborations, and future projects. If cost is a barrier, let us know &ndash; we want this room to reflect the full range of local talent 🌟

Kinspiration

A relaxed, easy-going get together of creatives from Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. A friendly space to meet new people, share ideas, and build connections without pressure.&nbsp; We&rsquo;ve got a few gentle prompts to help conversations flow, but we promise it won&rsquo;t be the type of scary networking event you might be thinking of! The focus is on feeling comfortable and meeting new people.&nbsp; All forms of creatives welcome &mdash; photographers, painters, designers, architects, web developers, anyone!&nbsp; Come as you are, take your time, and enjoy meeting your creative neighbours. All in a supportive and informal setting ☀️ 🧡 Note: 3 steps down to the back area🧡 Toilets on ground floor🧡 Mix of standing/seated. 20 seats available If you&rsquo;ve got any questions around accessibility or anything else, feel free to message us! Kin is a registered charity (SC054965)

Kin & Tonic

Be part of something special and come along to our launch event for Kin, a new charity championing emerging creatives in Aberdeen and ShireTo kick things off with a bang we&rsquo;ve got the incredible graphic artist, Jimmy Turrell, as our guest speaker. His impressive career includes collaborations with many well known music artists, publications and creative brands.&nbsp; Expect bold ideas, honest stories, interactive activities and serious inspiration - all in a room packed with like-minded local creatives ready to connect, collaborate and shake things up. Kin is a registered charity (SC054965). Any money raised goes towards covering costs and funding future events &amp; projects for the creative community in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. If the ticket price is a barrier, please don&rsquo;t hesitate to get in touch &mdash; we&rsquo;re happy to discuss options, and all conversations will be treated confidentially.

Kin Launch

Donate to Kin We&#39;re a registered charity (SC054965) and every donation goes right back into doing more for Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire creatives. That includes our Next of Kin mentorship programme, putting on creative events to bring people together, informal creative networking opportunities, our skills swap shop that encourages collaboration and support, and live projects to gain real experience. We&rsquo;re only just starting, and we&rsquo;ve got big big plans for the future. So we better get cracking! 🧡

Donate to Kin We're a registered charity (SC054965) and every donation goes right back into doing more for Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire creatives. That includes our Next of Kin mentorship programme, putting on creative events to bring people together, informal creative networking opportunities, our skills swap shop that encourages collaboration and support, and live projects to gain real experience.We’re only just starting, and we’ve got big big plans for the future. So we better get cracking! 🧡

Donation to Kin

An online 20 minute 1:1 chat with Kirsten Murray: Creative Director, Brand Strategist, Designer and Copywriter This is your time to choose what to discuss: ask for advice, speak through a project, ask about their career, get feedback on your portfolio, whatever you need.&nbsp; About KirstenKirsten is the founder and creative director of wherenow, a social purpose creative studio. Originally from Aberdeen, but never one to sit still, she has steered her studio across the globe and is currently based in Paris. During her career, she&rsquo;s worn many titles: art director, brand strategist, designer, and writer, all of which she sees as languages for translating and expressing ideas. Her work has been recognised by D&amp;AD, International Creative Awards, World Brand Design Society, and the Scottish Design Awards. Who can book these chatsAny early-stage creatives looking for advice or a new connection. Students, grads, no creative education background at all, in a creative role but needing advice, in a totally different role but wanting to move into the creative industry. Kin primarily focuses on supporting emerging creatives, but that can look like a whole range of people at different stages of life and backgrounds. How it will workAfter you order your ticket, you&#39;ll be sent an email with the Teams meeting link.&nbsp; V IMPORTANT: Only enter the meeting at your time slot - there is the same link for each participant, so if you go in early you&#39;ll be jumping in on someone else&#39;s chat which would be a fluster for everyone. --Kin is a registered charity: no. SC054965. Aberdeen &amp; Aberdeenshire FTW 🔧🚗

Kirsten Murray — Creative MOTs

An online 20 minute 1:1 chat with Chris McDonald, co-founder of SZN Media This is your time to choose what to discuss: ask for advice, speak through a project, ask about their career, get feedback on your portfolio, whatever you need.&nbsp; About ChrisChris is a podcast producer and co-founder of SZN Media Ltd, where he hosts Shaping The North East, a podcast highlighting the people, ideas and stories shaping the creative community in the North East of Scotland. He is passionate about using podcasting to amplify local voices, connect creatives and showcase the region&rsquo;s talent. Who can book these chatsAny early-stage creatives looking for advice or a new connection. Students, grads, no creative education background at all, in a creative role but needing advice, in a totally different role but wanting to move into the creative industry. Kin primarily focuses on supporting emerging creatives, but that can look like a whole range of people at different stages of life and backgrounds. How it will workAfter you order your ticket, you&#39;ll be sent an email with the Teams meeting link.&nbsp; V IMPORTANT: Only enter the meeting at your time slot - there is the same link for each participant, so if you go in early you&#39;ll be jumping in on someone else&#39;s chat which would be a fluster for everyone. --Kin is a registered charity: no. SC054965. Aberdeen &amp; Aberdeenshire FTW 🔧🚗

