Local charity Kin has announced Rotate Fest, its largest project to date, bringing together emerging creative talent, industry insight and live music across three days in September.
Hosted at The Tunnels on 16, 17 and 24 September, the festival will feature a two-day live design project, talks from leading figures in the creative sector and a special DJ set from Mercury Prize and Brit Award-nominated musician and designer Fred Deakin.
The festival begins on 16 September, when 30 local creatives will collaborate over two days to produce a visual experience that will later feature at Deakin’s DJ night. Supported by a group of local creative mentors, the live brief is designed as a fast-paced challenge, offering participants the opportunity to develop new ideas, connect with peers and meet professionals from across the region’s creative industries.
Following the two-day project, a team of emerging creatives will work alongside Deakin to translate the resulting work into a suite of visuals for the DJ event on 24 September. The one-night-only experience will celebrate the work of local talent in a new collaborative format.
Rotate Fest will also welcome Deakin and motion designer Rob Johnson for two evenings of discussion exploring their creative careers and processes.
Originally from Stonehaven, Johnson has more than 20 years’ experience in advertising, working across motion design, animation, illustration and more. His work has recently drawn attention through illustrations featured on the well-known traffic cone which travelled to Boston for the World Cup.
Deakin is best known as one half of electronic duo Lemon Jelly, which toured internationally, headlined festivals including Glastonbury and T in the Park, received Mercury Prize and Brit Award nominations, and sold more than half a million albums. Alongside his music career, he designed Lemon Jelly’s album artwork and co-founded award-winning design agency Airside.
Commenting on the festival, Johnson said: “Being from the North East I was unaware all through school that design was even a thing, I left school early with grades for Art and very little interest in anything else other than drawing.
“Fast forward to now, and I’m talking about being a designer on the same bill as Fred Deakin of Lemon Jelly and having to pinch myself. Aberdeen has always held a special place for me creatively and I’m very excited to return and share my experience.”
The festival will conclude with Deakin taking to the decks for a live DJ set, supported by a local DJ who is due to be announced.
In Case You Missed it:
Rotate Fest is open to creatives from every discipline, whether they are at the beginning of their career, established in the sector or simply interested in exploring their creative side. The DJ night on 24 September is open to the wider public.
Tickets and further information are available via Kin’s website.
