Dundee

A landmark site on Dundee’s £1billion waterfront has been officially opened.

Waterfront Place, which will include the city’s urban beach, an active travel hub, landscaping and interactive play area was given the official seal of approval by John Alexander, leader of Dundee City Council, at a ceremony on the site adjacent to V&A Dundee.

He said: “This is one of the prime spots on the whole of the waterfront and right from the planning stage it was important that it could be accessed and used by everyone.

“Anyone who comes along will see for themselves the quality of the work, which was in itself a key part of our desire to attract people here, not just from the city but across Scotland, so that they could truly experience the re-established connection between the city and the river.

“Work started in February 2020, and was obviously slightly delayed by the pandemic, but we wanted to officially open the site now, at the height of summer, despite finishing touches still going on in some places.”

Costing just over £6m, the work at Waterfront Place received £1m of funding from the Scottish Government's European Regional Development Fund programme through the Low Carbon Travel and Transport Challenge Fund delivered by Transport Scotland. The fund has a focus on supporting projects which enable everyday functional journeys to be taken by walking, cycling and public transport and to support an increased proportion on ultra-low emission vehicles on Scotland’s roads.

The project was developed by contractors Morgan Sindall Construction and Infrastructure Limited and when complete in the next few weeks will include a stainless-steel whale sculpture designed by award-winning British artist Lee Simmons.

Formed in tubular sections that follow the contours of the creature, the structure will flow from the northern entrance of Waterfront Place with the tail arching towards the Tay to capture a sense of movement.

Visitors to the park will also enjoy a multi-sensory experience using both sound and light with stainless steel tubular like maze structures representing kelp-like forests or water columns.

Cllr Alexander added: “What we will see here by the end of the summer when this project is complete will be tangible evidence of the further progress being made at the waterfront.

“It forms the next step forward in our phased and managed growth at the waterfront and the months and years ahead will see much more to come on the other sites across the area.”

The urban beach opens today (Thursday) and with greater access to the main landscaped area due by the end of the month and the water feature and dunes due in early September the installation of the whale sculpture and opening of the play area will complete the project by the end of next month.

V&A Dundee has partnered with designer Kerrie Alexander and textile innovators Halley Stevensons to produce its first limited-edition fashion collaboration.

Museum, maker and manufacturer have united to create the Dundee Raincoat, a modern-day unisex raincoat inspired by the city’s innovation, creativity and resilience.

Designed and hand produced by independent fashion label KerrieALDO, the raincoat is made using waterproof waxed cotton, a performance fabric Halley Stevensons has pioneered the development of for over 150 years, and continue to manufacture at its Baltic Works factory in Dundee.

Following the KerrieALDO design philosophy of slow, sustainable fashion, each of the 20 numbered raincoats and matching bags were hand-cut and crafted using new unique patterns created for the collaboration.  

The unisex fit raincoat, available in navy and orange, features signature KerrieALDO finishes such as coloured trims and an inner patch pocket made from Ancient Dundee Old Heavy Weight Tartan, a pattern which has not been used for 160 years and was recently resurrected by the Ben Nevis Handloom Weavers of Dundee.

Kerrie Alexander, founder of KerrieALDO, said: “Partnering with a design museum and a textile factory to design the ultimate contemporary raincoat has been a brilliant experience.  

“I came across ‘the slicker’, a hooded coat worn by fisherman in the archives at Halley Stevensons, and this has had a big influence on the design of the coat, as has V&A Dundee’s contemporary architecture.   

“As well as using superior fabrics like Halley Stevensons’ waxed cotton, a great design is always about the intricate details such as contrast detailing and pocket placement, right down to the very last stitch. The coat has lots of special details to the inner which illustrate the level of care and attention that has gone into each piece.

“A collar was discussed at an early design meeting, but having grown up in Dundee, I knew a hood was an essential feature of the Dundee Raincoat, to deal with the unpredictable Scottish weather!

“Designing a bag to match was a fun addition to the project. The bag is similar to the coat design in that it comes in two colour-ways with opposing contrast details. The pocket on the bag features a window-like opening to reveal a new colour, which reminded me of looking out to the Tay from the windows of the museum.”

James Campbell, Managing Director at Halley Stevensons, said: “The Dundee Raincoat combines authentic heritage with contemporary style which will be available at V&A Dundee’s design shop. We are delighted to have collaborated on this exceptional piece of design.

