Open Road

21/06/2025

🌊 Festival of the Sea ship-shape and ready for launch! 🚢

With the Tall Ships on the horizon, art, heritage, sport and leisure organisations across Aberdeen are set to present a raft of maritime-themed events for local people and visitors to the city.

The Festival of the Sea takes place from 12 to 27 July, the two weeks either side of the Tall Ships Races Aberdeen (19-22 July). From sports camps to singing and storytelling, theatre and dancing to sea dragons and coastal discovery tours, and from exhibitions and creative writing to watercolour workshops, there's something for all ages to discover and enjoy. Twenty organisations are presenting around 40 free and paid-for events in indoor and outdoor locations across the city.

📰 read all about it! 🔗 https://orlo.uk/Q6D2h

👉 Check out the full programme here 🔗 https://orlo.uk/uzquv

Aberdeen City Council Aberdeen Archives, Gallery & Museums Aberdeen Inspired VisitAberdeenshire Tall Ships Aberdeen Aberdeen Sports Village Aberdeen Performing Arts Aberdeen City Libraries Creative Learning Open Road Pushing Out the Boat Citymoves Dance Agency Deemouth Artist Studios Torry Greyhope Bay

20/06/2025

Absolutely delighted to be delivering the Community Programme for the second year of Aberdeen City Council Festival of the Sea.
Lesley-Anne Rose our Creative Director said: “The Festival of the Sea is a perfect fit for Aberdeen and its harbourside communities. We’re excited to build on the success of last year and offer a programme of free family events, artist workshops, storytelling and music.”
Book your tickets and find out more here https://www.openroadltd.com/festival-of-the-sea-2024/

17/06/2025

We’ve been working as part of a wider cohort with Culture for Carbon Scotland looking at the role of Culture in 20 Minute Neighbourhoods and Place Planning. We ran a workshop that looked at ways to include culture in place planning and discussed how we can ensure it’s not missed out in place planning and furthermore, how to bring culture to the cross-sector tables tasked with making communities work. If you'd like to find out more read our blog or get in touch at [email protected]

https://www.openroadltd.com/2025/06/the-role-of-culture-in-place-planning/

09/06/2025

A huge thank you to everyone who made it to our Fittie Film Night for the fantastic screening of Meet the Buchanans , we had a brilliant evening. Stay tuned for our next Fittie Film Night as part of our Community Programme for Festival of The Sea. We've put together an incredible programme for adults, children and families- there's something for everyone between the 12th and 27th July. Find out more and book on here https://www.openroadltd.com/festival-of-the-sea-2024/
Aberdeen City Council

02/06/2025

Delighted to be featured in June's POST Exploring Aberdeen Culture newsletter featuring our Fittie Film Night, this Friday 6th June with the incredible Meet the Buchanans

📅 Friday 6 June
📍 Fittie Community Hall, 7 New Pier Road, Aberdeen, AB11 5DR
🕡 Doors open 6:30pm | 🎥 Film starts at 7:00pm
🎟️ Tickets £5

This unique documentary follows the quirky, unexpected journey of inaugurating the first Clan Buchanan Chief in over 300 years. When it comes to holding the ceremony, and historical records can’t be found, most of it is being invented.

Historical fact and historical fiction collide as we join the Chief (millionaire Scottish landowner Mike Buchanan) his wife Lady Paula, and their teenage family, and tartan-mad enthusiasts from around the world descend on deepest Perthshire for the ceremony.

A hidden world of British wealth and privilege unfolds as the family uncover and invent fresh entitlements of the new role: revealing not only whether they can pull off this massive event, but also how history is made (up).

Meet the Buchanans takes a sideways look at raising important questions around identity, historical values and traditions, belonging, and the place of Clans in the modern world.

👉 Stay after the screening for a special Q&A with director/producer Barbara Orton and Professor Alison Lumsden from the University of Aberdeen Walter Scott Research Centre

Don’t miss this fascinating and funny dive into Scotland’s past and present.

This screening is a co-promotion with North East Arts Touring North East Arts Touring (NEAT) and Open Road Ltd.





https://vimeo.com/1063638540

As we head into June, we’re more connected than ever, especially with the buzz from recent community projects and the early signs of summer.

01/06/2025

Thank you POST Exploring Aberdeen Culture for sharing the work we do at Open Road 😀

This week, POST is sponsored by Open Road, an Aberdeen arts project group passionate about storytelling and community.

From mentoring to events, they help share stories that matter. We’re grateful for their creativity and support.

