EXLUSIVE: Global celebration of culture on the cards for Dundee

Dundee could be involved in a global celebration of culture, off the back of the city’s failed 2023 European Capital of Culture bid.

It was put out of the race along with five other areas in the UK, after the European Commission decided Britain could no longer take part because of Brexit.

Bids were also submitted from Nottingham, Leeds, Milton Keynes, and a joint proposal from Belfast, Derry and Strabane, and now, local authority leaders have vowed to work together to deliver as many project proposals as possible.

They are now seeking UK Government funding, and want to bring a worldwide celebration to Britain in 2021.

Dundee City Council leader, John Alexander said: “I am absolutely committed to the city and realising something amazing over the next few years and I think we have said that very clearly over the past few months since the unfortunate announcement was made on the EU Capital of Culture front.

“The thing for me now is that we can realise something amazing on a much larger scale.

“Without giving anything away, we are working on something that is global that will involve partners from cultural cities right across the world, and I hope that we can realise all that ambition and bring something really exciting- the first of its kind in Dundee”.

Anna Day from Dundee 2023 said: “Behind the scenes we have been working together since the announcement that we weren’t being allowed to go ahead with the European Capital of Culture bid in 2023.

“The cities have really stayed together and tried to make a play for bringing something to each of the cities despite the bid not happening”.