Tall Ships Aberdeen legacy lives on with new painting and sail trainees
A painting commissioned to commemorate The Tall Ships Races Aberdeen 2025 has been unveiled and will be on display at the Aberdeen Maritime Museum until December 2026.
Port of Aberdeen commissioned local artist Clive Ramage to create the artwork capturing the spectacle of the event, the vibrant atmosphere around the port and Aberdeen’s proud maritime heritage.
Clive Ramage said: “It was a wonderful privilege to be commissioned by Port of Aberdeen to create a lasting record of such a memorable event. My aim was to capture not just the spectacle of the ships themselves, but also the atmosphere, excitement and sense of community and civic pride that made the event so special.
“I hope the painting will help preserve those memories for years to come and serve as a reminder of the amazing atmosphere that Aberdeen enjoyed during those four unforgettable days last summer.”
The impressionist-style painting, Festival of Sail: The Tall Ships Races, Aberdeen 2025, was created using acrylic, graphite and ink on canvas and can be viewed in the harbour gallery on the 3rd floor of the Aberdeen Maritime Museum.
Bob Sanguinetti DL, CEO of Port of Aberdeen, said: “In my eyes the painting is already a timeless classic. Clive has perfectly captured the essence of the event which can now be enjoyed for generations to come. We’re delighted to have the artwork on display at the Aberdeen Maritime Museum before it takes pride of place at the port.
“The Tall Ships Races 2025 was a landmark event for the city and the port. We’re playing our part to ensure the legacy continues through culture, the community, and the next generation of local young people taking to the sea.”
The legacy of The Tall Ships Races Aberdeen 2025 is also being strengthened with a new cohort of 16 sail trainees taking part in The Tall Ships Races 2026. Port of Aberdeen is supporting the trainee programme, including funding for Kieran Side (22), who won the Torbay Cup for his outstanding contribution and personal achievement during his time onboard Gulden Leeuw from Dunkirk to Aberdeen during The Tall Ships Races 2025.
Martin Greig, Chair of Aberdeen's Tall Ships Committee, said: “Bringing the Tall Ships back to Aberdeen gave the city and region a massive boost. The event created wonderful memories for the hundreds of thousands of people who visited. Everyone really enjoyed the spectacle and the fun. Clive's splendid painting has very strongly captured the happy, momentous spirit of the festival.
“It's brilliant that 244 sail trainees from across our area took part last year. Young people are right at the heart of the Tall Ships experience so I am delighted that this year we have been able to enable, yet again, a strong presence of local young people in the 2026 races.”
The Tall Ships Races Aberdeen 2025 attracted almost 500,000 visits and brought 49 Tall Ships to the city for a four-day maritime festival, generating more than £32 million for the local economy.
Since the event almost a year ago, Tall Ships Aberdeen has won several major awards, including the Sultan Qaboos Sailing Trophy, Sail Training International’s Host Port Trophy, Best Large Festival and Best Brand Activation at the Scottish Event Awards, Regional Contribution at the Northern Star Business Awards, and Best Event at the Town And City Management Industry Awards
Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, said: “They say a picture paints a thousand words, but Clive Ramage’s stunning artwork paints 500,000 memories for everyone who was thrilled by the sight of Tall Ships Races transforming the Port of Aberdeen for four unforgettable days.
“He has captured perfectly not just the way the Tall Ships looked at berth, but also the essence of the excitement, vibrancy and sheer joy of the event that has left a lasting legacy for the Granite City.
“It is fitting that his painting takes pride of place in Aberdeen Maritime Museum to continue to evoke those memories and that sense of pride in our city.”
