Share Your Memories of Aberdeen Arts Centre

I wanted to write a message to express my profound gratitude to the current team at the Aberdeen Arts Centre, and the fight you are putting up to save this most valuable venue.

I’m Zander Inglis, and my grandmother, Annie Inglis, was leading this very same fight close to 30 years ago, and I am hoping beyond hope that you can achieve the same outcome she did.

I’ve not been in Aberdeen since my grandmother’s memorial event which was hosted at the Arts Centre, but for me, due to my visits there during my youth, the Arts Centre is Aberdeen. I spent my teenage summers volunteering at the summer youth workshops, and helping with Annie’s youth theatre groups.

As witnessed from the testimony of so many people, the Aberdeen Arts Centre has touched so many lives and is such a focal point for the community. So important in my own story, I was almost born there, as my Grandmother positioned my mother next to a confetti canon during the pantomime in 1990 in an effort to induce labour!

I wish you the spirit of Annie, for every success in this fight, and I hope when I next visit the North East, I can once again spend time in this incredible space.

I have so many fond memories of performing, volunteering and watching shows at Aberdeen Arts Centre. I spent 10 years of my life at Phoenix Youth Theatre and always looked forward to getting up on stage and being part of something exciting. I have also valued my time volunteering for shows where my love for live stage productions grew even bigger. Finally, being a frequent audience member at this great venue makes me proud of my city and the wonderful arts and culture we have.

I've had a great history with the Arts Centre. From volunteering in the bar, coffee shop and theatre as a student to supporting Paula with developing safeguarding and HSE compliance policies once I was a qualified lawyer, and then bringing my own kids to Saturday drama classes and chaperoning changing rooms for dance recitals. The Arts Centre has been part of my life at all stages and in all areas and I'm really proud to be able to say I have attended, supported and engaged with the venue and the amazing team that work there.

In August 2024, I launched my first collection of poems – The Winds of Change – at the Aberdeen, Arts Centre. My first book was aimed at bringing light to readers on dark days. With hope at the heart of the collection, the poems offer solace and inspiration, to lift your soul and remind you that love shines through.

Hosted by the Arts Centre, the book launch was one of the most memorable evenings of my life. I was surrounded by friends, family, old colleagues, and a wonderful audience who joined me in celebration of my first book.

Not everyone gets to launch their work at the centre of arts in Aberdeen and I was incredibly honoured to have such a venue for this milestone, and share this special occasion with my 8 year old daughter too, who was very proud of her mum!

An unforgettable experience and one I will always remember and hold dear in my heart.

My first experience at the Aberdeen Arts Centre was in 2013, performing in ‘Taming of the Shrew’ with the Shakespeare Schools Festival. I had no idea then just how important that stage would become to me.

Since then, I’ve performed in ‘Fame’ (2017) and ‘Sideshow’ (2018) with ACTC, and worked with Treading The Boards on ‘Be More Chill’ (Director, 2022), ‘Grease’ (2023), ‘Rock of Ages’ (Director, 2024), and ‘Footloose’ (Production Advisor, 2025).

That journey led me to complete a BA (Hons) in Acting & Performance, starting my own theatre company, and taking our debut production to the Edinburgh Fringe last year.

The Arts Centre has been at the heart of it all - a place where I’ve grown, experimented, and built lasting connections.

I have been doing shows at the Arts Centre with Treading the Boards for the past 6 years. I've also communicated with the Arts Centre teams throughout the years to organise marketing and tickets for each performance as part of TTBs committee.

My experience of these years has been stellar. The Arts Centre has become a home for our society allowing us to have a show and bring in audiences. They have also let us their spaces for fundraising and activities such as pub quiz nights, most of which are highly beneficial to keep the society funded and create the best show possible. I'm sure I speak for myself and the rest of the society when I say that our time at the Arts Centre has been extremely positive and I hope that many other theatre and arts communities are able to join the Arts Centre family and get a similar experience to us.

I have performed on the Arts Centre stage more times than I can remember. From dance shows, to Attic Panto, to all the am dram shows & companies, and topping it all off with my favourite memory, performing in the cast of Cabaret in 2016. The Arts Centre is a central part of accessible performance for people of all ages in Aberdeen and to lose this important and historic landmark would be a travesty.

Aberdeen Arts Centre has a special place in my heart as when I was fifteen, Dave Anderson ('City Lights' and 'Gregory's Girl') was playing in a show there. He agreed to let my school friend and I interview him so I could write a bit for Dyce Academy school magazine. There was a sign left on the door if the two 'journalists' could meet him at 'La Lombarda'. We got our interview and he even bought us a cup of tea. I still have the piece.

I've been to pantomimes there as a child with church and school groups where one of the kids was always up to 'tell a joke'.

I will never forget my own son going to the summer classes. At five he performed with Elise from his school in a play about 'washer women' to the mums and dads. He also once managed to get his name tag stuck up his nose and a hospital visit was prevented with a good 'Hold your nose and blow' from Mum. He liked it so much he did amateur dramatics for a bit on a Saturday.

The kids classes are wonderful and a godsend to parents during the summer holidays, a great way for them to make friends and expand their horizons too.

Only idiots would close the facility when it does so much good for both mental health and social skills. I hope you can raise the money and more. The Arts Centre is a credit to Aberdeen.

I started coming to workshops at Aberdeen Arts Centre when I was 4, both on a Saturday and in the holidays, and did so up til I was 14. Then when I was 17 I started teaching there up to age 24. This venue started it all for me: my love for performance both onstage and as a punter, and teaching children drama. A lot of what I do today working at Stagecoach is based on the Arts Centre and my time there - not to mention the countless memories I've had onstage there in many companies, some of the best times of my life.

I remember my mum laughing when I said I was joining a musical theatre group. I’d done one show in school, and just stood there very quietly.

I had no stage training or musical theatre experience, but I first stepped on stage in 1997. By doing this for 25 years, I’ve gained confidence through the experience of doing it again and again – and recently I’ve had no nerves getting on stage.

My first show at Aberdeen Arts Centre was a cabaret show with Limelight. I was one of the chorus, singing songs from different musicals. And since then, I’ve joined a number of performing groups across the city.

READ ANDREW'S FULL STORY