11 August 2026  

Camillo Atlas: Appointed Maker for 2026 SAY Award Design Commission

Turn your plastic into a SAY Award!

This year’s Design Commission winner Camillo Atlas is calling for local donations of HDPE waste plastic, such as bottle tops and shampoo bottles, which they will recycle and utilise as materials in the creation of these awards.
To donate, please visit one of the collection bins at EH9 Espresso, Canvas Dundee, and Blackness Library.
Camillo is committed to sourcing, designing and manufacturing the awards all within a 2-mile radius of Caird Hall Dundee, where the awards ceremony will be held on Thursday 5 November 2026. 
Graphic produced by The SAY Award 

PRESS RELEASE, 11th August 2026

Camillo Atlas: Appointed Maker for 2026 SAY Award Design Commission

As part of the Scottish Album of the Award’s (SAY) host city partnership with Dundee, local maker, Camillo Atlas, has been selected to create the bespoke prizes for the bands and artists being recognised at the SAY Award Ceremony which takes place at Caird Hall on Thursday 5 November. Driven by a belief that design should create lasting value rather than contribute to waste, Camillo creates pieces that celebrate the stories and character of reused materials.

Every year, the SAY Award Design Commission appoints an artist, designer or maker to create unique prizes, responding to the theme of sustainable design & highlighting the enduring links between music and design in Scotland. Applicants are asked to demonstrate how they will place sustainability at the forefront of the design and manufacture process. Previous commissions have included jesmonite arches, sand-cast recycled glass sculptures, and low-carbon concrete and terrazzo totems.

This year, the commission received 14 expressions of interest from applicants living or working within a DD postcode. Makers were encouraged to take inspiration from the city of Dundee and the wider region. Camillo Atlas particularly impressed the commission panel with his commitment to sustainably-centred making, architectural inspirations, and investment in Dundee’s creative community. Camillo transforms discarded plastics and timber into furniture, interiors and one-off objects aiming to create meaningful pieces that celebrate people, place and craftsmanship whilst encouraging a more considered relationship with the objects we live with.

Driven by a belief that design should create lasting value rather than contribute to waste, Camillo creates pieces that celebrate the stories and character of reused materials. By collaborating with local coffee shops, restaurants and bars, Camillo collects his waste plastic from the local Dundee community, involving all of us in the process of making.

Camillo Atlas is calling for local donations of HDPE waste plastic, such as bottle tops and shampoo bottles, which they will recycle and utilise as materials in the creation of these awards. To donate, please visit one of the collection bins at EH9 Espresso, Canvas, and Blackness Library. Camillo is committed to sourcing, designing and manufacturing the awards all within a 2-mile radius of Caird Hall.

 

Camillo Atlas said:

“It’s a real honour to design and make this year’s SAY Awards. Created from recycled plastic collected across Dundee, each award transforms discarded materials into something lasting and meaningful. Drawing inspiration from Dundee’s urban landscape and architectural forms, every piece will be unique, reflecting both the individuality of the music being celebrated and the collective effort of the community that helped bring the awards to life.”

 

Aja Garrod-Prance, General Manager at the Scottish Music Industry Association, said:

“We’re delighted with the appointment of Camillo Atlas as this year’s maker for our bespoke awards, and to return to the question of what an ‘award’ is in the context of the climate emergency. Sustainability and the circular economy are questions we return to again and again in the music industry, and I am excited to see how this year’s commission can help us reframe what waste is, and what it means to us. Music and design go hand in hand in telling the stories of our lives, and I am looking forward to working with Camillo and the UNESCO City of Design Dundee team to bring this commission to life.”

 

Lizzie Day, Project Coordinator at UNESCO City of Design Dundee said:

“We’re so excited to have Camillo Atlas onboard as the Design Commission recipient for this year’s SAY Awards. Camillo’s work explores the potential of reclaimed and waste materials, reforming them into something entirely new whilst always keeping sustainability at the core. At UNESCO City of Design Dundee, we believe in the power of design and the essential place of designers in the life of the city. We can’t wait to see Camillo transform Dundee’s waste plastic into beautiful, one of a kind designs!”

 

Anna Day, Head of Culture and Libraries at Leisure & Culture Dundee, said:

“The SAY Award Design Commission attracted a high standard of applications, highlighting the depth of creative talent across Dundee and the surrounding area. Camillo Atlas is a natural choice for this year, bringing together creativity, craftsmanship and sustainability in a way that reflects many of the values at the heart of Dundee’s cultural and design communities. We’re delighted to support a project that connects music, design and community participation and we look forward to seeing the finished awards take centre stage at Caird Hall this November.”

The SAY Award is a Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) production. The SAY Award 2026 is delivered in partnership with Fettercairn, Creative Scotland, Leisure & Culture Dundee, V&A Dundee, Dundee City Council, UNESCO City of Design Dundee, Seabass Vinyl, PPL, HMV, FOPP, the Scottish Government’s Youth Music Initiative, Youth Music, Apex Hotels, Malmaison and Music Declares Emergency.

Ends

—————————————

Images free to use: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1gBwVkjXczWsORGxhUSxzxEcF3C1qNq6K?usp=drive_link   

For media enquiries contact kevin.mcginley@leisureandculturedundee.com

 

Notes to Editors

CAMILLO ATLAS

Camillo Atlas is a designer and maker based in Dundee whose work explores the creative potential of reclaimed materials through contemporary craft. Originally from Germany and a graduate of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, his practice combines traditional making techniques with a commitment to sustainability, transforming discarded plastics and timber into furniture, interiors and one-off objects.

Driven by a belief that design should create lasting value rather than contribute to waste, Camillo creates pieces that celebrate the stories and character of reused materials. His practice occasionally incorporates collaboration with other designers, organisations and local communities, recognising that shared making and material collection can enrich both the design process and the final object.

His work demonstrates that thoughtful craftsmanship and responsible material choices can produce objects that are both beautiful and enduring. Whether designing furniture, interiors or bespoke commissions, his aim is to create meaningful pieces that celebrate people, place and craftsmanship while encouraging a more considered relationship with the objects we live with.

 

SCOTTISH MUSIC INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION (SMIA)

The Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) is a not-for-profit trade body and membership organisation which exists to strengthen, empower and unite Scotland’s music industry.

We work to create and nurture an inclusive membership community which reflects the full spectrum of Scotland’s music industry. We give voice to our membership when speaking to Government, Parliament and development organisations, and we both produce and support projects and programmes that stimulate sustainability, domestic and international growth, development and innovation in Scotland’s music sector. Our services, projects and events are designed to strengthen and increase the value of Scotland’s music industry on the world stage; economically, socially and culturally.

The SMIA receives Multi-Year Funding from Creative Scotland, the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland on behalf of everyone who lives, works or visits here.

For further information on the SMIA and its services, projects and events please visit www.smia.org.uk.