“Halley Stevensons is pretty unique in that we work in the same way with large brands as we do with smaller artisan labels such as KerrieALDO. There’s an understanding with our clients that we help them in any way we can, and they are part of our research and development with the feedback they give us in return. It’s an added bonus for us to watch brands develop with our product.

“Our collaborative process is always the same and we are exceptionally proud when we can support younger labels such as Kerrie’s.”

Christian Moire, Director of Operations at V&A Dundee, said:

“Our visitors tell us they are interested in supporting independent designers and shopping for unique items that have a local connection.  Dundee based, Halley Stevensons supply international brands with their high-quality waxed cotton, so it was a natural fit for us to collaborate with them and KerrieALDO. We are excited to launch the Dundee Raincoat this Autumn and to have worked with two very inspiring independent businesses.”

The limited edition run of 20 Dundee Raincoats feature an embroidered number on the inner pocket and are available exclusively from the shop at V&A Dundee, 1 Riverside Esplanade, Dundee. The coat will retail for £200 and the matching bag for £45.

V&A Dundee is open 10.00 to 17.00, Thursday to Monday, with advance booking now required for all visitors.

Free museum entry can be booked at www.vam.ac.uk/dundee

Photography by:  Julie Howden

ALL SIX successful art works in Dundee City Council’s Dundee Windows project have been unveiled to the public for the first time Friday 4th.

The covers are off work by Tracey Stewart, Suzanne Scott from Whimsical Lush, Sarah Chacko, Agency of None, Pamela Scott and Macario De Los Rios in vacant windows in the city centre.

Cityscapes, a sound activated display, an augmented reality pattern and a celebration of nine maidens and the dragon are among the commissions to grace the formerly empty spaces.

Mark Flynn convener of Dundee City Council’s city development committee said: “This is the kind of imaginative and creative project that we are starting to see brighten up otherwise unused or unloved bits of the city, and they are becoming more and more popular and sought out.

“These bold and colourful designs that celebrate local people and places are part of our recovery plan and I am sure that they will draw in visitors and locals alike to the city centre.

“Almost 90 high quality entries were received when we called for submissions, showing that despite the obvious challenges it is facing our cultural sector is as creative and vibrant as ever.”

The windows project is one of a number of schemes to brighten up the city’s main shopping areas and supporting the city’s recovery with posters, window displays, street painting and shop trails.

Dundee City Council has joined forces with retailers and artists on a number of initiatives and in the coming weeks as well as Dundee Windows, Castle Street will be temporarily transformed by a colourful design painted onto the cobbles, leading people up a playful route from Shore Terrace to the High Street  -  download MAP HERE.

An ambitious plan to boost Dundee’s growing tourism sector has been unveiled.

Leading tourism experts in the city, through the Tourism Leadership Group, will oversee the Dundee Tourism Recovery Plan- Covid 19 to ensure the city is ready to progress and strengthen its tourism offer as quickly as possible as Coronavirus restrictions begin to lift.

In 2019 alone Dundee’s economy received a record breaking £214 million tourism boost and received accolades including being named among the coolest places in the world to visit this year by National Geographic Traveller UK, and featuring in Condé Nast Traveller UK’s 10 Best UK City Breaks for 2019.

This plan sets out key objectives to ensure the city maximises its reputation as a must-see destination despite the challenges posed by Covid-19. 

The key priorities of this ambitious plan will see the creation of a city narrative to tell the authentic story of Dundee, considering the changing markets for tourism and new priorities for prospective visitors.

In addition, the plan seeks to anticipate and respond to seasonal demand, grow visitor numbers, and ensure environmental sustainability remains a key focus of the city’s tourism activity.

With restrictions easing, A ‘Dundee Welcomes You’ guide has been pulled together in order to help visitors enjoy their visit. The webpage details what is open including hotels, attractions and retail.

This recovery plan builds on the Dundee Tourism Strategy 2020- 2025, the publication of which has been postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Going forward, the overarching aim of this plan is to return the city to a position where it is ready to adopt and implement the full tourism strategy.

