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Granite Noir 2024

Aberdeen’s Crime Writing Festival

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Granite Noir is inspired by the incredible popularity of crime fiction in all its forms, by the fantastic contribution that Scottish writers make, by our love affair with Nordic Noir, on the page and on screen, and most of all inspired by Aberdeen, which is the perfect backdrop for the festival – steeped in history, atmospheric, quirky and with a strong sense of place.

Granite Noir is produced by Aberdeen Performing Arts on behalf of Aberdeen City Libraries and Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives.

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Short Story Competition

New for 2024, Granite Noir has teamed up with the Press and Journal and Evening Express to launch a new short story competition.  Open to writers of 18 years and above, stories of between 1500 and 2000 were submitted with over 100 entries received.  A shortlist of five stories will be decided by the panel of judges in February and the winner announced at the Festival.

One lucky winner will receive:

  • Their story published in the Press and Journal and Evening Express
  • Book vouchers
  • Aberdeen Performing Arts vouchers
  • A framed book cover of your story

Thank you so much for sharing all your stories. Entries are now closed but we will be announcing the winner during the festival, so keep an eye on our social media across the weekend!

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Granite Noir Exhibition

Gunpowder, Tattoos and Transportation: Aberdeen’s Inked Convicts

Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives

The practice of tattooing is deeply rooted in the ancient world, transcending time and cultures. Nineteenth century European criminologists were fascinated with attempting to establish a connection between tattoos and the criminal underclass. With a spotlight on the Perth Prison Register and Register of Returned Convicts held within the Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives, this exhibition brings back to life the tattoos of some of the city’s most notorious criminals. Sentenced to transportation or hard labour for crimes ranging from thievery to murder, the exhibition explores the history and meanings of these distinctive tattoos.

Tuesday 20 to Sunday 25 February 2024

Free exhibition in the Music Hall

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Locals in the Limelight

Locals in the Limelight

In 2018 Granite Noir introduced Locals in the Limelight: five minute spotlights offering some of the region’s most talented up-and-coming writers a chance to read extracts from their noir fiction at the start of festival events. Supporting homegrown authors is a central part of this festival, and we’re so excited to once again work with Scotland’s freshest and fiercest talent in 2024!

If you’re a North-east based writer aged 16 +, working on long- or short-form noir fiction, poems or even scripts we’d love for you to apply.

Being a Local in the Limelight will provide you with the opportunity to perform an excerpt of your work to a large audience. 

How to apply

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Tuesday 20 February

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Wednesday 21 February

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Thursday 22 February

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Friday 23 February

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Saturday 24 February

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Sunday 25 February

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Family Events

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