9 February 2023  

Fair Play – Micro Grants for Dundee Month of Design

We are able to offer up to 4 micro grants of up to £300 to people, organisations, or projects to put towards Design-related events as part of Dundee Month of Design that tackle Sustainable Development Goal 10 – Reducing Inequalities.

These grants are part of a project called Fair Play that UNESCO City of Design Dundee are taking part in alongside other Design Cities from around the world. Fair Play is a pilot initiative being delivered by the UNESCO Creative Cities of Design to deliver collective impact outcomes across multiple cities aimed at reducing inequalities at the local level (supporting SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities).

Fair Play is an open source initiative, with its origins based on the Equaliser Project delivered by the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Cities of Music in 2019 (addressing SDG 5 Gender Equality).The project champions core values such as equitable relationships, respect for diversity, ageing, openness, equality, empowerment (redirected power), social and economic inclusion and ageing. As a global network, each participating city will share the design process, methodologies, learnings and outcomes with other cities.

Criteria:
– Events can be any time during Dundee Month of Design (1 May – 3 June 2023)
– Events must in some way centre around Sustainable Development Goal 10 (Reducing Inequalities)
– Events must be firmly rooted in design, and champion design
– Events must be held in Dundee
– If you are selected to receive a micro grant, you must be able to invoice for the amount and be responsible for your own tax and national insurance contributions
– If you are selected to receive a micro grant, you must be willing to share data and insights of the event with the UNESCO City of Design Dundee team to report back to the Fair Play project

If you have a project that you would like to discuss, please email Poppy (poppy.jarratt@vandadundee.org) or fill in the Fair Play submission form here. The deadline for expressions of interest is the 20th February 2023.

To find out more about Dundee Month of Design and submit design related activity in May, click here.

30 January 2023  

Dundee Design Festival is Looking for Someone Who Can Make Things Happen

The Team behind Dundee Design Festival are starting work on the next festival which is due to take place in September 2024, and we are looking for a Curator/Producer to join our team and lead the development of the festival’s theme and programme. As a key member of the festival team, we are looking for someone who believes in the transformative power of design and has a desire to see audiences participate in design. You’ll be someone who gets excited about showcasing design practitioners in Scotland and beyond and be committed to profiling diversity across this complex and varied sector. You will be passionate about sharing stories of design, of designers, of products and of the inspirational change that design and designers make in our world.

The deadline for applications is 5PM on Wednesday 22 February 2023
For the full brief, how to apply, and further information, click here

ROLE
Curator/Producer Dundee Design Festival 2024.

The Curator/Producer will be responsible for development and delivery of the festival’s theme and programme. They will work with the UNESCO City of Design Dundee Team and Core Group Partners to research opportunities, develop themes and secure contributors and collaborations for the festival programme. You’ll need to be able to clearly communicate this to the rest of the team and for our audiences and volunteers.

You’ll be expected to contribute to all aspects of the festival’s delivery including: theme, content, programme, budget and cost projections; funding applications; logistics; marketing and promotions. You will have responsibility for managing the festival build and installation team alongside coordinating and managing the receipt and handling of objects.

You will be able to work independently and thrive when developing ideas in collaboration with others. You will have excellent attention to detail, a positive attitude and a knowledge of the design sector in Scotland and beyond. You’ll enjoy conversations with others which explore and interrogate concepts and you’ll be able to articulate your ideas and reasoning to a variety of people. You’ll have experience in putting together public events, workshops and exhibitions. You’ll understand the often complex and interlinked elements that need to come together to deliver these events.

FIXED FREELANCE FEE
£25,344 (96 days at £264 per day). This fee is guided by the Scottish Artists Union’s Residency Rates (projects that are 20+ days).

FIXED PERIOD
Initial 12 month contract March 2023 – March 2024 with expectation of additional contract dependant on funding for a further 7 months, April to October 2024.