Keep up to date with the SMIA across our social media channels – Instagram: instagram.com/the_smia | Twitter: twitter.com/TheSMIA | Facebook: facebook.com/TheSMIA

 

FETTERCAIRN

For over two hundred years Fettercairn distillery has been at the heart of a thriving agricultural community in Aberdeenshire, a region known as “The Garden of Scotland”.

It is a place where people have always imagined things differently. That attitude is epitomised in our unique copper cooling ring which sits at the top of our stills, drenching them with water from the Cairngorm mountains and allowing only the lightest vapours to rise. The process creates a completely unique spirit, rich in tropical notes.

This lets us start layering flavour at every stage of our process, creating our imaginative take on Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

 

About Fettercairn Distillery

Fettercairn Distillery was founded in Aberdeenshire in 1824 with a completely unique copper cooling ring added to its stills in the 1950s. This innovation lends the whiskies a characteristically light and tropical flavour that has won international recognition. The core Fettercairn range continues to demonstrate this progressive approach to whisky-making and includes a 12 year-old, 16 year-old and a 24 year-old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky alongside limited releases and those exclusive to global travel retail.

 

CREATIVE SCOTLAND

Creative Scotland is the public body that supports culture and creativity across all parts of Scotland, distributing funding provided by the Scottish Government and The National Lottery. Further information at creativescotland.com. Follow Creative Scotland on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

 

CAIRD HALL

Caird Hall is Dundee’s premier concert and events venue, located at the heart of the city. Operated by Leisure & Culture Dundee, the venue is renowned for its grand architecture, excellent acoustics and versatile space.

Caird Hall hosts a diverse range of performances and events, from classical concerts and gigs of all genres to conferences and graduations.

With a seating capacity of up to 2,300 and a stunning setting overlooking City Square, the hall continues to attract world-class artists and touring productions.

Easily accessible by road, rail, and bus, Caird Hall offers modern facilities while preserving its historic charm, making it a distinctive venue for audiences and performers alike.

For more information, visit https://www.leisureandculturedundee.com/culture/caird-hall

 

LEISURE & CULTURE DUNDEE

Leisure & Culture Dundee is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) dedicated to enriching lives by delivering high-quality leisure, sport, cultural, and library services across Dundee. Established to serve the people of Dundee and its visitors, we operate a diverse portfolio of venues and programmes that inspire participation, promote wellbeing, and celebrate the city’s rich cultural heritage.

We are proud to be at the heart of Dundee’s community life, managing libraries, museums, galleries, sports centres, and performance venues that are accessible, inclusive, and welcoming to all. Our work supports health and well-being, lifelong learning, social inclusion and economic development.

For more information, visit https://www.leisureandculturedundee.com/

 

V&A DUNDEE

V&A Dundee is Scotland’s design museum. Designed for everyone – firing imaginations and sparking curiosity in design in Scotland and around the world, from the heart of Dundee’s reimagined waterfront.

Conceived as a 21st century museum and designed by Kengo Kuma, V&A Dundee is a place of activity and energy, presenting spectacular exhibitions and a range of vibrant design experiences across our building, plaza and city. V&A Dundee brings design from all over the world to Scotland and gives a new voice and platform to Scottish design and designers.

V&A Dundee is part of the V&A family of museums, supported by the Scottish Government and our founding partnership of V&A, Dundee City Council, the University of Dundee, Abertay University and Scottish Enterprise.

 

Dundee City Council

Dundee City Council is the local authority for Dundee, a modern, vibrant city which is continuing to transform culturally. Its priorities include delivering inclusive economic growth, tackling climate change, reducing inequalities and child poverty and empowering communities. The Council delivers services aimed at providing a better quality of life for the people of Dundee, ensuring the city remains a great place to live, work, study, and visit.

 

UNESCO City of Design Dundee

Dundee is the UK’s first and only UNESCO City of Design. Highlighting Dundee’s commitment to sustainable development through creativity, the global designation as a Creative City acknowledges Dundee’s rich design heritage, its thriving contemporary design sector and a city committed to using design to solve problems making Dundee a better place to live. The UNESCO City of Design projects and programmes celebrate and demonstrate the impact of design, embrace co-design and promote Dundee’s design talent.

 

SEABASS VINYL

Seabass Vinyl is Scotland’s first vinyl pressing plant. We are an independent, family-owned business, manufacturing records from our factory in East Lothian, with an emphasis on quality and sustainability. We offer fair prices, short production runs and optimised production lead times. We’re the first vinyl record pressing plant in the UK to become carbon-neutral certified (with Carbon Neutral Britain). Our ambition is to become a valuable partner to the Scottish music industry and our local community.

 

PPL

PPL is the UK music industry’s collective management organisation (CMO) for performers and recording rightsholders. We help ensure that our members’ talent and investment is fairly rewarded.

We license recorded music in the UK when it is broadcast (TV and radio) or played in public places (retail, hospitality, workplaces, gyms, etc). When our members’ music is played around the world, they can appoint us to collect royalties through our network of 117 agreements with other CMOs.

Our members include both independent and major record companies, together with performers ranging from emerging grassroots artists through to established session musicians and global superstars.

In 2025, PPL’s revenue exceeded £315 million, and we paid over 182,000 performers and recording rightsholders. In the last five years alone, PPL has distributed over £1.25 billion to performers and recording rightsholders.

 

HMV

HMV, for the fans since 1921. A leading specialist retailer of music, film, pop culture and technology products, with over 100 stores around the UK & Ireland offering a wide selection of new release and catalogue titles

 

FOPP

www.fopp.com

 

YOUTH MUSIC INITIATIVE

In 2003, the Scottish Government’s Youth Music Initiative (YMI) was launched to put music at the heart of young people’s lives and learning. It currently operates with an annual budget of £9.785 million and supports all musical genres, age groups and teaching methods. You can find out more about the programme on the Creative Scotland website.

 

YOUTH MUSIC

Youth Music is a national charity. We help marginalised young people to make and monetise music.

Every year, we raise £10 million to fund inspirational grassroots music projects and support aspiring young creatives up and down the UK.

We’re campaigning to break down barriers for young people facing inequity, exclusion and discrimination.

Together with our partners, we’re helping the next generation to transform their lives through music.

 

MUSIC DECLARES EMERGENCY

Formed by a group of UK based artists and music industry professionals in London in 2019, Music Declares Emergency has now expanded to four continents and works with over 8000 declarers from all sectors and areas of the global music industry, placing music at the heart of conversation and action in relation to the climate emergency.

Our work engages fans with the facts, develops messaging that cuts through the noise, works with artists to use their platforms, and encourages new business practice.

Our ‘No Music On A Dead Planet’ message has been seen by millions and frames a community of music lovers dedicated to working with us and the movement to campaign for systemic change to deliver real action on climate.

www.musicdeclares.net

 

APEX HOTELS

Apex Hotels is a family-owned collection of nine properties located across the UK’s key destinations including London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Bath and Dunblane in Stirlingshire.

Founded in Edinburgh’s historic Grassmarket in 1996, the group has grown into one of the UK’s leading independent hotel brands with heartfelt hospitality at the heart of the Apex Hotels experience.