Chair of the Dundee Partnership, Councillor John Alexander said: “Prior to the coronavirus outbreak Dundee’s tourism sector was booming and I hope as restrictions ease more and more people will once again come and visit Scotland’s sunniest city
“We exceeded our 2020 target for economic impact, overnight stays and day visits in 2019 to the city, this plan will build upon the innovative and creative record Dundee has and will work to attract more visitors and increase the spend in the city.

“We all have the responsibility to enjoy the city safely and I’m delighted this group will work closely with the sector to provide advice on safety measures, new initiatives and promote funding streams that are available to this sector.”
Deirdre Robertson, Chief Executive of the Dundee Heritage Trust, has been appointed the Chair of the Tourism Leadership Group and Tara Wainwright, Acting Director of Audiences & Media at V&A Dundee, and Jessica Reid, Deputy Director and Head of External Relations at Dundee Contemporary Arts, have been appointed Vice Chairs of the group.

Deirdre Robertson, newly appointed Chair of the Tourism Leadership Group, said: "It has been really encouraging in the first few days since restrictions have been eased to see how many visitors are coming from out with the city to visit Dundee's heritage and cultural venues and how responsible and respectful they are being.

“It is clear Dundee is increasingly being recognised within Scotland and beyond, not just for its much-loved visitor attractions and the range and quality of its restaurants and accommodation options, but also as a fantastic tourist base.

“There are very few cities with such richness on its doorstep, where visitors can base themselves and so easily reach an incredible variety of things to do - stunning castles and stately homes, historic abbeys, spectacular waterfalls, watersports, mountains, beautiful beaches, gorgeous river walks and picturesque, authentic unspoilt villages - all within easy travelling distance of our fabulous wee city.

“Dundonians know we are blessed to live here and increasingly others are wakening up to how amazing it is too."

This plan is designed to work in partnership with Dundee’s Cultural Recovery and Resilience Plan and with the city’s economic recovery plan.

The University of Dundee has been placed in the top 50 in the world in the 2020 edition of the Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings.

The rankings recognise that the role of universities extends beyond research and teaching to a third mission revolving around engagement, knowledge exchange and innovation for societal good. These rankings measure the global higher education sector’s success in delivering the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The rankings include more than 800 universities worldwide. Dundee is ranked 44^th overall and 9^th in the world against the Sustainable Development Goal of Good Health & Wellbeing.

On the latter, Times Higher Education said universities need to demonstrate actions to improve local and global health and well-being, and measured performance across a range of factors from publication and impact of research to outreach into local communities and provision of services for staff and students.

Dundee was also ranked inside the top 50 against the SDGs of Climate Action, Responsible Consumption and Production, Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, and Partnership for the Goals.

Professor David Maguire, Interim Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University, said, “These results show the outstanding impact of Dundee’s work and the success in meeting our aim of transforming lives locally and globally.

“This high level of impact is remarkable and testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff and students over many years.

“This is an extraordinary university, doing world-changing research, providing students with an experience that is consistently rated among the very best, and making a real difference to people’s lives.”

Times Higher Education say that inclusion in the University Impact Rankings marks out institutions as global pioneers that can demonstrate commitment not just to supporting SDGs through teaching, research and knowledge exchange activities, but also to embodying the goals in internal practices and policies.

The full THE University Impact Rankings can be seen at https://www.timeshighereducation.com/rankings/impact/2020

A campaign to generate a buzz for Dundee and the opening of V&A Dundee has received an international accolade.

The campaign activity to showcase the city and its new museum picked up a Platinum award at the HSMAI Adrian Awards on Tuesday (21 January) at the New York Marriott Marquis. Now in their 63rd year, the prestigious Adrian Awards recognise creativity and innovation in advertising, digital marketing and public relations.

Submitted by VisitScotland, the award entry was entitled "The Comeback Kid: Dundee - How Scotland's Fourth Largest City Became The King of Cool" and highlighted the increase in visitors to the city as well as key placements in target US media including New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes and Vogue.

There were more than 1,100 entries for this year’s awards with all submissions eligible to win at the Gold, Silver and Bronze levels. Gold winning entries which were judged to be exceptional received Platinum status.

The award comes after independent research revealed V&A Dundee had a £75 million economic impact across Scotland in its first year. The study also found the museum had a £21 million impact on Dundee and created an estimated 370 new jobs in Dundee.