LOCATION
Dundee. Desk space at UNESCO City of Design Hub, Union Street. Up to 50% of the working week may be carried out at home or an alternative location as agreed. There is an expectation that you will travel to meet designers. A budget will be available for costs related to travel, engagement meetings, developing ideas and collaborations and access needs.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

  • Communication
  • Organisation
  • Experience with fundraising and partnerships
  • Marketing/promotions
  • Exhibition Design and Build
  • Understanding Audiences

Full details of the skills and knowledge we are looking for is contained within the full Role Description Pack available here. We know there are candidates who may not fit every criteria we’ve outlined here, or who have key skills we haven’t listed. If this is you, please do apply if you feel your particular experience or skill set could enhance this role.

To discuss any aspect of this post or the application process please contact
Annie Marrs, Lead Officer
e: annie.marrs@vandadundee.org

SCHEDULE
Mon 30 January 2023 – Wed 22 Feb 2023: Opportunity Advertised

Wed 22 February 2023, 5pm: Deadline for Expressions of Interest

Fri 24 February 2023: Candidates notified of outcome of their Expression of Interest

Tues 7 / Wed 8 / Thurs 9 March 2023: Interviews (The shortlisted applicants will receive a fixed fee of £250 to prepare their presentation and attend the interview. In addition, reasonable travel expenses will be paid.)

Fri 10 March 2023: Candidates notified of outcome of interviews.

PREVIOUS DUNDEE DESIGN FESTIVALS
Dundee Design Festival 2017: 2017.dundeedesignfestival.com
Dundee Design Festival 2019: 2019.dundeedesignfestival.com
Dundee Design Festival 2021: 2021.dundeedesignfestival.com

The deadline for applications is 5PM on Wednesday 22 February 2023
For the full brief, how to apply, and further information, click here
Christmas Tree made from recycled green bottles beside a fountain in Paris, another recycled bottle tree is in the background
21 September 2022  

OPEN CALL: Dundee Christmas Trees

Call out for five designers to create a sustainable, bespoke, outdoor ‘Christmas Tree’.

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, UNESCO City of Design and V&A Dundee in partnership with Dundee City Council are looking to commission five designers or creative practitioners to create bespoke and unique ‘Christmas Trees’ as part of Dundee’s Festive Celebrations.

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

Rather than simply decorating a tree, this brief seeks designers who will create a ‘tree’ which tells its own story. The design must use the ‘Christmas Tree’ as the central focus and inspiration, but final designs can take any form.

The project is seeking creative, unique designs which respond to the concept of a central Christmas Tree in festival celebrations. While the main inspiration for this brief is the Christmas Tree, we are looking for responses that celebrate the diversity of the winter period from different perspectives.

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 ‘tree’ and its decoration must be made from 100% reused or recycled materials.

This opportunity is open to:

  • Designers and makers who live or work in Dundee (defined as living or work address with a DD1 – DD7 postcode)
  • Designers from Dundeee (defined as DD1 – DD7 postcode) and recent graduates (graduating in the last 4 years from a Dundee university)

Each designer / creative practitioners will be awarded £2500 to cover all materials, production, installation and fee.

Read the full brief and apply here

Deadline for submissions: 12 Noon, Wednesday 5th October. 

Designers awarded: By Monday 10th October

Install date: Thursday 17th November

If you have any questions regarding the project please email contact@dundeecityofdesign.com

image of a Louise Forbes wooden spoon over the CODE Souvenir Dundee branding
19 July 2022  

OPEN CALL: CODE Souvenir Dundee Vol. 2

After great success with the launch of CODE Souvenir Dundee Vol. 1 in December 2020, the call for the second volume of CODE Souvenir Dundee is now open with a deadline of 5pm 30th August 2022.

CODE Souvenir Dundee is a collection of souvenir style products designed here in the city. More than the traditional fridge magnet, the souvenirs will vary from textiles and jewellery, to tea towels and mugs. What the products all have in common is that they evoke a sense of the city’s character or tell a story, acting as a memento or reminder of Dundee.

The catalogue is a tool to connect buyers with designers; to act as a resource for local stockists looking to include more local design in their offer, and for designers to elevate their businesses. Publicly available, aimed at corporate purchasers, retailers and the general public, CODE Souvenir Dundee is a place for tourists to find mementos of their visits, for local people to find the perfect gifts and for organisations to showcase local design talent.  