Apex continues to strengthen its environmental and social impact through Apex Earth and other ESG initiatives, with all UK hotels holding Green Tourism Accreditation at Gold status across all city-centre properties.

 

MALMAISON DUNDEE

Nestled in the lively heart of Scotland’s fourth-largest city and perched on the banks of the charming River Tay, Malmaison Dundee is a haven of sophistication and style. This hotel, just a casual stroll from popular attractions like the V&A Dundee museum, RRS Discovery, and the Caird Hall concert venue, is your perfect Scottish getaway. Malmaison Dundee’s rooms spell style and comfort, with options including standard rooms, club rooms, and suites. Each space is a tribute to luxury, boasting plush bedding, modern decor, and a wealth of amenities like flat-screen TVs, minibars, and complimentary Wi-Fi.

 

Media Partners: The List and The Skinny

Hands placing a terracotta tile and a small stone sink bowl with brass ring on a terrazzo countertop.
4 August 2026  

Dundonians invited to become part of Union Street’s future through unique trinket tile project

Header Image: Spolia, a UK-made terrazzo that can incorporate demolition waste creating a narrative of continuity within a space, image courtesy of Solus Ceramics.

——

PRESS RELEASE, 4th August 2026

DUNDONIANS INVITED TO BECOME PART OF UNION STREET’S FUTURE THROUGH UNIQUE TRINKET TILE PROJECT

People across Dundee are being invited to become part of Union Street’s future by donating a small keepsake, memento or trinket to be embedded within a permanent artwork for the final stage of the Union Street Transformation Project.

The project is collecting items from members of the public to be embedded within specially created terrazzo tiles that will form part of the renewed Union Street. Each contribution, whether a small memento, token, charm, badge, key, piece of jewellery, or other object of personal significance, will become a permanent part of Union Street for years to come.

The call is open to anyone with a connection to the street, including current and former residents, business owners and employees, students, shoppers and visitors who have memories linked to Union Street. People have until 8pm on Friday 21 August 2026 to submit their objects.

As well as the donated trinkets, the tiles will incorporate materials recovered during the street’s transformation, including aggregate created using elements uncovered during excavation works. This includes sections of historic tram lines discovered beneath the road surface, connecting the street’s past with its future.

Annie Marrs, Lead Officer, UNESCO City of Design Dundee said:

‘The newly pedestrianised Union Street is the result of a co-design project where the ideas and needs of businesses, residents and those visiting the street have been central to the design developed by our designers Gary Kennedy and Linsey McIntosh.

Because of this approach, we’re now inviting people to embed a small part of their own story into the street itself. These objects may be tiny, but together they will help tell a much bigger story about Dundee and the communities connected to Union Street in the past, present and future.’

Dundee City Council leader Cllr Mark Flynn said:

“I am pleased to see the progress that is already being made at Union Street to provide an attractive pedestrianised space for visitors and locals alike.”

“This shows how we are taking action to help tackle the challenges faced by retail and hospitality businesses in our city centre through our long-term City Centre Strategic Investment Plan.

“The tile project is an imaginative way to get people involved in telling the story of the street through the years as part of a significant transformation for its future.  I would encourage anyone with an object to donate to get in touch with the UNESCO City of Design team.”

 

How to submit your object

Objects can be brought to the UNESCO City of Design Dundee offices on the 2nd Floor of Central Library, The Wellgate and dropped off at the Union Street cart.

The public will be asked to attach a label to the trinket and share: your name, what the object is and why it is important to you. If they leave their contact details the team will get in touch with everyone with updates on the project.

Objects must be made of the following materials:

  • Metals (these must be Non-ferrous such as copper, gold, silver, tin, or aluminium (non-iron based metals)
  • Glass
  • Ceramics
  • Stone

Examples include keys, cutlery, ring pulls, jewellery, screws and other small objects.

Please note:

  • Donated objects will become a permanent part of the artwork and will not be returned
  • Objects will be polished as part of the terrazzo-making process and may not remain fully recognisable
  • Any items unsuitable for use will be returned where possible

The closing date for submissions is 8pm on Friday 21 August, 2026.

Ends

—————————————

For media enquiries contact kevin.mcginley@leisureandculturedundee.com

Notes to Editors

Interview opportunities are available with Lizzie Day (she/her), Project Coordinator at UNESCO City of Design Dundee, and Gary Kennedy (he/him), Designer and Lecturer in Interior & Environmental Design.

Images free to use: https://we.tl/t-cSe5s00BUQ5wxQuy

Caption for the terazzo images: Spolia, a UK-made terrazzo that incorporates demolition waste creating a narrative of continuity within a space. Image courtesy of Solus Ceramics.

Caption: Union Street visualisation by Kennedy Twaddle

The Union Street Transformation Project is part of Dundee’s wider City Centre Strategic Investment Plan and has been developed through a co-design process involving local businesses, residents and stakeholders.

The trinket tiles will form a permanent feature within the newly transformed pedestrianised street, incorporating objects donated by the public alongside materials recovered during the construction works.

To find out more about the Union Street Transformation Project visit https://cityofdesigndundee.com/projects/union-street/

18 June 2026  

Exhibition celebrating intrepid journalists launches at Dundee Book Festival

Header Image: ‘For Books Not Buildings’ by Louise Forbes Design. Photography by Reuben Paris.

——

PRESS RELEASE, 17th June 2026

EXHIBITION CELEBRATING INTREPID JOURNALISTS LAUNCHES AT DUNDEE BOOK FESTIVAL

Exhibition images available to download here

BOOKENDS is now open at Central Library, ahead of Dundee Book Festival 2026
For media enquiries, please contact elizabeth.day@leisureandculturedundee.com
Website link: https://cityofdesigndundee.com/event/bookends/
Instagram | Facebook | Bluesky: @designdundee

A selection of Scotland’s most exciting designers have been invited by curator Dr Stacey Hunter to create a unique pair of bookends, inspired by pioneering Dundonian journalists Marie Imandt and Bessie Maxwell.

In 1894, Marie and Bessie were asked by DC Thomson to undertake a round-the-world trip visiting ten different countries all whilst reporting back to readers across the UK about what they saw. Their writings considered design culture from Florence to Tokyo, as they described train carriages, tea ceremonies and more.

Responding to these reports, the contemporary Scottish designers created sets of bookends in a variety of innovative materials, all whilst using sustainable manufacturing methods. A selection of these bookends can be seen on display in Central Library, shown for the first time since their premiere at Dundee Design Festival in 2024.

Each designer explored experimental approaches, and innovative techniques to create their bookends. Dundee-based designer Aymeric Renould repurposed spent grain from the brewing process, compressing it into sheets to create stacked layers. Kate Trouw, based in Kinghorn, Fife, reused slag glass (a by-product of metal ore smelting processes) sourced from a former coal mine near Alloa, whilst Glasgow-based Soorin Shin 3-D printed their braided designs using both recycled filament and plant-based bioplastics.

Every pair of bookends is unique, reflecting how each designer creates, thinks and designs differently.