Opening in September 2018, V&A Dundee has shone a global spotlight on Dundee as a city of design, creativity and heritage. It welcomed over 833,000 visitors in its first year and has won a host of awards including a place on TIME Magazine’s list of ‘2019’s Greatest Places’.

From the initial conception to the opening of the museum, the museum represents over a decade of innovation, passion and dedication from its founding partners, funders and Dundee’s tourism industry. VisitScotland worked with key partners to ensure the city and country maximised the benefits brought by the new attraction.

VisitScotland’s marketing activity targets segments of key markets across the world to showcase Scotland’s visitor offering and give the country a renowned presence in the global marketplace to ensure the benefits of tourism are felt across the nation.

Caroline Warburton, VisitScotland Regional Leadership Director, said: “I’m delighted to see the work to showcase Dundee and V&A Dundee to the world has been recognised at the HSMAI Adrian Awards. The passion, innovation and hard work of Scotland’s tourism industry has been integral to the city and the attraction’s phenomenal success.

“At VisitScotland everything we do is about showcasing a destination and visitor experience worth talking about through innovative marketing, partnerships and events to inspire visitors to spend more time and money across the country.”

Philip Long, Director of V&A Dundee, said: “To receive such a prestigious award is a great recognition of the global impact V&A Dundee has already had, in creating a major new international cultural centre and in promoting Dundee and Scotland as world-class tourism destinations.”

Councillor John Alexander, leader of Dundee City Council, said: “This award is fantastic recognition of all the work which has been done by ‘team Dundee’ to put the city in the international spotlight.

“People from around the world are discovering what we locals know – that Dundee is a really cool place to live, work, play and visit.

“The buzz that has been created has helped bring visitors in record numbers, contributing millions of pounds to the local economy and supporting thousands of jobs.

“We’ll continue to shout about our city and encourage people to not only visit but stay for a while and discover the culture, adventure, nightlife and so much more that Dundee has to offer.”

To learn more about the HSMAI Adrian Awards go to https://adrianawards.hsmai.org/  

To find out more about Dundee and V&A Dundee go to www.visitscotland.com/destinationsmaps/dundee/  

For more information on VisitScotland and its work to grow tourism sustainably across Scotland, go to www.visitscotland.org

Dundee has won in the UK’s first national Staycation Awards and is now officially the best city in Britain to enjoy a holiday, weekend away or short break without leaving the country!

“We’re thrilled to have won the City Staycation of the Year in the i Staycation Awards,” said Councillor Mark Flynn, on behalf of Dundee, One City Many Discoveries. “We were up against very stiff competition, with the holiday hotspots of York, Brighton & Hove and Bath also being shortlisted for this award.

“In the last few years, Dundee has emerged as one of the most vibrant cities in the country for a staycation. Widely known as Scotland’s coolest – and sunniest – city, Dundee combines the best of contemporary culture, inspiring architecture and a rich historical heritage with fabulous food and drink, good transport links, a great choice of places to stay and a fantastic selection of things to do.”

The i Staycation Awards are a nationwide search for the country’s best loved holiday spots, and the winners were announced on November 21 at a glittering awards ceremony in London by The One Show and Countryfile presenter Matt Baker. Launched by i Newspaper and holidaycottages.co.uk, the awards have 17 categories, ensuring all types of UK staycation are covered, including city breaks, country escapes, family seaside holidays and dog-friendly getaways.

Councillor Flynn, Depute Convener City Development, Dundee City Council revealed that winning the city category of the Staycation Awards is recognition of the success of the city’s vision to make Dundee one of the best small cites in the UK for a cultural short break. “We’ve focused on collectively telling the story of our city’s transformation from industrial centre to cultural capital – an approach which appears to be working.

“Well over one million people visited our city in 2018, with a 19% increase in visitors to Dundee in the first six months of 2019.

“Our spectacular waterfront setting is now home to V&A Dundee, Scotland’s first design museum, which has already given our city a £187 million tourism boost, as well as a green public space hosting everything from outdoor music gigs to free exercise classes.

“Many exciting new activities have been developed by local businesses and individuals, such as walking tours, wakeboarding in the docks, scenic trips around the area on a vintage bus and dolphin-spotting boat trips on the Tay. These visitor attractions perfectly complement our existing, well-known attractions such as The McManus Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum, Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee Rep, Dundee Science Centre, RRS Discover, HMS Unicorn and Verdant Works.”

