WayWORD empowers young people to produce a cross-arts literary festival in Aberdeen.
Celebrating new work and ideas, amplifying diverse voices and breaking down barriers to culture in our community, WayWORD is part of the WORD Centre for Creative Writing at the University of Aberdeen.
Our next festival will take place 3-11 October 2026, plus additional events throughout the year. Keep up to date by joining our mailing list:
Coming January 2026:
Refashioning Bill Gibb for the 21st Century: Book Launch
2.00–3.30pm, Saturday 17 January 2026 – Cowdray Hall
Be part of WayWORD Festival 2026
Want to be part of our next festival programming committee? Aged 17-26? Join us to learn more and share your ideas:
Look back on our 2025 programme:
Exhibitions
WORD on the street – Digital Exhibition
29 September – 5 October, Sir Duncan Rice Library
Let the World Adore You
5 September – 5 October, Common Sense Coffee House & Bar
Fear and Fascination – A Gothic Exhibition
19 May – 7 December, The Gallery, Sir Duncan Rice Library
Stuart Whipps: This is a Phantom
6 September – 14 December, The Suttie Art Space (ARI)
September 2025
Workshop for Healthcare Workers: Creativity for your Mental Health
1pm, 14th September, Suttie Centre, Forresterhill
Collaging Queer Kinship workshop
1.30pm, 18th September, Sir Duncan Rice Library
WayWORD at Envirolution with Genevieve Carver
2.15pm (30 min performance), 20th September, Seaton Park
From Aberdeen to Aberlangs: Multilingualism in the North East
6.30pm, 26th September, Sir Duncan Rice Library
Immersive Murder Mystery with Aberdeen University Roleplay Association
Various times, 27th September, King’s Pavilion
Workshop – Melody & Accompaniment with Roo Geddes & Hugo Franco
1.30pm, 27th September, King’s Pavilion
Concert – Darach supported by SC&T Youth
7pm, 27th September – King’s Pavilion
Wilderness skills with ACE Voices
10.30am – 3.00pm, 28th September – Cruickshank Botanic Garden
Wednesday 1st October
The Ancestral and Divine: Plant-Human Relationships workshop
10.30am, 1st October – Cruickshank Botanic Garden
Spotlighting North East Magazines: Pushing Out the Boat & Causeway/Cabhsair
12pm, 1st October – Sir Duncan Rice Library
Lesley Benzie and Alessandra Thom: She’s Some Woman!
1.30pm, 1st October – Sir Duncan Rice Library
Curating Aberdeen(s)
3pm, 1st October – Sir Duncan Rice Library
Film Premiere: Saliqmiut: People along the coast, at the edge
5pm, 1st October – Sir Duncan Rice Library
North East Voices – Blue Lamp Showcase
7pm (doors), 1st October – The Blue Lamp
Thursday 2nd October
Mindful Model Making and Animation with Jack King-Spooner
10am, 2nd October – Sir Duncan Rice Library
Performing the Self: Aiden Cowie and Fiona Robertson
1pm, 2nd October – Sir Duncan Rice Library
Novel Takes on ADHD: Natalie Jayne Clark and Tom Newlands
3pm, 2nd October – Sir Duncan Rice Library
A Tribute to ABBA with Lisa Brunzell and Shane Strachan
5pm, 2nd October – Sir Duncan Rice Library
Jazz Poetry: Matthew Kilner, Jo Gilbert and Mae Diansangu
7.30pm (doors), 2nd October – The Blue Lamp
Friday 3rd October
Poetic Movement Dance workshop with Callum Everton
10am, 3rd October – MacRobert Dance Studio
Shadows & Stories: A Gothic Walking Tour
11.30am, 3rd October – Sir Duncan Rice Library
Toulmin Prize with Sheena Blackhall
1.00pm, 3rd October – Sir Duncan Rice Library
Gothic Aberdeen Prizegiving with Heather Parry
2.00pm, 3rd October – Sir Duncan Rice Library
Feminist Futures in Reactionary Times: Nat Raha and Lois Shearing
3.30pm, 3rd October – Sir Duncan Rice Library
Between Science and Seeing: Artist talk with Stuart Whipps
5pm, 3rd October – Sir Duncan Rice Library
ACE Voices Ceilidh
6.30pm, 3rd October – Cowdray Hall
Saturday 4th October
Write a Historical Mystery (for ages 8-14) with Katherine Woodfine
10.30am, 4th October – Central Library
Gaelic Play-in-a-Day Workshop with Artair Donald
11am–4pm, 4th October – MacRobert Building (Room 614)
Margaret McDonald and Danielle Jawando: Award-Winning YA Fiction
11am, 4th October – Aberdeen Art Gallery Seminar Room
Katherine Woodfine: Celebrating a Decade of The Sinclair’s Mysteries
12.30pm, 4th October – Central Library
Ideas of North – New Poetry from Scotland and Ireland’s North
12.30pm, 4th October – Aberdeen Art Gallery Seminar Room
ACE Voices Choir Performance
1.45pm, 4th October – Aberdeen Art Gallery Sculpture Court
Finding Your Voice, Telling Your Story workshop (for teens) with Danielle Jawando
2pm, 4th October – Central Library
Michael Pedersen and Chris McQueer: Muckle Masculinities
2.30pm, 4th October – Cowdray Hall
Safety Pin: An Alternative Clothing Workshop
3pm, 4th October – Central Library Media Centre
Fusion Dance pop-up performance
3.45pm, 4th October – Aberdeen Art Gallery Sculpture Court
How to Kill a Witch with Zoe Venditozzi and Claire Mitchell
4.30pm, 4th October – Cowdray Hall
Nicola Sturgeon: Writing Frankly
6.30pm, 4th October – Cowdray Hall
Sappho Speaks: Queer Women’s Open Mic ft. Lady Red Ego
8pm, 4th October – Union Brew at Students’ Union
Sunday 5th October
Love in Lyrics – Fiona Soe Paing, Cameron Stewart Grant & Florence Jack
11.30am, 5th October – Cowdray Hall
Aberdeen Gaelic Choir
12.45pm, 5th October – Aberdeen Art Gallery Sculpture Court
Len Pennie and Peter Mackay: Celebrating Scotland’s Languages
1.30pm, 5th October – Cowdray Hall
Damian Barr and Keava McMillan: Scotland’s Hidden LGBTQ+ Art History
3.30pm, 5th October – Cowdray Hall
First Footings Scratch Night
7pm (doors), 5th October – The Blue Lamp
21-29 October 2025
Verses in Sound: Composition Workshop with Fiona Winning
6pm, 21st October – Sir Duncan Rice Library
SMHAF: Diagnonsense Screening
6.00–8.00pm, 22nd October – NK10, New King’s
SMHAF Prizegiving
6.00–9.30pm, 29th October – Cowdray Hall
Running Between Two Dragons with Martin MacIntyre
3pm, 30th October – Sir Duncan Rice Library
November 2025
soundfestival Collaboration: Synonyms for Divergence
1pm, 2nd November – The Cowdray Hall
Dorian Gray’s Pictures: a Creative History Workshop
1pm, 8th November – Sir Duncan Rice Library
Re-writing Queer Relationships in Literature
4pm, 9th November – The Lemon Tree
WayWORD Festival 