Dundee-based designer Louise Forbes said: “It’s great to see my work back on display alongside so many other amazing designers. My bookends look at the current issues facing buildings constructed from RAAC, considering the impermanence of this faulty material.”

Louise Forbes made their bookends from RAAC (Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete). Although the C stands for concrete, it has absolutely no properties or connections to it; in fact, many of the buildings it was used in are now being declared unsafe. The bookends act as a metaphor for the impermanence of RAAC and its dependence on other materials.

Lizzie Day, Project Coordinator at UNESCO City of Design Dundee, said: “We’re pleased to exhibit BOOKENDS as part of Dundee Book Festival! It’s brilliant to have these amazing pieces of design back out on public display in such a fitting setting.”

BOOKENDS is free to see at Central Library and runs from 18 – 21 June 2026. Dundee Book Festival at Central Library and The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum runs from 19 – 21 June 2026.

BOOKENDS was originally curated and devised by Dr Stacey Hunter for Dundee Design Festival 2024. Dundee Design Festival is a UNESCO City of Design Dundee project.

END

Dundee Book Festival
Dundee Book Festival 2026 takes place this weekend, 19-21 June. Events with Nicola Sturgeon and Professor Sue Black have already sold out, as anticipation builds across a packed three day programme celebrating books and ideas.

The festival brings over 25 events to the heart of the city, with most tickets just £5 and a strong mix of national names and Dundee voices, it’s a chance to come together and celebrate our city through storytelling, creativity and live conversation.

Final tickets are available at dundeebookfestival.com

 

Dundee Design Festival
Dundee Design Festival is Scotland’s national celebration of contemporary design. After presenting 5 iterations at venues across the city, the festival is now set to return in September 2027.

Dundee Design Festival is a UNESCO City of Design Dundee project.

 

UNESCO City of Design Dundee
Since 2014, Dundee has been the UK’s only UNESCO City of Design. This global designation as a Creative City acknowledges Dundee’s rich design heritage, its thriving contemporary design sector and a city committed to using design to solve problems and make Dundee a better place to live.

Find out more at cityofdesigndundee.com

29 January 2026  

Local designer creates graphics for Mills Observatory

All photography & imagery courtesy of Rhianne Connelly.

LOCAL DESIGNER CREATES
GRAPHICS FOR MILLS OBSERVATORY

Graphic designer and printmaker, Rhianne Connelly tell us about her recent work for local landmark Mills Observatory

Lizzie Day (LD): Hi Rhianne! Can you please tell us a little about your practice and work?

Rhianne Connelly (RC): Hello! Of course, so I’m a designer and printmaker based in and originally from, Dundee. I’m drawn to bold patterns, playful typography and print design within my work.

As a graphic designer, I have a background of working in film and continue to work with lots of lovely clients in that sector (it’s niche but I absolutely love it!), as well as amazing arts and cultural organisations. I’ve been incredibly lucky to work on a total range of projects which always keeps things interesting – from playground graphics, exhibition posters, film festival campaigns to vinyls taking over entire sides of buildings!

Under my printmaking moniker of ‘Oh for print’s sake’, I craft beautiful prints that celebrate our Scottish quirks and heritage, with Dundonian history being a huge influence on my design practice. I use a blend of printmaking mediums to bring my colourful designs to life, experimenting with letterpress, risograph and screen printing.
(L-R) Designs for Oh for Prints Sake, Hilltown Park, and Dundee Contemporary Arts, all by Rhianne Connelly.

LD: It’s so exciting to see your work installed at Mills Observatory in celebration of the historic venue’s 90th birthday! How did this commission come about?

RC: It actually came about through a recommendation from yourselves (so thank you for that bit of networking!). The team at Leisure & Culture Dundee had asked for some designer recommendations and my portfolio was lucky enough to be included in the mix – then some general chats, discussions about the brief and just getting a better idea for what the project would entail helped progress things from there. 

“I was really keen to bring in texture as an integral part of the illustrative approach. I wanted to avoid overusing lots of repetitive photographs… Bringing in textures that were evocative of the planets and skies to create a sense of continuity and atmosphere as people move through the different floors. “

– Rhianne Connelly

Mills Observatory graphic by Rhianne Connelly, 2025.

LD: Can you talk us through how you approached the brief? What things were important to consider?

RC: After initially chatting things through with the Leisure & Culture Dundee team, we went up for a site visit so that I could see Mills in person to properly get a feel for how everything should flow throughout the space.

One of the biggest factors for me was building a typographic system that could work across all of the very different pieces of print – ensuring it would be accessible on wayfinding signage but also that it still felt like a considered piece of design. I was really keen to use some typefaces that had a little character about them, something reflective of the space and its almost futuristic ambitions. You should see my folders of font research!
It was also really important to me to approach the style in a slightly different way than you’d expect. I was really keen to bring in texture as an integral part of the illustrative approach. I wanted to avoid overusing lots of repetitive photographs, partly as this felt very traditional but also because I wanted visitors to engage with what they were seeing by seeing something a little unexpected. Bringing in textures that were evocative of the planets and skies to create a sense of continuity and atmosphere as people move through the different floors. It was also really key to create something visually appealing to all audience ages – from youngsters, to their parents and to people who have been visiting Mills since its earlier days.

LD: We’ve seen you use imagery of Mills Observatory in some of your work previously (for Oh for Print’s Sake and Mix Map Dundee). What is it about Mill’s Observatory that draws you in?

RC: It’s such an iconic Dundee landmark – both from an architectural point of view and for its amazing history! For me there’s something kind of otherworldly about the space and what it looks out and connects to up there – kind of a dream to think up illustrations and designs around that idea. Within a lot of my printmaking work I draw on local places and given that Mills can claim the unique trait of having a papier-mâché dome, the distinctive dome shape fits really perfectly into my series of minimal architecture themed prints. 

Mills Observatory graphic by Rhianne Connelly, 2025.

“[Mills is] such an iconic Dundee landmark – both from an architectural point of view and for its amazing history! For me there’s something kind of otherworldly about the space…”

– Rhianne Connelly

LD: Mills is of course a very important landmark in Dundee – why is the Observatory important to you?

RC: I’ve actually been incredibly unlucky every time I’ve been up to Mills in the last year or so, never timing it well with a clear sky… So a personal highlight was finally being able to use the telescopes and see something, fittingly it was on the 90th evening celebrations so it felt very special!

I became involved in the redesign for the interiors a year or so after the incredible online buzz and campaign which saw people flock to visit Mills when it was at risk of closing its doors. So being there to celebrate the fact it was turning 90 and then hearing from people with a really strong connection, along with their memories of Mills on the night was beyond lovely as well.

LD: Thanks so much for your time, Rhianne! It’s been great learning more about your experience – anything else you’d like to add?

RC: Thanks for having me! I can’t leave without telling people to pop to Mills Observatory for a visit! It’s honestly such a lovely thing to see a venue remain open after all these years, even more so after celebrating such an incredible milestone. Just time it well for a clear night sky! 

