Ten years have passed since Dundee was shortlisted to be UK City of Culture for 2017.
It was a big event for me, personally. That’s the competition that propelled me to launch Dundee Culture.
And while the city eventually lost out to Hull in the contest to host the event, there has still been much for Dundee to celebrate in the decade since.
It would have been fantastic to win the title but, in hindsight, Dundee didn’t necessarily need to have it.
Our city was already going through incredible change by that point with the likes of the waterfront redevelopment and the rise in the design industry.
And it wasn’t long before that was being recognised too.
The year after we lost out on the culture bid, Dundee was given UNESCO City of Design status which helped to cement its international recognition.
And unlike the UK City of Culture title, this was one Dundee would hold permanently, not just for 12 months.
Lots more has changed since 2013 and Dundee’s cultural confidence has played a huge role in the city’s regeneration.
The latest example of this came at the weekend when Dundee successfully hosted Art Night.
International artists and designers descended on to our city for a night full of creativity and culture.
And to see the waterfront booming with visitors would have gladdened the heart of the team behind the City of Culture bid in 2013.
Dundee is embracing the culture of the future
Another aspect of Dundee’s design industry that has flourished in the last decade is the video games sector.
It was revealed last week that Dundee’s productivity rose by 60% over the past year with the gaming industry leading that charge.
I was delighted to see the city featured on BBC’s The One Show on Friday when Dundee was dubbed the UK’s answer to Silicon Valley.
The segment delved into the city’s relationship with video games and spotlighted Abertay University, explaining why it is one of the best places in the world to study computer games design.
But my favourite part of the segment was an interview with a man called Brian Gomez, who moved from Los Angeles to Dundee to work in the industry.
I love what he had to say about the city – “If you want to work in fashion, go to Paris, if you want to make movies, go to Los Angeles – but if you want to make video games, go to Dundee.”
👗 If you want to work in fashion, go to Paris
📽️ If you want to make movies, go to Los Angeles
🎮 If you want to make video games, go to Dundee pic.twitter.com/SZaar9jBES— Andrew Batchelor 🏴 (@andybfaedundee) June 25, 2023
What an accolade – and what a reason to be confident about what’s to come in the next 10 years.
I believe Dundee’s design industry will grow stronger still, with video games continuing to lead that charge.
We’re already seeing the city embracing Esports, with exciting new courses at Dundee and Angus College, and of course, the anticipated Esports arena at the waterfront.
There is much to be excited about in Dundee at the moment.
The world can see we’re a city of culture – and we don’t need a title to prove it.
