Thanks to annual street art festival Nuart, the Granite City has become one of the world’s top destinations for street art.
Alongside cities such as San Francisco, Rio de Janeiro and Sydney, the Financial Times ranked Aberdeen among the world’s top six locations for street art.
It’s thanks to Nuart Aberdeen, the city’s annual street art festival which first launched in 2017.
Organised by Aberdeen Inspired, in partnership with Aberdeen City Council, Nuart has attracted tens of thousands of visitors to the region, as well as dozens of internationally-acclaimed artists.
Bahia Shehab and Niels Shoe Meulman were among those taking part in the 2024 event, alongside returning talents such as Hera and KMG.
With more than 60 works now located around Aberdeen, from huge murals to playful figures hidden around the city, here are 27 of the best Nuart Aberdeen murals from across the years.
21. Nuart Aberdeen 2018: Bordalo II
Depicting Scotland’s national animal the unicorn, Bordalo II created his 2018 Nuart masterpiece using rubbish. The Portuguese duo used waste from plastic pipes to car parts to construct their sculpture, which is located on Union Row. Look for Italian restaurant Rustico and you should easily spot this wonder. | Lauren Jack/The Scotsman
22. Nuart Aberdeen 2021: Henrik Uldalen
Another artist who made their Nuart debut in Aberdeen’s sister city Stavanger, Norwegian painter Henrik Uldalen took inspiration from the Granite City for his 2021 mural. Painted on the side of student accommodation Spring Gardens, his image of a black and white face with crystals bursting from above the eyes can be seen from Aberdeen’s Gerrard Street. | Brian Tallman
23. Nuart Aberdeen 2022: Elisa Capdevila
Emotive from first glance, Elisa Capdevila’s 2022 Nuart mural is a window into the life of a woman who is spending time alone at home. Featuring a woman gazing out of an open window, and based on a photograph her partner took, Spanish artist Capdevila slots neatly into its surroundings. It can be easily viewed from Wapping Street and if you’re walking down the Trinity Centre’s stairs to reach Union Square. | Brian Tallman
24. Nuart Aberdeen 2023: Eloise Gillow
Eloise Gillow's Nuart Aberdeen debut saw her create not one, but two murals. Close to Provost Skene's House, they can be found on Flourmill Lane - if one looks up. With her work, Gillow invites viewers to reflect on themselves and prominently uses body language. | Brian Tallman