Rhianne Connelly

Rhianne Connelly is a graphic designer and printmaker who is drawn to bold patterns, playful typography and print design. As a graphic designer she has a background of working in film and with cultural organisations, to create audience centred campaigns. Alongside her graphic design practice, she works under the printmaking moniker of Oh for print’s sake, crafting bold prints that celebrate Scottish quirks and heritage.

rhiannemargo.design
ohforprintsake.com

Mills Observatory

Open six nights a week, the observatory invites visitors to explore the wonders of the night sky through its powerful telescopes and enjoy breathtaking views from the iconic Balgay Hill landmark in the city. This season is particularly special as it marks the 90th anniversary of Mills Observatory. A celebratory programme of events and activities will be unveiled soon, promising memorable experiences for visitors of all ages.

@millsobservatory
leisureandculturedundee.com/culture/mills

18 December 2025  

Designers selected for new international New Zealand-Scotland textile residency

Header Image: Hannah Sabapathy, ‘PROCESS’ at Dundee Design Festival 2024, curated by Dr Stacey Hunter, photography by Grant Anderson.

——

PRESS RELEASE, 18th December 2025

Designers selected for new international New Zealand-Scotland textile residency

FREE TO USE IMAGES: https://tinyurl.com/mr52cara 

Whanganui designer Matthew McIntyre Wilson and Dundee designer Hannah Sabapathy have been selected for a new international residency programme, strengthening ties between two UNESCO Cities of Design through ancestral textile practices.

The Textile Legacies programme will see the designers exchange cities in 2026, with Sabapathy arriving in Whanganui in March and Wilson departing for Dundee in April. The initiative marks the first formal creative exchange between the two cities since both achieved UNESCO City of Design status.

Selected by international and local panellists, the designers will each spend a month learning and sharing with the local design community, bringing unique cultural perspectives that will broaden creative practices in both cities.

Both Whanganui and Dundee have long-standing textile traditions that are powerful expressions of place-based cultural identity. The long-standing textile traditions of Whanganui and Dundee are powerful expressions of place-based cultural identity. Simultaneously, these histories also carry complex legacies — including the impacts of colonisation, war, and cultural suppression — which have shaped and, at times, disrupted cultural development. The resurgence of traditional textile techniques provides an opportunity for design heritage to shape contemporary identities and creative practices.

Matthew McIntyre Wilson is a Whanganui-based practitioner whose work intertwines Māori cultural practices, museological inquiry, and contemporary craft.

“This residency offers a rare opportunity to deepen my work in raranga whakairo (patterned weaving)”, says Wilson. “Engaging with early Māori textiles held in Scotland will strengthen my understanding of their histories and techniques.”

Hannah Sabapathy is a Dundee-based artist and researcher. Hannah trained as a printed textile designer and uses this knowledge to interrogate the power dynamics behind South Asian and British textile design history through pattern.

“I’m delighted to be participating in the Whanganui x Dundee: Textile Legacies residency!”  says Sabapathy. “It will extend my work around the politics of pattern design, enabling me to explore the complexities of materiality in the context of Whanganui.”

The exchange, supported by local organisations such as Verdant Works and Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery, reinforces both cities as leaders in heritage-led design innovation.

“This collaboration benefits both locations and demonstrates how smaller cities can lead in cultural diplomacy” says Emma Bugden, Focal Point at UNESCO City of Design Whanganui. “This is the value of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network offering knowledge transfer, collaborative projects, and international partnerships.”

“At UNESCO City of Design Dundee, we believe in the power of design and the essential place of designers in the life of our city.” says Lizzie Day, Project Coordinator at UNESCO City of Design Dundee. “We are very excited to welcome Matthew to Dundee in 2026 and for Dundee’s own Hannah Sabapathy to journey to New Zealand – we anticipate this project will spark deeper connections and we hope that long-term collaboration with Whanganui will emerge from this initial exchange.”

“Cultural exchange is at the heart of the British Council’s Connections Through Culture programme” says Natasha Beckman, Director at British Council New Zealand and the Pacific. “When designers share ancestral textile practices across cultures, they can preserve heritage while opening new creative possibilities. We hope this exchange between Matthew McIntyre Wilson and Hannah Sabapathy will create lasting connections between Whanganui and Dundee, help grow our creative industries, and enrich design practice in both UNESCO Cities of Design for years to come.”

The residency runs from March to April 2026, with outcomes to be shared publicly in both cities.

END

 

For UK media enquiries, please contact elizabeth.day@leisureandculturedundee.com
For NZ media enquiries, please contact Eilish.Horrocks@whanganuiandpartners.nz 

Whanganui X Dundee: Textile Legacies is coordinated by UNESCO City of Design Dundee and UNESCO City of Design Whanganui and supported by the British Council New Zealand and the Pacific’s Connections Through Culture Programme.

 

Dundee UNESCO City of Design

Since 2014, Dundee has been the UK’s only UNESCO City of Design. This global designation as a Creative City acknowledges Dundee’s rich design heritage, its thriving contemporary design sector and a city committed to using design to solve problems and make Dundee a better place to live.

cityofdesigndundee.com
@designdundee / Instagram & Facebook
@designdundee.bsky.social / Bluesky

Whanganui UNESCO City of Design

In 2021, Whanganui was announced as New Zealand’s only UNESCO City of Design, one of 49 such cities worldwide, in recognition of the city’s exceptional creativity, innovative spirit, cultural integrity and strength of artistic tradition.

Whanganui’s City of Design status is not only a recognition of its creative heritage, it also reflects the unique significance of indigenous cultural identity and the direction the city is taking.

cityofdesignwhanganui.nz
@whanganuiandpartners / LinkedIn & Facebook

 

Designer Bios

Matthew McIntyre Wilson

Matthew McIntyre Wilson (Taranaki, Ngā Māhanga, Tītahi) is a practitioner whose work brings together Māori cultural practices, museological inquiry, and contemporary craft. Based in Whanganui, his practice is grounded in a sustained commitment to revitalising ancestral knowledge while expanding the possibilities of object-making today. Trained initially as a jeweller at Whitireia Polytechnic and Hawke’s Bay Polytechnic, his early focus on fine metalwork later converged with the weaving knowledge he learned under the guidance of master weaver and close friend Rangi Kiu. This convergence created a distinct practice in which jewellery and fibre technologies intertwine, enabling him to create intricately woven forms such as kete, tātua, armbands, and kākahu using both customary and contemporary materials. 

Matthew’s whakapapa links to Puniho and Oeo Pā in Taranaki, and his papakāinga at Kākahi, where the Whakapapa and Whanganui Rivers meet. The environmental and cultural histories of these places continue to shape his thinking, informing his relationship to the natural world and to the stylistic and conceptual foundations of his work. The artistic legacy of his grandfather, painter Peter McIntyre, further deepened his connection to place and observation. 

Central to his practice is the study of taonga held in museums. Through close examination of hīnaki, korotete, kupenga, and other woven objects, he re-engages with the embedded knowledge systems carried within their construction. This research underpins his ongoing exploration of how traditional technologies and design principles can be reactivated in contemporary contexts, forming an artistic language that honours generational knowledge while responding to present-day conversations around identity, museology, and cultural continuity. 

