More than 6500 people have attended the 2011 Dundee Degree Show since the city’s largest annual art and design exhibition threw its doors open.
Nearly 300 exhibiting graduands from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design were joined by family, friends, art lovers, and industry representatives for two preview evenings prior to the show opening to the public on Saturday.
The two buildings and 14 floors that comprise DJCAD, part of Dundee University, have thronged with visitors keen to view final year projects from students on all 11 undergraduate programmes since an associates night and reception was held on Thursday to mark the start of the show celebrations.
Turner Prize-holder Susan Philipsz, a DJCAD graduate, and Pixar founder Alvy Ray Smith were guests of honour at the associates night. The following night saw more than 5500 pack the Perth Road venue for the traditional preview evening for students’ family and friends.
Before and after the event, they provided a huge boost to bars, clubs, restaurants and shops across the city as the celebrations spread beyond the campus.
The show generates an estimated £1.5 million for the local economy and the preview evening, noted for the very special atmosphere it creates around Dundee, is firmly established as one of the most exciting nights in the city’s calendar.
The attendance of 5744 was up almost 1000 on last year’s crowd. With around another 1000 people taking in the exhibition over the weekend, and the number of visitors remaining high throughout Monday, it is hoped the total attendance will top 10,000 by end of the exhibition.
DJCAD dean Professor Tom Inns hailed a ‘vintage year’ for the exhibition, and said he hoped a large number of visitors would continue to take it in.
“I’m delighted but not surprised that so many people have visited the Degree Show so far,” he said. “The quality of our students is well known and it is fantastic for them, DJCAD, the university and the whole city that so many people descend upon us, both from the local area and from further afield as well, to see the fabulous work on display.
“Our external examiners visited last week and were hugely impressed by the standard of exhibiting students this year. They described this exhibition as a vintage year for Duncan of Jordanstone and I wholeheartedly agree. We’ve produced some of the UK’s top art and design graduates, and I would urge as many people as possible to come and see the immense talent we are producing for themselves.
“I am immensely proud of our students who have created wonderful and innovative work.”The exhibition will be open to the public until Sunday, May 29. Admission is free and the exhibition is open from 10am until 8pm (Monday – Friday) and 10am to 4pm (Saturday – Sunday).