Monthly Bulletin

What's new at Aberdeen Archives, Gallery & Museums...

If you find yourself with a case of the winter blues let Aberdeen Archives, Gallery and Museums give your wellbeing a boost this February. We’ve got lots for you to explore in all our venues – head to Provost Skene’s House to learn about the inspirational people from the North East of Scotland who have helped transform the world, visit Aberdeen Maritime Museum to discover more about Aberdeen’s long and often dramatic relationship with the sea or enjoy one of the many exhibitions showing in Aberdeen Art Gallery. We’ve got something for everyone.

Exhibitions and displays

"The Rooster Fuller Fabrics 1955 made after the work "Le Coq 29-03-1938" by Pablo Picasso (detail). / Licensed by DACS, London
Pablo Picasso © Succession Picasso/DACS, London 2024

Artist Textiles: Picasso to Warhol
Until 13 April 2025
Art Gallery 
Adults £10 / Concessions £7 
Exhibition Pass £14 / Children 12 and under free 

This captivating exhibition arrives in Aberdeen following a major international tour. Tracing the history of 20th-century art in textiles, it explores how people were once able to engage with modern art in a personal way through their clothing and home furnishings. Artist Textiles: Picasso to Warhol showcases examples of key European and American art movements including Fauvism, Cubism, Constructivism, Abstraction, Surrealism and Pop Art, as well as the work of leading fashion designers and manufacturers. Highlights include work by George Braque, Alexander Calder, Marc Chagall, Salvador Dalí, Sonia Delaunay, Raoul Dufy, Barbara Hepworth, Fernand Léger, Henri Matisse, Joan Miró, Henry Moore, Pablo Picasso, Ben Nicholson and Andy Warhol. The Aberdeen exhibition also features a selection of works by contemporary artists and designers such us Zandra Rhodes, Damien Hirst, Valentino and Howard Hodgkin 

Listen to Marta Martin Soriano, Exhibitions and Touring Manager talk about this special exhibition on Bloomberg Connects!

Process, Process, Process
Opening 7 December
Art Gallery (Gallery 2)
Free

How did you make that? Where do you get your ideas from? What kind of tools do you use? This exhibition by members of Aberdeen Artists Society aims to answer just some of the questions artists are often asked. 'Process, Process, Process' presents an intriguing selection of inspirational objects, preparatory sketches, cherished tools, materials and work surfaces, as well as the by-products and leftover material from an artist’s activities. Unusually for an exhibition, the finished artworks are deliberately absent.  

Presented in association with Aberdeen Artists Society.

Reading Between the Lines: Embroidered Samplers
Opening 14 December
Art Gallery (Gallery 3)
Free

More than a record of stitches, a sampler was also evidence of the sewer’s industriousness, obedience and virtue. These samplers from our collection provide insights into the lives of the girls who sewed them and the social, political and religious environment in which they lived in the 1700s and 1800s.

Listen at lunchtime!

Lunchbreak Concerts 
Thursdays, 12:45 (45 mins) 
Art Gallery (Cowdray Hall) 
Pay what you can to support our programme 

6 February
Ian Watt
In advance of The Tall Ships visiting Aberdeen in July, Ian's programme for solo guitar takes us on a musical journey around the host ports. Our visit to France includes compositions by Claude Debussy, while works by Edvard Grieg represents Norway. We celebrate Aberdeen’s contribution to The Tall Ships Race with three mythical pieces by local composer John McLeod. The concert concludes with a selection of Spanish pieces connected to Cadiz, the famous ancient port city in Andalucia.

13 February
Calum McIlroy
BBC Radio Scotland’s Young Traditional Musician 2024, Calum McIlroy is a guitarist, mandolin player, and singer from Aberdeenshire. Through lyrical plectrum-focussed arrangements of traditional and original tunes, he has established himself as “a rising star in Scotland’s traditional music scene…” (Mandolincafe). Calum is joined by Rory Matheson (keys) and Signy Jakobsdottir (percussion) for an afternoon of expert musicianship and toe-tapping tunes

20 February
North East of Scotland Music School
Come in from the cold and relax to a wonderful programme of music performed by students from the North East of Scotland Music School.  

27 February
Cargill Trio
The Aberdeen-based Cargill Trio (Blair Cargill, Guera Crockett and Alison MacDonald) share their love of the repertoire written for violin, cello and piano with a programme including Lili Boulanger's 'D'un matin de printemps' and Mendelssohn Piano Trio No 2 in C minor. 

Lunchtime Talks
Wednesdays, 12:30 (45 mins)
Pay what you can

5 February
Art Gallery (Seminar Room)
Embroidered Samplers

Originally developed as a record of different stitches and techniques, in the 1700s embroidered samplers were framed and displayed in the home. Join curator Morna Annandale to find out about the designs in the beautiful samplers in our collection and the lives of the girls who stitched them. 

19 February
Maritime Museum (Education Suite)
The Skabbit Horse – Contagion in Mediaeval Aberdeen

Join Martin Hall for an examination of the regulation of cleanliness, contagion, and precautions around diseases within the medieval burgh of Aberdeen, particularly focusing on the actions and decisions of the Council during the late 1600s.

Music, art and dance

Baby Boogie
1 February, 10:30 – 12:00
Art Gallery (Cowdray Hall)
£8 (1 adult and 1 Child) / £15 (2 adults and up to 3 children)

Enjoy a fun-filled morning of popular music with DJ Nina in the Cowdray Hall at our monthly daytime disco for little ones and their adults! The café is open for coffees, cakes and juices to keep you well-fuelled and boogey-ing away. 