 

Hannah Sabapathy

Hannah Sabapathy is an artist and researcher based in Dundee. She trained as a printed textile designer, and uses pattern and a variety of materials to interrogate the power dynamics behind South Asian and British textile design history. 

She is currently a Leeds Opportunity Research Scholar undertaking a practice-based PhD at The University of Leeds. Hannah’s series of fourteen vitreous enamel panels for the 20/20 Residency with The Decolonising Institute, University of Arts has been acquired by The Harris Museum Preston and are on display at the newly reopened museum. Other recent commissions have been a collaborative light projection of Kashmiri textiles from the Cultural Institute, University of Leeds for Leeds Light Night. 

She has undertaken residencies at Hospitalfield, Dundee Contemporary Arts Print Studio and Cove Park, as well as The Harris Museum.

9 December 2025  

Abertay Graduate Attends Berlin Games Festival

All photography & imagery courtesy of Jazz Chambers.

ABERTAY GRADUATE ATTENDS
BERLIN GAMES FESTIVAL

Winner of the 2025 UNESCO City of Design Dundee culture award at Abertay University’s Digital Graduate Show, games designer Jazz Chambers tells us about her recent trip to fellow City of Design Berlin.

Lizzie Day (LD): Hi Jazz! Congratulations on being awarded the UNESCO City of Design Dundee culture prize at the Abertay Digital Graduate Show 2025! Can you please tell us a little about your work and your grad show project?

Jazz Chambers (JC): Hi! I studied Games Design and Production at Abertay. My work throughout university was predominantly focused on user experience. By designing with collaboration and creativity in mind, I aimed to create a therapeutic and mindful experience in my honours project, Cozy Craft, a Minecraft therapy adventure. Using applied games design and creative mechanics to explore CBT, REBT, and other therapies. The experience can be played solo, in group settings, or alongside practitioners who use games in their therapy approach.

Cozy Craft by Jazz Chambers, as shown at Abertay Digital Graduate Show 2025.

LD: As part of your prize you attended Games Ground, Berlin’s Gaming Festival. Why is it important for young designers to attend events such as Games Ground?

JC: Networking has always been essential within creative industries, and games design is no exception. Events like Games Ground offer the perfect environment to build those connections. A shared love of games, hearing directly from studios about their development journeys, and access to so much industry knowledge all provide incredibly valuable learning and insight.

“Networking has always been essential within creative industries, and games design is no exception. Events like Games Ground offer the perfect environment to build those connections.”

– Jazz Chambers

Exploring Games Ground, November 2025.

LD: Talk us through your trip! What were your highlights?

JC: Games Ground itself was full of highlights — from attending talks by Hazelight Studios to playtesting inspiring projects, plus being led on DnD-style side quests by event staff to help connect attendees! Outside of the festival, visiting the Berlin Wall, exploring the Zoo and Aquarium, and spending time in the Samurai Museum and the Deja Vu Museum were unforgettable experiences. It felt like every corner of the city revealed a new creative gem.

LD: How was it being in Berlin, a fellow City of Design? Were their any particularly inspiring moments?

JC: Being in Berlin, a fellow UNESCO City of Design, felt like stepping into a place where creativity and artistic influence shape every street. The blend of history, culture, and design was incredibly inspiring.

“I attended with my classmate Alice… Sharing the experience with a friend made through my degree made the trip even more meaningful.”

-Jazz Chambers

Jazz and classmate Alice Kerr explore Berlin, November 2025.

LD: You attended Games Ground with an Abertay University classmate – would you like to introduce them?

JC: I attended with my classmate Alice Kerr, who also studied Games Design and Production at Abertay. Sharing the experience with a friend made through my degree made the trip even more meaningful. We were able to reflect together, learn from the studios we met, and bring back ideas we’re excited to explore in our own work.

LD: Thanks so much for your time, Jazz! It’s been great learning more about your experience – anything else you’d like to add?

JC: I’d like to say a huge thank you to Abertay, my honours supervisor Dr Andrew Reid for pushing this project to achieve all it has. As well as a huge thank you to UNESCO City of Design Dundee for selecting my project for the culture award, and all those who supported my honours project. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity and for the reception my work received. And I’m excited to continue creating meaningful and thoughtful experiences through games.

Jazz Chambers was the recipient of UNESCO City of Design Dundee’s culture award, presented at Abertay Digital Graduate Show 2025. 

This trip was kindly supported by UNESCO City of Design Berlin and Games Ground, Berlin’s Gaming Festival.

29 July 2025  

Nominees Announced for Shenzhen Design Award for Young Talents

Nominees Announced for Shenzhen Design Award for Young Talents 2025

The Shenzhen Design Award for Young Talents (SDAY) is back for its 6th year, this time celebrating the theme of “Shaping The Future Together”. These awards are open to designers (aged 35 and under) from across the UNESCO Design Cities Network. Dundee is proud to nominate an exciting selection of young professionals and students for the awards; you can check out our nominations below:

Nominated Young Professionals:

Nominated Students:

We wish all our nominees the best with their submissions!

In addition, we’re excited to announce that Dundee-based designer Linsey McIntosh has been asked to join the judging panel for this prize. Previous international judges invited to join the panel have included Russell Kennedy (Australia), Melike Taşcıoğlu Vaughan (Turkey), and Ian Lambert (USA) amongst others. You can view the full 2025 judging panel on sday.design

Linsey McIntosh is a designer, educator, facilitator and researcher with a passion for spaces, places, people and communities.

Originally from Glasgow, Linsey graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design (DJCAD) at the University of Dundee with a BDes (Hons) in Interior & Environmental Design in 2005. Following this, she worked in industry as an interior designer an award-winning architecture and interior design practice. In 2011, she was awarded an MDes (Distinction) after undertaking the DJCAD Master of Design programme, where she focused on service design approaches.

Since 2011, she has held a position as Lecturer in Interior & Environmental Design within Design & Making at DJCAD (Top 10 in UK for Art & Design, Complete University Guide 2024).

Photography by Grant Anderson.

You can view a selection of the nominated projects below:

For press enquiries, please contact Project Coordinator Lizzie Day on elizabeth.day@leisureandculturedundee.com

Image credits:

  1. A Little World of Ants (2024) by Cara Rooney
  2. She Town (2025) by Jo-AMI & Ruadhan Scanlan, photography by Alex James
  3. EH9 Annfield (2024) by Camillo Atlas, photography by Cameron Todd
  4. nothing matters (2025) by Ayla Ahmed
  5. The Light Reading Collection by Cathal Gibson
  6. A Kaleidoscopic Symphony (Interior) by Dylan Baliski
  7. Echoes in Chaos (2025) by Heidi Lee
  8. REPRIEVE by Studio Reprieve (Franciszek Maj, Maya Barnes & Garbhan Donnelly)
  9. Tactile Resistance (2024) by Yimou Huang, photography by Grant Anderson (Dundee Design Festival 2024, curated by Stacey Hunter)
  10. Life reWritten by Paul Hinnrichs, Matthew Ellington, Kopanieva Alisa & Mattea Sacco
21 May 2025  

Design the tartan for Tayside Mountain Rescue

Call for young people across Tayside to design a new tartan for Hamish the Highland Coo

DOWNLOAD DESIGN PACK
FREE WORKSHOPS
VIEW PRESS RELEASE
We are delighted to be working in partnership with Andie Sewing School on a tartan design competition for Tayside Mountain Rescue which launched on Monday 26th May.