CODE Souvenir is an original concept, developed by fellow UNESCO City of Design, Montréal and launched in 2010. Since then Montréal have produced five catalogues profiling the wealth of talent in their city, increasing sales, and supporting the success of local designers.

The call for CODE Souvenir Dundee Vol. 2 is now open! Each item submitted for consideration requires a separate form to be completed, each designer/studio/company may submit up to 5 items, if you were included in CODE Souvenir Vol.1, and would like to submit the same items again, you will need to fill in the forms for Vol.2 to be entered in to this open call.

Apply here!

The deadline for applications is 5pm 30th August.

PLEASE NOTE:

An example of each item put forward for consideration for CODE Souvenir Dundee Vol. 2 must be delivered to go to the judging panel. Items must be delivered to: Our Street Studio, 34 Union Street, Dundee, DD1 4BE. The drop off slots will be:

– 16th August 10am-8pm
– 19th August 8am-3pm
– 23rd August 10am-12pm
– 30th August 9:30am-5pm
All items must be received to be considered by the panel for inclusion in the catalogue. This is so that the panel can assess the quality of the items, but also so that the successful items can be photographed for the catalogue.

If you are unable to drop off items within the designated times, please get in touch using the email address below to arrange an alternative time or postage.

After the items are selected, and successful items photographed, you will be notified about how to collect your items.
_____

If you have any questions, or need assistance with your application, please email poppy.jarratt@vandadundee.org

_____

CODE is an original concept by Raban Ruddigkeit of the Berlin agency ® ruddigkeit corporate ideas. CODE is an acronym for City Of Design and marks a city’s particular character (“DNA”).

RELATED CONTENT
OPEN CALL: CODE Souvenir Dundee Vol. 2
CODE Souvenir Dundee Vol. 1
CODE Souvenir Dundee Stockists
CODE Souvenir Dundee Vol. 1 Launch
Visual artist and craft maker
26 October 2021  

BURSARIES AVAILABLE: VACMA

Visual Artist and Craft Maker Awards: Dundee 2021/22 Winter Deadline is currently live and open to applicants!
Bursaries are being offered of £750 to established artists and £500 for new graduate or emergent artists – based in Dundee.

In partnership with Creative Scotland, the Visual Artist and Craft Maker Awards: Dundee has been established to support Dundee-based visual artists and craft practitioners in their creative and professional development.

The awards are intended to encourage artists to live and work in Dundee and to ensure that the arts play a vital and lasting role in the city.

 

Apply here by 17:00 BST on Tuesday 1 February 2022

In recognition of the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 on individual artists and makers, the scheme will continue to provide fixed bursaries this year. This acknowledges the limitations placed on individual practices and the opportunities that are currently available.

  • Bursaries of £750
  • Early-career bursaries of £500 (for applicants that have less than 5 years’ experience outside of education/training, graduated in 2016 or later, or that have not studied art formally but have been practising as an artist for up to 5 years)
To find out more about Leisure and Culture Dundee, visit their website here
To keep up to date with news and opportunities from Creative Scotland, visit their website here
8 December 2020  

OPEN CALL: Collaborative Commissions

Apply with a creative collaboration of £1,000 and get your idea funded by Creative Dundee!

At each of the InGAME Insights event, Creative Dundee launch an open call for one Insights Collaborative Commission of £1,000. The second call is now open for applicants to combine creativity and games, demonstrating the early-stage potential of creating positive social impacts through experimental collaborations.

Creative Dundee are making this commission available to stimulate new, collaborative ways for creative communities across the city and wider region – artists, designers, makers, games developers – to come together around topics that matter.

Apply here by 09:00 BST on Monday 25 January 2021

Creative Dundee believe this is an opportunity to spark new collaborations to form around topics which have the potential to positively impact society, through some paid time to develop early-stage conversations, digital or physical prototypes.

Through this commission they aim to: promote partnerships between Dundee and the wider region’s creative and games sectors; provide time for collaborators to learn from each other and visit each other’s work spaces, either physically or virtually; champion collaborative learning and opportunities for experimentation; create space for concept development, with clear societal benefits; and share insight blogs on Creative Dundee’s website following each commission.