SZN Media — Creative MOTs

An online 20 minute 1:1 chat with silversmith Drew Markou This is your time to choose what to discuss: ask for advice, speak through a project, ask about their career, get feedback on your portfolio, whatever you need.&nbsp; About DrewDrew Markou is a designer, maker and silversmith who worked as a university lecturer across 3D craft degree programmes, including jewellery and silversmithing. He is now the founder and director of Smiddy Banff CIC, a community-led creative workshop in Banff. Who can book these chatsAny early-stage creatives looking for advice or a new connection. Students, grads, no creative education background at all, in a creative role but needing advice, in a totally different role but wanting to move into the creative industry. Kin primarily focuses on supporting emerging creatives, but that can look like a whole range of people at different stages of life and backgrounds. How it will workAfter you order your ticket, you&#39;ll be sent an email with the Teams meeting link.&nbsp; V IMPORTANT: Only enter the meeting at your time slot - there is the same link for each participant, so if you go in early you&#39;ll be jumping in on someone else&#39;s chat which would be a fluster for everyone. --Kin is a registered charity: no. SC054965. Aberdeen &amp; Aberdeenshire FTW 🔧🚗

Drew Markou — Creative MOTs

An online 20 minute 1:1 chat with Zara Weston (Zee), co-founder of Aberdeen Animates This is your time to choose what to discuss: ask for advice, speak through a project, ask about their career, get feedback on your portfolio, whatever you need.&nbsp; About ZeeZee is a 3D Environment and Product Artist and co-founder of Aberdeen Animates, an animation festival celebrating animation talent in Aberdeen and the North East of Scotland. She is passionate about championing local animators, supporting emerging creatives and helping grow the region&rsquo;s animation community. Who can book these chatsAny early-stage creatives looking for advice or a new connection. Students, grads, no creative education background at all, in a creative role but needing advice, in a totally different role but wanting to move into the creative industry. Kin primarily focuses on supporting emerging creatives, but that can look like a whole range of people at different stages of life and backgrounds. How it will workAfter you order your ticket, you&#39;ll be sent an email with the Teams meeting link.&nbsp; V IMPORTANT: Only enter the meeting at your time slot - there is the same link for each participant, so if you go in early you&#39;ll be jumping in on someone else&#39;s chat which would be a fluster for everyone. --Kin is a registered charity: no. SC054965. Aberdeen &amp; Aberdeenshire FTW 🔧🚗

Aberdeen Animates — Creative MOTs

An online 45 minute 1:1 chat with Studio Nari &mdash; Design-based Studio. This is your time to choose what to discuss: ask for advice, speak through a project, ask about their career, get feedback on your portfolio, whatever you need.&nbsp; About Studio NariAbbie Lilley and Charley Ray are senior designers at Studio NARI - Not Always Right Ideas. A creative agency working with clients worldwide to build unmistakable brands, worlds, campaigns, and products. Studio NARI was founded by Caterina Bianchini - an alumna of Gray&#39;s School of Art. Who can book these chatsAny early-stage creatives looking for advice or a new connection. Students, grads, no creative education background at all, in a creative role but needing advice, in a totally different role but wanting to move into the creative industry. Kin primarily focuses on supporting emerging creatives, but that can look like a whole range of people at different stages of life and backgrounds. How it will workAfter you order your ticket, you&#39;ll be sent an email with the Teams meeting link.&nbsp; V IMPORTANT: Only enter the meeting at your time slot - there is the same link for each participant, so if you go in early you&#39;ll be jumping in on someone else&#39;s chat which would be a fluster for everyone. --Kin is a registered charity: no. SC054965. Aberdeen &amp; Aberdeenshire FTW 🔧🚗

Kin

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Kin

Upcoming events

Events

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Kirsten Murray — Creative MOTs

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SZN Media — Creative MOTs

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Drew Markou — Creative MOTs

Get your tickets

Aberdeen Animates — Creative MOTs

Get your tickets

Studio Nari — Creative MOTs

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Kin

Upcoming events

Events

Get your tickets

Kirsten Murray — Creative MOTs

Get your tickets

SZN Media — Creative MOTs

Get your tickets

Drew Markou — Creative MOTs

Get your tickets

Aberdeen Animates — Creative MOTs

Get your tickets

Studio Nari — Creative MOTs

More ways to support us

Donate now

Donation to Kin

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