The design competition is available for young people aged 18 and under, and closes on Monday 28th July. A design pack, including a brief, inspiration and a tartan template is available to download here or can be picked up from Level 1, Central Library, The Wellgate.

One entry per person should be emailed to kirsten.wallace@leisureandculturedundee.com or physically submitted to Central Library.

Tayside Mountain Rescue is a team of dedicated volunteers who respond to emergencies 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, rescuing members of the public in crisis.

They always look for innovative ways to engage with the public, encouraging others to safely visit the outdoors. They currently do this through the Hamish Hub. The idea to create a tartan for Hamish the Highland Coo was developed by Andie Sewing School student Zoe, aged 13:

“I’ve been going to sewing classes at Andie Sewing School for a few years now and I already knew about Hamish and his song. I thought, why can’t Hamish have his own tartan?

“I mentioned it to the volunteers I know at Tayside Mountain Rescue Team who thought it was a great idea. I’m looking forward to helping choose the winning tartan and then later making an outfit from it during my sewing classes at Andie Sewing School. I think other kids will really enjoy taking part over the summer holidays.”

Zoe, Andie Sewing School student

“Tayside Mountain Rescue Team is always looking for ways to engage with the community and we already have our Hamish Hub which aims to encourage kids to visit the outdoors safely. The Tartan design project is another way to interact with kids in Tayside in a fun way to help show them the wonderful landscapes they have on their doorstep. The pictures in the design pack show the variety of landscapes within Tayside and the variety of colours both in nature and as part of our uniform. We hope the kids will be inspired from these pictures and use their imagination to create a beautiful Tartan. We are all volunteers and rely on public donations and we hope that Hamish’s Tartan will help us stay on the hills for many years to come.”

Paul Russell, Tayside Mountain Rescue Senior Team Leader

“Tartan is such a powerful part of Scottish identity, and a huge part of the Andie brand as we’ve made thousands of tartan garments over the years. The chance to be involved in designing something that weaves tradition with the fresh perspective of our young creatives is so exciting.
Young people bring such raw creativity and energy and giving them a platform to build confidence and discover what they’re capable of is incredibly rewarding. I love that this project combines heritage, storytelling, and hands on design. It’s exactly what Andie Sewing School is all about.

“It’s such an honour that Zoe and Tayside Mountain Rescue have asked us to work on their tartan. Zoe has such a brilliant creative mind, and she leads with purpose, so to be nominated by her feels incredibly meaningful. It’s a big vote of confidence in what we’re doing at the sewing school, and I’m so grateful for the chance to collaborate on something with both cultural and personal significance.”

Gillian McIver, Andie Sewing School Director

The winning design will be registered as an official tartan which will be used across Tayside Mountain Rescue merchandise and as outfits for Hamish.

Each finalist will receive a surprise from Hamish, and the winner will be invited to attend Tayside Mountain Rescue’s Volunteer Fun Day on Sunday 28th September. Students of Andie Sewing School will have the opportunity to design a brand-new collection with the winning tartan design in the Autumn.

“We were thrilled to be asked to partner on this project to help celebrate the work of Tayside Mountain Rescue and their team of volunteers, through a developing their own tartan. Two of our designation’s key aims is to champion local design talent and to encourage public participation in design, which we are excited to deliver through this tartan competition with Andie Sewing School.

“We are excited to see and hear the imaginative ideas that the young people come up with through their design process in selecting colour palettes and telling us about the symbolism they represent. Tartan is a creative form of storytelling and Hamish’s new tartan will showcase the work that Tayside Mountain Rescue do for many years to come.”

 Kirsten Wallace, UNESCO City of Design Dundee Project Coordinator

Andie Sewing School

Andie Sewing School is an award-winning children’s sewing school specialising in comprehensive sewing education for young people of all ages. With expert teachers and a fun, nurturing environment, they focus on bringing out the creativity, imagination and personality in every child who attends.

The Sewing School provides classes, workshops and holiday camps, as well as adult weekly classes and private hires for parties. In addition to sewing classes, they have a range of creative and cooking classes too. Andi Sewing School is based at Creative Studios on Staffa Place in Dundee.

Andie Sewing School: https://andiesewingschool.co.uk/

@andisewingschool

 

Tayside Mountain Rescue

Tayside Mountain Rescue are made up of 50 volunteers who carry out emergency outdoor rescues from Montrose on the East Coast of Scotland to Blair Atholl and Loch Rannoch south of the Cairgorms, down to Kinross bordering Fife.

The Tayside Mountain Rescue team are on call to respond to emergencies 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year, rescuing members of the public in crisis, from mountains to rivers in all weather conditions. Volunteers receive training to keep themselves and the public safe, but the team have a range of experience in mountaineering, map and compass skills, remote medical expertise, technical rigging, swiftwater rescue and search management. They have serving police officers, teachers, managers, engineers and outdoor professionals working with them alongside a number of search & rescue dog handlers.

Tayside Mountain Rescue: http://taysidemrt.org

@TaysideMRT

 

UNESCO City of Design Dundee

Dundee is the UK’s first and only UNESCO City of Design. It was designated a UNESCO Creative City in 2014 acknowledging Dundee’s rich design heritage, its thriving contemporary design sector and strong cultural identity. As the UK’s first and only UNESCO City of Design, Dundee upholds the values of UNESCO and publicly champions the city’s commitment to placing design at the heart of local development plans and to global cooperation working towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The programmes that UNESCO City of Design Dundee deliver celebrate and demonstrate the impact of design, embrace co-design, promote local talent, engage designers in decision making and collaborate with other UNESCO Creative Cities.

Currently there are 49 UNESCO Cities of Design, including Bangkok, Bilbao, Detroit, Graz, Helsinki, Kobe, Mexico City, Montreal, Singapore, Seoul and Wuhan.

UNESCO City of Design Dundee is supported by a partnership between Leisure & Culture Dundee and V&A Dundee.

UNESCO City of Design Dundee: https://cityofdesigndundee.com

@designdundee

28 November 2022  

Dundee’s Designer Christmas Trees

In cities all around the world, festive tree displays are a highlight of the season. Beautiful and inspiring trees are created by designers who combine festive traditions and contemporary design.

This year, in partnership with Dundee City Council, we have commissioned five designers and creative practitioners to create bespoke and unique ‘Christmas Trees’ as part of Dundee’s Festive Celebrations.

The Trees form part of a display located beside Dundee’s Living Christmas Tree at City Churches.

