Aberdeen City Council is offering a one-time grant of £500 to individual local businesses that want to show their support for Spectra – Scotland’s Festival of Light – when it returns to the city next week.
Spectra, runs from Thursday 6 to Sunday 9 February and will see Aberdeen city centre filled with artwork, light installations, projections and thousands of visitors.
The Council is interested in hearing from businesses on how they might ‘Spectra-fy’ their business but also how, they could incorporate light-based displays, a Spectra item on the menu, decorations and adornments to their premises for the duration of the festival.
Councillor Martin Greig, culture spokesperson for Aberdeen City Council, said: “Our one-off grants to local businesses are intended to make the city and the city centre even more vibrant during the period of the Spectra Festival. This has become a very popular annual event and we want the business community to benefit as much as possible from the increased footfall.
“Last year there were over 100,000 visitors to the festival over the four days. Businesses are invited to consider how they can use the Council’s special grant to do something Spectra-related, such a light display, a Spectra item on the menu, with part of the grant possibly going towards extended opening hours. It will be a splendid celebration hence it is important to take the interests of traders into account.”
Applicants are advised to read the Application Guidance in full. Any questions should be emailed to the project team at BusinessSupport@aberdeencity.gov.uk
The application form can be found here.
Applications will be accepted until 28 February 2025 or until such time as funding has been fully allocated. Retrospective bids will be considered providing they are able to provide evidence that money spent was explicitly tied to the Spectra festival.
All complete applications received will be assessed and verified against the eligibility criteria by Aberdeen City Council. Incomplete applications may not be reviewed.
Successful applicants will be informed by offer letter. All decisions will be made at the discretion of Aberdeen City Council and are subject to the availability of funds.
This scheme has been funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
For more information on Spectra 2025 and to sign up for the latest news and offers go to www.spectraaberdeen.com
Information about grants available to businesses to host and support other events in the city is available here.
ENESS - Sky Castle - a dreamy, interactive sound and light installation, featuring a cluster of inflatable arches that span in colourful symphony across public space. It will be located in Union Terrace Gardens during Spectra 2025. Image by Gavin Jowitt photography.