To further enhance Dundee’s reputation as a city staycation destination, a number of new hotels, bars and restaurants have opened, Dundee train station has had a £38 million upgrade and transport links to and from the city have been improved. “We are also installing a fleet of electric bikes, so once they get here, visitors can easily explore Dundee and the surrounding area,” continued Councillor Flynn.

“Dundee is a dynamic Scottish city which looks to the future, offering a refreshing alternative to the traditional tartan, shortbread and bagpipes image. We believe, as do many of our million-plus visitors that Dundee is the best place in the UK for a city staycation - and its great news for the city that the judges of the i Staycation Awards, agree.”

Hanna Tavner, i news said :  “Congratulations to all the winners at the inaugural Staycation Awards. The destinations, attractions and accommodation on offer in the UK are truly exceptional and deserve to be celebrated.”

Caroline warburton, VisitScotland Regional Leadership Director said : “I would like to offer my congratulations to Dundee for winning City Staycation of the Year, although it comes as no surprise!

“The city’s remarkable rise within Scotland’s travel scene continues as its thriving hub for design, innovation and culture is revealed. Visitors know they can thoroughly enjoy a staycation here, with countless great places to eat and drink, shops galore, easy transport access and a plethora of diverse things to see and do.

“The growing number of visitors all helps the tourism sector’s contribution to the local economy by creating jobs and sustaining communities. The arrival of the iconic V&A has propelled Dundee into the global spotlight and, together with the McManus Gallery, RRS Discovery and Verdant Works, help shine a light on all this incredible city has to offer. This accolade has cemented Dundee’s reputation as a must-see city and we look forward to this continuing in 2020 and beyond.”

The 2019 Festival of the Future will get off to a flying start when Scotland’s leading aerial dance company take to the sky outside the University of Dundee on Wednesday 16 October.

All or Nothing Aerial Dance Theatre will perform their trademark spectacular moves while suspended high above the ground as part of the official opening of this year’s Festival. The dancers will move up and down the University’s Tower Building to a specially created soundtrack, while an original animation created by Dundee alumni Ryan McKnight is projected on to the side of the building.

Guests will then be led to Bonar Hall for a musical performance by children from Claypotts Castle and St Pius primary schools, who are part of the Big Noise Orchestra, a Sistema Scotland initiative.

In addition to opening the Festival, the show will also mark the 60th anniversary of the Tower Building’s foundation stone being laid.

“The Tower is one of the tallest and most recognisable buildings in Dundee as well as being the beating heart of the University,” said Festival programme director Emma Beatt. “The exciting performance by All or Nothing and Ryan’s film lighting up the building is the perfect way to launch the Festival while celebrating a landmark anniversary for this Dundee landmark.

“We are delighted to have put on such a packed programme to suit all tastes with events exploring how science and culture can come together to solve some of the biggest issues we face while educating and entertaining visitors at the same time.”

Festival of the Future, the University’s flagship celebration of art, culture and science will take place from October 16-20. The theme of this year’s Festival is social change, and more than 60 events featuring music, design, dance, theatre, food and comedy will explore this while engaging with audiences of all ages.

High-profile speakers include author Kerry Hudson, who will share the personal stories from her memoir Lowborn: Growing Up, Getting Away and Returning to Britain’s Poorest Towns, an attempt to understand what it means to be poor in Britain today. Meanwhile broadcaster Paul Mason will launch a radical defence of universal rights and human-centric institutions while resisting the insidious influence of algorithms over our lives.

Paul will also take part in a panel considering the question ‘Do editors pander to audiences more than they should?’ as part of an exploration of journalism in an era of clickbait, fake news and social media.

Each day of the programme will feature events aimed at children, young people and adults, debates with academics and external speakers and high-profile events featuring prestigious figures from the worlds of science and culture. Dance, theatre, music and comedy performances will also take place.

More information about Festival of the Future can be found at www.dundee.ac.uk/futurefest.

City Breaks UK: The 10 Best for 2019 - #Dundee is on the list, as selected by Condé Nast Traveller UK

https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/city-breaks-uk-2019

#DundeeIsNow #SunnyDundee #LoveDundee

#ScotlandIsNow  #VisitDundee