Dundee Named UNESCO City of Design

Dundee has followed in the footsteps of the likes of Beijing, Berlin and Turin - in being given UNESCO City of Design status. It's also the first city in the UK to win the award. It sets out to recognise contributions to design worldwide - with Dundee responsible for hundreds of new cancer drugs, comics including the Beano, orange marmalade and video games including Lemmings and Grand Theft Auto. Today the city is rebuilding its expansive Waterfront as part of a £1 billion, 30-year masterplan to design an open, inclusive city of the future. At the heart of the Waterfront plan is the creation of V&A Museum of Design Dundee, a global home for Scotland’s design heritage. The city is also home to the hugely successful Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee Rep Theatre, McManus Art Gallery and Wasps Studios. Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs, welcomed the status: "Warm congratulations must go to everyone who has played a part in bringing this prestigious UNESCO City of Design accolade to Dundee, and indeed Scotland. “This is a richly deserved accolade and further strengthens the city's growing reputation as a hub of cultural and creative excellence and an international centre for the creative industries. "Indeed, the Scottish Government has been delighted to award £15 million to the V&A Dundee project, which will create local jobs and contribute significantly to the regeneration of Dundee and its Waterfront, giving the city a world-class design museum and visitor attraction." Councillor Ken Guild, Leader of the administration, Dundee City Council, said: "This is tremendous news and shows truly international recognition for Dundee's innovative design sector. "The city's profile will receive a huge boost and I am certain it will lead to many opportunities for Dundee. I look forward to seeing how we use this status to help take the city forward for the future." Professor Nigel Seaton, Principal of Abertay University, said: “Dundee is a bright, entrepreneurial city with a rich heritage of design innovation, and with ambitious plans - rooted in design - to regenerate the Waterfront and our communities. “UNESCO City of Design status is a major recognition of everything Dundee has achieved, from life-saving biosciences innovations to the design of comics and games - many created by Abertay graduates - and of what we can achieve in the future.” Professor Pete Downes, Principal of the University of Dundee, said: “Our city has design at its very heart, something the University of Dundee has acknowledged by making this one of our three areas of excellence in our Transform strategy. “We are delighted that UNESCO has recognised the heritage and ambition of our city and we look forward to working with the international partners, building new links and strengthening old ones.” Philip Long, Director of V&A Dundee, said: “Dundee is a city changing itself through design. As part of a highly creative nation we are proud to win this recognition and look forward to joining the worldwide community of UNESCO Cities of Design.” Stewart Murdoch, Dundee's‎ Director of Leisure and Communities, added: "This is a great outcome for Dundee and a great result for the team which is working on the city’s next ten-year Cultural Strategy. Today we have secured international recognition for Dundee's design credentials and ambitions." Before today’s awards, the cities holding UNESCO City of Design status were: • Beijing, China • Berlin, Germany • Buenos Aires, Argentina • Graz, Austria • Kobe, Japan • Montréal, Canada • Nagoya, Japan • Saint-Étienne, France • Santa Fe, United States • Seoul, Republic of Korea • Shanghai, China • Shenzhen, China