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Dundee urged to bid for UK City of Culture title

Dundee rental costs have soared.
Dundee rental costs have soared.

Dundee is being urged to bid for the prestigious title of UK City of Culture in 2017.

The £45 million V&A at Dundee could be at the heart of any bid, although the city would face competition from Aberdeen.

Other attractions such as the McManus and Discovery Point may also help put the city firmly on the cultural map.

Labour councillor Richard McCready has pledged his full support to any campaign.

The West End councillor added that it would be ”very strange indeed” if the city did not attempt to gain the high-profile accolade.

”Dundee has so many great cultural venues already, like the McManus, the Rep and DCA,” he said. ”These are going to be added to with the V&A coming to Dundee.

”I think that bidding for the City of Culture title would focus minds on cultural centres working together. It would also focus minds on making sure that everyone in Dundee benefits from the marvellous cultural facilities which we have.

”Being UK City of Culture would attract great attention to the city and would tell the world what we already know that Dundee is a great place.

”It would be good to attract new visitors and investment to the city. It would also underline Dundee’s place as one of the most important cultural cities in the United Kingdom.”

City council administration leader Ken Guild confirmed the local authority will consider submitting a bid.

”There are quite a number of things we are doing in Dundee at the moment which would make us a good contender buildings like the V&A coming in,” Mr Guild said.

Continued…

”And then when you consider the things we already have, like the McManus, the Rep and the two universities, there’s certainly a strong case for Dundee to be a UK City of Culture.

”There’s a lot going on in the local arts scene and a lot of good music coming out of the city as well, even around the pubs and clubs.”

His stance was supported by Sir Mark Jones, the former director of the V&A museum in London, who played a key role in the project to bring an offshoot to Dundee.

He said: ”I think it sounds like a great idea. Being a City of Culture has worked very well for other cities in the past and I think Dundee has a very strong claim.

”Dundee Contemporary Arts is very highly thought of and the Rep has done some remarkable work. There are not many cities that have such a lively artistic and cultural tradition, especially when you consider the size of Dundee.

”Winning City of Culture status would focus attention on Dundee, and maybe more people from Scotland and elsewhere will realise what a wonderful place it is. Dundee has a great location and it has a lot going for it.”

The city’s arts and cultural scene is going from strength-to-strength, with the McManus attracting thousands of visitors.

More than 250,000 people were logged at arts and heritage venues across the city last year. More than 120,000 people attended shows at the Caird Hall in 2011 and the venue is set to be packed again on Friday for the Dalai Lama lecture.

The City of Culture award was created in 2009 following Liverpool’s success as European Capital of Culture in 2008, and is currently held by Londonderry.

The title changes hands every four years, and officials from Derby and Stoke-on-Trent have already suggested they may join Aberdeen in the 2017 race.