Go give them a follow: Open Road

28/05/2025

22/05/2025

There's still one more chance to see the incredible Fiona Soe Paing Sand, Silt, Flint, tomorrow night
Get your tickets here: https://thebarnarts.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/1173661458/events/428706045

"Wow, that's advanced, and beautiful! " (IGGY POP, BBC 6 MUSIC)

“a sublimely powerful and lingering experience”,
(SONGLINES MAGAZINE)

SAND, SILT, FLINT

Fiona Soe Paing’s innovative brew of electro alt-folk melds fascination with the darker side of North-East Scotland’s balladry tradition with a delicately blended palette of silvery electronic textures and traditional Scottish sounds. Otherworldly vocals, grainy synths, haunted strings, archival material and sounds from nature create a mesmerising and evocative soundtrack for the accompanying visuals by collaborator

Withe Four Stars reviews from
THE GUARDIAN, THE SCOTSMAN AND SONGLINES, and a recommendation from IGGY POP , re-imaginings of traditional ballads and ancient stories conjure a compelling blend of tradition and innovati

Created and produced in association with
Supported by With thanks to .studies.archives
Visuals by
Costume by April X J Pressley

14/05/2025

We’re delighted to be producing the incredible Fiona Soe Paing’s Sand, Silt, Flint – a fusion of voice, folklore, and sonic landscapes.

If the live performances have left you wanting more, explore the world behind the music through the soundwalks attached to the album — researched and written by us, and designed to be experienced where the songs were born.

📲 Download the Echoes app, plug in your headphones, and walk through the landscapes that inspired the album. Each route includes text exploring local legends and features Fiona’s haunting reinterpretations of traditional ballads like The Lass O’ the Lecht.

🎟️ There are still tickets left for the Sand, Silt, Flint tour, produced by Martin Aitken at Open Road on our website www.openroadltd.com described by The Guardian as

“**** Startling Scottish balladry with a global scope”

Here’s a throwback to one of our magical research trips!

If you're looking for a producer, storyteller, or creative content maker for a project inspired by people and place, get in touch. We work with talented creatives and have a wealth of experience to bring to your project, including working with ways to incorporate culture into Place Planning.
Aberdeen City Council Creative Scotland Fiona Soe Paing

29/04/2025

🎬 Fittie Film Night is back with Meet the Buchanans (PG)

📅 Friday 6 June
📍 Fittie Community Hall, 7 New Pier Road, Aberdeen, AB11 5DR
🕡 Doors open 6:30pm | 🎥 Film starts at 7:00pm
🎟️ Tickets £5

This unique documentary follows the quirky, unexpected journey of inaugurating the first Clan Buchanan Chief in over 300 years. When it comes to holding the ceremony, and historical records can’t be found, most of it is being invented.

Historical fact and historical fiction collide as we join the Chief (millionaire Scottish landowner Mike Buchanan) his wife Lady Paula, and their teenage family, and tartan-mad enthusiasts from around the world descend on deepest Perthshire for the ceremony.

A hidden world of British wealth and privilege unfolds as the family uncover and invent fresh entitlements of the new role: revealing not only whether they can pull off this massive event, but also how history is made (up).

Meet the Buchanans takes a sideways look at raising important questions around identity, historical values and traditions, belonging, and the place of Clans in the modern world.

👉 Stay after the screening for a special Q&A with director/producer Barbara Orton and Professor Alison Lumsden from the University of Aberdeen Walter Scott Research Centre.

Don’t miss this fascinating and funny dive into Scotland’s past and present. Pay on the door or get your tickets here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/meet-the-buchanans-pg-film-screening-tickets-1338741575089?aff=oddtdtcreator

This screening is a co-promotion with North East Arts Touring (NEAT) and Open Road Ltd.





https://vimeo.com/1063638540

13/03/2025

Purpose Film Screening TONIGHT

Come join us for a special film screening event at the Fittie Community Hall! Get ready to be inspired and moved by this powerful film that will leave you with a sense of purpose.

Around the world we're seeing the devastating impact of the climate crisis. So why can't we get off this path?

Purpose - a Wellbeing Economies Film explores how the economy is at the heart of these problems and what we can do differently.

This inspiring film follows the stories of Katharine Trebeck and Lorenzo Fioramonti as they work to transform our economy so that it puts people and planet first. And highlights the pivotal role that Scotland played in establishing the Wellbeing Economy Governments Partnership.

Following the screening there will be a Q&A with the film’s director Martin Oetting and Dr Lukas Bunse, Policy & Engagement Lead at Wellbeing Economy Alliance Scotland.

This event is in partnership with Aberdeen Climate Action.

Don't miss this opportunity to connect with others and enjoy a thought provoking and social night. See you there!

Thursday 13 March, Fittie Community Hall, 7 New Pier Road, Aberdeen, AB11 5DR.
Doors 6.30pm event starts 7pm.
Tickets: £5.00 plus booking fee.

Pay on the door or purchase tickets in advance via this link:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/purpose-film-screening-tickets-1247196350859?aff=oddtdtcreator


The Barn Sustaining Dunbar Aberdeen Climate Action