Applying:  

People eligible to apply for this commission are:

  • A creative practitioner / business collaborating with a games practitioner / business, or vice versa. Freelancers, SME businesses, students, creative social enterprises, charities and collectives are eligible.
  • This commission is about creating new collaborations and concepts – applications must involve a collaborative partnership, therefore collaborators should not be from the same business / organisation / collective. The two collaborators must be working together for the first time.
  • Each collaborator must be based in Dundee, or within the Tay Cities region. This region covers Dundee City, Angus, Perth & Kinross and North Fife.

The commission will be awarded to a partnership who can demonstrate they have an early-stage experimental idea that has the potential to positively impact society – such as protecting and improving our environment, supporting equity and inclusion, improving health and wellbeing… The commissioned resource will be used to further scope out an early-stage digital or physical prototype.

Your application should:

  • Show how your collaboration will combine creativity and games to experiment and positively impact society.
  • Advance new and experimental ways of working for your practice.
  • Generate debate about the role of creativity and games to impact our lives.

Selection: 

Creative Dundee’s team will consider applications on:

  • How innovative is the proposal, is it experimental and does it have a social impact focus?
  • Do the collaborators have the right mix of skills to deliver the proposed exploration?
  • Is the proposed time frame achievable?
  • Can the exploration be achieved within the proposed budget?
For more information, visit Creative Dundee’s website here
#CreativeClusters
8 December 2020  

GRANT: The Biome Collective Grant

INTRODUCING The Biome Collective Grant for Digital Creatives!

A no-strings attached £500 grant aimed at supporting Scotland-based digital creatives from under-represented or marginalised backgrounds to support you and your work in whatever way it might be needed – materials, courses, project funding, rent, etc. Send us your application by January 8th and we will select & notify the recipient shortly after.

Apply here by 23:59 BST on Friday 8 January 2021

The Biome Collective* Grant for Digital Creatives is a £500 grant aimed at supporting individual Scotland-based digital creatives from under-represented or marginalised backgrounds**. This grant is intended to support any creative practitioner who could make use of a small lump sum to support their practice, with no strings attached.

Biome Collective are encouraging applicants to make use of the money in whatever way makes sense for each individual. For example; to purchase materials, continue an ongoing project, develop your skills, replace an old or broken laptop, or to pay your rent.

In addition to the grant, Biome Collective can offer a paid membership, providing access to their community. The team at Biome Collective aim to get back to all applicants by Friday 22nd January.

 

FAQ:

*What is Biome Collective?

Biome Collective is a community of digital and physical creators (people making videogames, installations, music, and visual art), curators and producers.

They operate as a membership based organisation for like minded individuals keen to explore games, art and technology. Within the collective, they share opportunities, collaborate on projects and showcase their work in order to support and encourage our individual practices.

**What do you mean by under-represented or marginalised backgrounds?

LGBTQIA+ folk, people of colour, working class, disabled, women or any other group under-represented in digital creative spaces, mainstream and independent.

What kind of work are you looking for?

Anyone working in a digital medium is eligible for the grant.

 

Find out more about Biome Collective and become a member here
Put your stamp on dundee
26 October 2020  

Put Your Stamp on Dundee

Put Your Stamp on Dundee is a collaborative illustration project by Laura Darling, Louise Kirby, Pamela Scott and Suzanne Scott.

In 2019 they were awarded the Creative Dundee Amps Community Ideas Fund and joined forces to create four unique collaborative drawings inspired by the sights, scenery and patterns that can be found whilst exploring the city.

Due to COVID19 restrictions the original plan for the project had to be changed but the core idea remained the same. The Stamp Gals wanted to encourage people to go out and explore the city, take photos through a viewfinder and be inspired to draw from the photos that they had taken.

Each illustrator made their own viewfinder and shared some of their photos on the Put Your Stamp on Dundee Instagram page.

Next, they set the challenge of starting a drawing each inspired by Dundee which they then each added to in their own style. They selected a preferred art material: charcoal pencil, ink, pen and set a time limit of 30 minutes before passing the drawing on to the next person and so on until they all had added to all four. The results are great! These can also be found on their Instagram page.

