A meeting in the city has heard connections are already being forged between the V&A at Dundee and the city’s cultural and academic networks.
A packed Arts Cafe event in The McManus on Tuesday heard the recently-installed director of the £45 million project, Philip Long, discuss his vision of cultural collaboration with James Brining, artistic director and chief executive of Dundee Rep.
“Scotland doesn’t have a focus that merits its design history and its design futures and I feel V&A Dundee is an extraordinarily exciting prospect because it has the potential to do that,” said Mr Long.
He added that the V&A in Dundee could become “able to lead some of the debate on design matters, on design questions.”
Following the Scottish Government’s pledge of financial support, the project is now in the “fantastic position” of having one third of the cash it needs to become a reality. That is not only important in terms of money, but in boosting confidence around the plan.
Mr Long said a fund-raising committee is being put together to help attract cash from private and commercial sources, as well as from charitable trusts and lottery funds.
Work is now continuing “refining” the internal layout of architect Kengo Kuma’s striking building design and the plans are at “an advanced stage”.
He and Mr Brining agreed that some of the larger spaces in the new museum could lend themselves to performances of different kinds though, in response to a query from a representative of Dundee Chamber Music, Mr Long admitted he was less certain of the acoustic possibilities.
The Rep’s artistic director said people in Dundee value culture and their enthusiasm creates a “hugely valuable energy in the city”.
The V&A at Dundee should not stand alone but should be part of the “already very exciting cultural life that’s operating in the city,” agreed Mr Long.
Dundee schoolchildren will be introduced to an early example of collaboration in the Rep Christmas colouring competition.
To tie in with the production of Cinderella, this year’s competition will involve designing a slipper with the winning entry turned into a genuine shoe by students at Duncan of Jordanstone, supported by the V&A at Dundee.