Rather than simply decorating a tree, the brief sought designers who would create a ‘tree’ which tells its own story. The ‘Christmas Tree’ was the central focus and inspiration, but final designs could have any form and we now have 5 very different trees from the same brief.

Considering the environmental impact of large-scale festivities and the commitment from the city to celebrate our own living Christmas tree, this project centres the principles of reduce, reuse and recycle. All elements of the trees and their decorations are made from 100% reused or recycled materials.

Each tree has its own story in sustainability and design.

 

Unity in Diversity by Carrie Varjavandi

Trees have always been revered in all cultures. The “Clootie Trees” that travelling people in Scotland created have their parallel in Mongolia where strips of cloth are tied to trees and prayers are offered for loved ones.

Carrie’s tree comprises of textile elements created by many hands. The Kindred Clothing project was the first to participate in workshops to create wrappings for this tree. They used leftover fabric from sewing projects and Dundee fashion brand Isolated Heroes. More leftover materials were added to by subsequent groups that participated. Children from Andie’s Sewing School, pupils and staff from Baldragon Academy, students from the University of Dundee, the Thursday Group at the Maxwell Centre, the Baha’i Community of Dundee, Carrie’s friends and neighbours all contributed their efforts to make the 800 plus wrappings that were needed to clothe the tree.

Bringing all the multi-coloured and textured wrappings together in the form of a Christmas Tree creates a colourful and exuberant celebration of unity in diversity.

 

Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Caishnah Nevans

Caishnah’s tree perfectly embodies her love of vinyl records with her work surrounding music and memories. The tree reflects the important part music plays in festive memories as well as giving records a new lease of life.

Despite the recent revival in vinyl sales, it is still very much a medium that is easily damaged and therefore rendered useless. The records were sourced from record shops and auction sites throughout Scotland.

Caishnah returned to live in Dundee in 2021 to be closer to her family and help her dad close his business to retire. The fabrication materials came from her father’s scrap yard of building materials and working together made this a special retirement project, as well as reflection of the important of family at Christmas time.

The inspiration for the tree came from the record tile print which is used often in Caishnah’s designs for her brand Lola Polooza and her love of projects that spark musical memories and discussions around music.

Twitter: @lolapoloozauk

Instagram: lolapoloozauk

 

Tree by Helm Young Team with Barry Reed

Last year some of the local young people aged 16 -18 attending Helm came up with the idea of making wooden Christmas Trees made from recycled pallets.

When discussing the idea of this competition some of the young people attending Helm now thought of using the idea of last year’s tree and updating it to with the guidance and support of Helm Instructors, Barry – Furniture designer/maker background, Audrey Art Therapist/Artist and Malcolm, Spick and Spanners mechanic/welder, of making a tree with a Spiral Design.

Facebook: /helmtraining

 

Retro Celebrations by Billy Hutchison 

Billy graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design in 2001 and currently lives/works as an Artist/Illustrator in Dundee, Scotland, mainly painting landscapes for private commissions. Having taken part in his first public Wild in Art trail Oor Wullie’s BIG Bucket Trail in 2019, Billy went on to take part in Dundee’s Festive Windows project in 2020, and the Rocket Round Leicester trail in 2021, and now Dundee’s Designer Christmas Trees too.

For Billy’s tree, he used recycled/used aluminium soft drink cans as they are malleable and light. The pyramid shape of the tree is inspired by the rooftops of turrets of buildings in Dundee and from 1960’s aluminium ornamental vintage Christmas trees.

Twitter: @hutchison2014

Instagram: billyhutchisonart

 

Once A Tree by Rio Moore

Rio is no stranger to taking part in Public Art Trails she was the artist for Oor Bowie 2016, Peacock Penguin 2018, Oor Freddie 2019, Woodland Spirit 2019, Brave Wee Boy 2019 and most recently Wildlife Warrior for Giraffe about Town (Edinburgh).

In recent years Rio has moved towards community-based art, leading on the development of community arts projects for ScrapAntics, a creative recycling company based in Dundee. She lead on such projects as Festival of Light, Reflections and Moby a 10ft whale made completely out of recycled materials for COP26 and currently to be found in the Wellgate.

For ‘Once a Tree’ Rio was inspired by the papier-mâché dome at Mills Observatory as a way of utilising recycled materials; the majority of which were once a tree – She liked the notion that it’s come full circle and is a reminder of how much paper and card gets used at this time of year.

Spot the reference to peacock feathers at the top! A homage to Dundee’s links with India.

Facebook: /kitchimama

Instagram: @kitchimama

 

The trees will be on display until 29 December 2022.

Union Street Community Co-Design Project
1 July 2022  

Union Street – Our Street Studio

The project to temporarily pedestrianise Union Street during the Covid-19 Pandemic was considered to be such a success that we are delighted to have now been asked to propose a permanent design.

In 2020 we implemented a project which created more space for people to safely move around Union Street, it supported outside queuing and for trading outdoors. Many of these changes have been embraced by businesses and shoppers who are keen not just to return to normal.

Of course, we’ll be using the principles of co-design to create this proposal. We are encouraging the participation of everyone who has an interest in Union Street to help identify the challenges and the opportunities that a project like this offers.

What’s happening now at Union Street?

Union Street Community Co-Design Project
Union Street Community Co-Design Project
Union Street Community Co-Design Project

At the beginning of June 2022, we opened ‘Our Street Studio’, a community co-design studio in a shop on Union Street. This is the next phase of the pedestrianisation project.

Until the end of July this space will welcome businesses, residents, members of the public and anyone with an interest in the street to contribute their ideas for the future of Union Street.

Working with Gary Kennedy of KennedyTwaddle Architects and designer Linsey McIntosh the shop has become a co-design studio where visitors can interact with the questions, reflect on the issues on Union Street and suggest ideas for its future development.

When you come in to the space you can take part in three activities, the Think Tanks, the Streetscape Model and the Community Collage.

At Think Tanks you’ll be asked to dream big and share your aspirations for what you think Union Street could be. Add you picture to the wall and write in the speech bubble.
Union Street Community Co-Design Project
At the Streetscape you’ll share your local knowledge to identify challenges and opportunities. Then add them to the model for others to see and reflect on.
Union Street Community Co-Design Project
At the Community Collage you’ll be inspired by images from all around the world. Select your favourites, share why it inspires you and describe how the idea can work at Union Street.
Union Street Community Co-Design Project

In October, the team will prepare a proposal which will seeks to present an attractive and innovative street design which supports residents an  local businesses to make the most of the street’s potential to be a key focus for hospitality and independent retail in the city centre.

To keep up to date with our Our Street’s opening hours, please follow us on twitter here

You can download our handy newsletter here

RELATED CONTENT
View of Union Street from the south end looking north up the street with pink, blue and yellow rectangles painted onto the floor in the foreground and wooden seats and planters bringing colour to the street
SUSTRANS SPACES FOR PEOPLE PROGRAMME
Sustrans Spaces for People Programme
UNION STREET PEDESTRINISATION