As no exhibition/workshop was able to occur, it was decided that a limited edition run of the collaborative illustrations and the starter illustrations would be printed. These were made in to packs containing eight postcards each and were given to a selection of Dundee community groups as well some to the public who responded to an Instagram giveaway.

If you would like to get involved the starter illustrations can be downloaded from the Creative Dundee website and shared on Instagram using #stampdundee or tag @stamp_dundee

 

 

Laura Darling is an illustrator and works in a shed at the bottom of her garden. She is inspired by noticing things and drawing them, often on paper and sometimes on sculptures and walls.

Louise Kirby is a designer and illustrator who creates bespoke prints for a range of applications from site specific installations to commissions. Her designs bring the positives into focus so that it connects people to the world around then. She designs a collection products called Dundee Delights.

Pamela Scott is a printmaker and illustrator who works from her home studio in Dundee. She creates drawings, prints, paintings and public art inspired by music, architecture, nature, people and places.

Suzanne Scott is an artist and illustrator based in Dundee working under the name WhimSicAL LusH. She creates unique, quirky illustrations that feature on ranges of prints, stationery, homeware and more.

Several paper Christmas trees made using the origami technique on blue paper
16 October 2020  

OPEN CALL: Dundee Festive Windows

We have teamed up with Dundee City Council and V&A Dundee to create Dundee Festive Windows! This an opportunity for Dundee based designers and makers to create a bespoke, unique window display centred around the ‘Christmas Tree’.
Tell a story using the Christmas tree as the central focus and inspiration, and take viewers on a journey through your design.

Apply here by 12:00 BST on Friday 30th October

Following on from Dundee City Council’s successful ‘Dundee Windows’ project where six artists and designers transformed six empty shop windows, this opportunity presents local designers and makers with an opportunity to create a contemporary Christmas Tree-inspired display.

The windows will form part of a trail designed to encourage visitors and citizens to explore the city, and brighten up the coldest winter day, bringing in some festive joy.

We are looking to commission three designers who:

  • Live or work in Dundee (defined as living or work address with a DD1 – DD7 postcode)
  • Professional designers and recent graduates (graduating in the last 4 years) originally from Dundee (defined as DD1 – DD7 postcode).

The three successful designers will be awarded £2000 each to cover all materials, production, installation and fee.

TO KEEP UP TO DATE WITH NEWS AND OPPORTUNITIES FROM DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL, VISIT THEIR WEBSITE HERE.
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT V&A DUNDEE INCLUDING THEIR CURRENT EXHIBITIONS AND OPENING HOURS, VISIT THEIR WEBSITE HERE.
Visual artist and craft maker
16 October 2020  

BURSARIES AVAILABLE: VACMA

Visual Artist and Craft Maker Awards: Dundee 2020/21 is now live and open to applicants!
Bursaries are being offered of £750 to established artists and £500 for new graduate or emergent artists – based in Dundee.

In partnership with Creative Scotland, the Visual Artist and Craft Maker Awards: Dundee has been established to support Dundee-based visual artists and craft practitioners in their creative and professional development.

The awards are intended to encourage artists to live and work in Dundee and to ensure that the arts play a vital and lasting role in the city.

 

Apply here by  17:00 BST on Tuesday 10 November 2020

or  by 17:00 BST on Tuesday 2 February 2021

In place of usual VACMA awards this year fixed bursaries are available to in recognition of the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 on individual artists and makers. The scheme acknowledges the limitations placed on individual practices and the opportunities that are currently available. The VACMA scheme offers two levels of bursaries for both their Autumn and Winter Deadline:

  • Bursaries of £750
  • Bursaries of £500 for New Graduates / Emerging Artists. Applicants must have less than 5 years’ experience outside of education or training or to have graduated in 2015 or later
VACMA: Dundee is part of a national scheme and Creative Scotland have organised two information sessions for applicants, which you can book here for free.
To find out more about Leisure and Culture Dundee, visit their website here.
To keep up to date with news and opportunities from Creative Scotland, visit their website here.