23 November 2024
Support Dundee's UNESCO City of Design designation

Dear Councillors of Dundee

We, the undersigned, represent the Dundee design economy; a mix of freelance designers, self-employed practitioners and design businesses of all scales.

We write to you to highlight the impact that the work delivered by the UNESCO City of Design Dundee team has had on us over the last 10 years and urge you to reconsider the proposal to cut funding for UNESCO City of Design Dundee.

We call on you to continue supporting UNESCO City of Design Dundee by providing an annual funding contribution of £60,000 from Dundee City Council. This funding is essential is securing match funding from local and national partners. Currently the team raise an additional £6 for every £1 DCC provides.

Without this funding Dundee will lose the project team of 3 staff and the vibrant programme of activity which:

*Directly commissions local designers with paid freelance opportunities.

*Promotes our products and services locally, nationally and internationally. In 2023 the project ‘Who Is The Designer?’ profiled 17 designers in a city centre public exhibition and global campaign with partner city Montreal.

*Spends 90% of all its project funding with local businesses, not only with those in the design sector but including vehicle hire, security services, food & drink, signage, equipment and event infrastructure.

*Delivers Scotland’s only design festival. In 2024 it attracted 10,702 people, provided 4.5 FTE work opportunities and had an economic impact to Dundee of £521,000

*Supported designers through Covid-19 which paid work including making the Sunny Dundee Face Masks, online digital learning tools and 20 Festive Window commissions.

*Occupied a city centre empty shop for 28 months hosting pop-up shops, exhibitions, design studios and more.

Dundee is the UK’s first and only UNESCO City of Design. It is an accolade shared with just 48 other global cities.

We are proud that Dundee holds this designation which is awarded to places which embrace and value creativity. Removing the support of Dundee City Council jeopardises this accolade and risks its removal.

To allow the team to continue to build on the momentum of the last 10 years and contribute towards Dundee City Council’s City Plan priority of having a strong, creative, smart and sustainable city economy with jobs and opportunities for all we appeal to you to continue to funding the UNESCO City of Design Dundee designation.

Yours – The Undersigned

Update 27 November 2024

UPDATE

We, the instigators of this letter wanted to say hi! We are Louise Forbes, Designer and Jo MacFadyen, Tea Green Events both who live and work in Dundee. We are so incredibly proud of the way that Dundee's design sector and our colleagues across Scotland and indeed the world have supported this letter.

On 2nd December we will be sending the letter and all the signatories to Dundee City Council and our councillors. Please continue to share and sign the letter.

If you would like to reach out to your own local Dundee City Councillor, and write to them directly you can find the councillor for your local area here: dundeecity.gov.uk/service-area/councillors/council...

Thank you, Louise & Jo

Update 27 November 2024

Update!

We, the instigators of this letter wanted to say hi! We are Louise Forbes, Designer and Jo MacFadyen, Tea Green Events both who live and work in Dundee. We are so incredibly proud of the way that Dundee's design sector and our colleagues across Scotland and indeed the world have supported this letter.

On 2nd December we will be sending the letter and all the signatories to Dundee City Council and our councillors. Please continue to share and sign the letter.

If you would like to reach out to your own local Dundee City Councillor, and write to them directly you can find the councillor for your local area here: dundeecity.gov.uk/service-area/councillors/council...

Thank you, Louise & Jo

721
signatures
624 verified
  1. Louise Forbes, Designer, Louise Forbes Design, Dundee
  2. Martin Smith, Cabinet maker, Roots Furniture, Dundee
  3. Jane McCance, Service Designer, Thorntons Law LLP/Service Design Academy, Dundee
  4. Tanith Marron, Exhibitions Technician / Director of the Board, Self Employed / Dundee Ceramics Workshop, Dundee
  5. James McNeill, Company director, 258 ghq ltd, Dundee
  6. Skye Sutherland, Designer, Self employed, Dundee
  7. Ryan McLeod, Designer, Agency of None, Dundee
  8. Gary Kennedy, Director, Kennedytwaddle, Dundee
  9. Joanne MacFadyen, Self employed events organiser & creative freelancer, Tea Green Event, Dundee
  10. Aleksandra Daszynska, Designer, Kennedytwaddle, Dundee
  11. Sarah Burt, Freelance Artist, Self Employed / Committee Member -Dundee Ceramics Workshop, Dundee
  12. Sara Nevay, Lecturer, University of, Dundee
  13. Steve Soave, Videographer, 81 Films, Dundee
  14. Erin Campbell, Studio & Production Manager, Knit Shop, Dundee
  15. Clare McCance, Primary Teacher, P&K Council, Dundee
  16. Rebecca Kaye, Artist, Ploterre, Edinburgh
  17. Henri Meadows, Freelance, Dundee
  18. Lyall Bruce, Designer, Agency of None, Dundee
  19. Stuart Lindsay, Web Design Manager, University of Dundee, Dundee
  20. Calum Rennie, Art Worker, Self Employed, Dundee
...
584 more
verified signatures
  1. Caitlyn Bannatyne, Campaigns & Content Coordinator, Feeling Strong SCIO, Dudee
  2. Owen Harvey, Financial Services, Edinburgh
  3. Cornelia Weinmann, slow fashion designer, Cornelia Weinmann Design, Blairgowrie
  4. Callum Arthur, Graphic Designer, The Malting House, Dundee
  5. Darryl Gaffney Du Plooy
  6. Madeleine Randle, doctor, dundee
  7. Stephanie Graham, Jeweller, Dundee Community Craft CIC, Dundee
  8. Lauren Ray, Dundee
  9. Darren Riddell-Stewart, Data Analyst, Dunfermline
  10. Ruth Christman, Artist Blacksmith and Creative Freelancer, Dundee
  11. Louise Baillie, Solicitor, London
  12. Lola Knibb, Illustrator, Dundee Ceramics Workshop, Dundee
  13. Pete McConville, Visitor Assistant, V&A Dundee, Dundee
  14. José David Gómez, Researcher, University of Abertay, Dundee
  15. Maggie Brown, Retired, Dundee
  16. Gabrielle McMillan, Textile designer, Glasgow
  17. Lizzy Clarke, Architecture Student, University of Sheffield, Sheffield
  18. Andy Milligan, Researcher, DJCAD UoD, Dundee
  19. Darshana Jayemanne, Lecturer, Abertay University, Dundee
  20. Ali Hepburn, Resinsmith, Tea Green Makers, Glasgow