Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Future and funding of Dundee City of Design status to be debated
THE future of Dundee’s Unesco status and how it is funded will be discussed by councillors next week.
Dundee City Council’s policy and resources committee will consider a report asking for £60,000 to allow work to continue on Dundee’s position as a Unesco City of Design.
The City of Discovery was designated as the UK’s first and only Unesco City of Design and joined the Creative Cities Network in December 2014.
In 2018, £475,000 was secured for 2019 to 2021.
Project partners were Abertay University, Dundee City Council, Leisure & Culture Dundee, Northwood Charitable Trust, and Dundee University. The project team continued to fundraise for project delivery and secured an extra £435,000.
A new council report will highlight how major projects over the past few years have connected design with Dundee communities, as well as showcasing the city’s talents to an international audience.
Council leader John Alexander believes the City of Design status is helping Dundee.
He said: “For a small city, Dundee is able to reach a global audience through our design talent and Unesco status.
“This access is expanding the profile of our city, promoting our ambitions and offering exciting new possibilities.”
He added: “I believe that the Unesco City of Design status is a badge of honour for Dundee that everyone living here should be proud to wear.”
The committee will hear that discussions are ongoing with existing partners, and all wish to continue supporting the implementation of City of Design designation, subject to approval by the local authority.
The policy and resources committee is being asked to agree support of £60,000 for 2022-2023 as year one of a further three-year commitment to secure the future of the Unesco designation and support its development.