Children’s Workshop: Process Art
12 February, 11:00 – 12:30
Art Gallery (Learning Space)
£8 per child / For ages 6 – 11 years (adults to drop off)

Explore process art in this fun session – it’s experimental, unstructured, and the desired outcome is not pretty pictures! Your little ones will enjoy small group games and activities which are designed to free their inner artists and absorb them in the process of creating, free from the worry of ‘getting it right’! Previous drawing or painting experience definitely not necessary. This is a non-parent accompanied session. Children will be left in the care of a PVG checked member of the Learning Team.

Classics at the Cowdray
14 February, 19:00 – 20:00
Art Gallery (Cowdray Hall)
£16 / £12 concession / £35 season ticket

Valentine’s Classics
Share a wonderfully romantic concert with your loved one this Valentine’s Day as Aberdeen Archives, Gallery and Museums presents Valentine’s Classics at the Cowdray. 'Everything I do, I do it for you' – is the theme for our show, which takes us from classical favourites such as Massenet’s 'Méditation' and Pachelbel’s 'Canon', to the classics of film and pop. Join us for an evening of romance as we ask can you feel the love tonight? 

Artist Textiles: How to draw like a fashion designer
15 February, 14:00 – 16:00
Art Gallery (Learning Space)
£22 / £18 concessions

Learn fashion drawing skills with Dennis Nothdruft, Head of Exhibitions at the Fashion and Textile Museum and author of the bestselling book 'How to Draw like a Fashion Designer'. In a world of computers, drawing by hand is still advocated by top fashion designers as a starting point for any collection and an essential tool in the design process. Learn and explore the basics of fashion drawing using simple but effective techniques.

Look after you wellbeing!

Stitching with the UFOs 
4 February, 14:00 – 16:00 
Art Gallery (Learning Space) 
Pay what you can 

Join in with the Unfinished Objects Group, affectionately known as the UFOs or, to take part in their latest stitching project designed especially for them by Andrew Crummy, creator of the Great Tapestry of Scotland. Join in with the group work or bring your own unfinished small craft project and use this session to meet new people. Everyone welcome, no experience is needed. Support and materials are provided. 

Our Aberdeen
6 February, 14:00 – 15:30
Aberdeen Treasure Hub
Pay what you can

Out and About 
We’ll be heading up the town together and finding out about Aberdeen’s entertainment and nightlife through objects from our collection

Musical Memories 
7 and 21 February, 13:30 – 15:30 
Art Gallery (Cowdray Hall) 
Pay what you can 

Musical Memories is a friendly singing group for people with dementia, their partners, families and friends. Established and delivered by a dedicated group of volunteers, these sessions support wellbeing and improve brain activity, encouraging creativity and participation. 

The series is supported by Alzheimer Scotland.  

Inspired Gallery Meets 
21 February, 11:00 – 12:30 
Art Gallery (Learning Space) 
Pay what you can 

Body Adornment 
Transform everyday items into wearable art using recycled materials and found objects. Let our Special Exhibition inspire you to create fun items of body adornment. 

Artroom with GHAT 
1, 8, 15 and 22 February, 10:30 – 12:30 
Art Gallery (Learning Space) 
Free, drop in  

We are delighted to partner with Grampian Hospitals Art Trust to bring Artroom to Aberdeen Art Gallery. Led by professional artists, these weekly sessions are person-centred and welcome adults of all abilities to experiment with art making in a variety of materials.   

Creative opportunities

Illustrator/Designer Opportunity

We are looking for an individual with skills and experience in both illustration and graphic design to produce a vibrant Explorer Trail for Aberdeen Archives Gallery & Museums (AAGM). This trail is part of our Science in Your World programme supporting our visitors to explore science skills and links.

2025 is an important year for Aberdeen with the arrival of the Tall Ships and Festival of the Sea in the summer and we want to encourage all visitors to discover some Aberdeen's stories using the trail.

The trail will encourage visitors to explore Aberdeen city centre and our four AAGM venues; Aberdeen Art Gallery, Aberdeen Maritime Museum, The Tolbooth Museum and Provost Skene’s House.

Containing an illustrated city centre map and four clues, the trail will lead visitors to a different AAGM venue in search of a large-printed symbol. All venues will use the same symbol and visitors can have their trail stamped as part of their visit. Once all four stamps are collected visitors can receive a special reward sticker.

Deadline for expressions of interest: 21 February

More information

Support us and volunteer!

AAGM volunteers in McBey Library at Aberdeen Art Gallery organising books on shelves with our curators

Are you interested in art and history? Share your ideas, experiences or just your time and make a real difference to Aberdeen Archives, Gallery & Museums.

Volunteers are involved throughout our Gallery and Museums and provide both public facing and behind-the-scenes support. Their commitment and dedication help us to research, interpret and care for our culturally important collection.

We welcome anyone who is over 18 and has the right to work in the UK as a volunteer. All we ask for is enthusiasm and an interest in the work of Aberdeen Archives, Gallery and Museums, our city, and its heritage.

Our volunteers work in collections care, event support, administration, visitor experience and on special projects. No experience is necessary as we provide training for each volunteer role, so you will always feel comfortable and confident when you volunteer with us.

Join our volunteer mailing list to receive regular emails about upcoming volunteer opportunities. Download our Volunteering Mailing Form and send your completed form to: aagmvolunteers@aberdeencity.gov.uk

Volunteer Opportunities

To receive monthly Bulletin alerts from us please email info@aagm.co.uk.