The V&A at Dundee project is poised to receive a massive funding boost.
A bid for a £9.2 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund has passed its first stage and the chances are high that it will prove successful.
If the funding is confirmed it would provide a fifth of the total cost of building the international design museum at the city’s waterfront as an offshoot of the world-famous Victoria & Albert Museum in London.
Project director Philip Long said: ”We are delighted to have this early support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, which takes our vision and the remarkable building proposed for V&A at Dundee a significant step closer.”
The £45 million museum, which is being designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, will extend out into the Tay from a site just east of Discovery Point. It will be the focal point of the central waterfront regeneration and is expected to attract 500,000 visitors in its first year.
It will employ around 50 to 60 staff, but the wider economic impact of Dundee’s heightened profile as a visitor destination is expected to be considerable, potentially creating several hundred jobs in the local economy.
Colin McLean, Scottish head of the lottery fund, was full of praise for the project and its potential impact.
He said: ”For years Scotland has been making its mark in the world of international design. In our everyday lives we use these designs telephone, television, lawnmower, fountain pen, stamps without being aware that they were created by fellow Scots.
”The V&A at Dundee will harness this incredible heritage and present it to the world as a celebration of Scottish talent. Housed in a stunning building, which itself reflects cutting-edge design, it has the potential to be a must-see destination, attracting visitors and design professionals from across the globe.”
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The lottery fund has given a first-round pass to the grant bid, which was one of eight schemes across the country to seek heritage aid, including the Royal Academy of Arts in London and the Maze/Long Kesh prisons in Northern Ireland.
This means the fund has decided V&A at Dundee has the potential to deliver high-quality benefits and value for money. It does not absolutely guarantee that the grant will be forthcoming, but it is likely to be approved once fully-developed proposals have been considered.
Preparatory work at the site has already taken place, with studies of the riverbed carried out. Before construction can begin, however, the Olympia leisure centre will have to be demolished. Its replacement is nearing completion.
The museum is scheduled to open in 2015 with the aim of celebrating the best in Scottish design and developing home-grown talent. It will have four galleries.
For its size, Scotland has had a disproportionate impact on the history of design. Names such as Robert Adam, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Phoebe Traquair and Bill Gibb are internationally renowned, but until now there has been no centre dedicated to celebrating their success.
Mr Long said: ”Scotland’s design heritage is centuries old, full of inspirational stories of talent, innovation and enterprise. Our designers have shaped the identity and industry of our country and have contributed creatively around the world.
”The development of V&A at Dundee is an outstanding opportunity to help us understand and celebrate this remarkable heritage and from it take inspiration for the future.”
The building will have dedicated exhibition space for long-term displays and will allow major touring exhibitions of outstanding international design to come to Scotland for the first time.
As a national centre of design excellence, there will be a strong focus on learning and knowledge exchange, encouraging creativity and innovation in the industry.
It will have close links with both of the city’s universities, which are partners in Design Dundee Ltd, the company overseeing the project. Other partners are the city council, Scottish Enterprise and the Victoria & Albert Museum.
The Heritage Lottery Fund has given grants totalling £536 million to date to projects in Scotland, including over £170 million for 120 museums and galleries.
The lottery fund has given a first-round pass to the grant bid, which was one of eight schemes across the country to seek heritage aid, including the Royal Academy of Arts in London and the Maze/Long Kesh prisons in Northern Ireland.
This means the fund has decided V&A at Dundee has the potential to deliver high-quality benefits and value for money. It does not absolutely guarantee that the grant will be forthcoming, but it is likely to be approved once fully-developed proposals have been considered.
Preparatory work at the site has already taken place, with studies of the riverbed carried out. Before construction can begin, however, the Olympia leisure centre will have to be demolished. Its replacement is nearing completion.
The museum is scheduled to open in 2015 with the aim of celebrating the best in Scottish design and developing home-grown talent. It will have four galleries.
For its size, Scotland has had a disproportionate impact on the history of design. Names such as Robert Adam, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Phoebe Traquair and Bill Gibb are internationally renowned, but until now there has been no centre dedicated to celebrating their success.
Mr Long said: ”Scotland’s design heritage is centuries old, full of inspirational stories of talent, innovation and enterprise. Our designers have shaped the identity and industry of our country and have contributed creatively around the world.
”The development of V&A at Dundee is an outstanding opportunity to help us understand and celebrate this remarkable heritage and from it take inspiration for the future.”
The building will have dedicated exhibition space for long-term displays and will allow major touring exhibitions of outstanding international design to come to Scotland for the first time.
As a national centre of design excellence, there will be a strong focus on learning and knowledge exchange, encouraging creativity and innovation in the industry.
It will have close links with both of the city’s universities, which are partners in Design Dundee Ltd, the company overseeing the project. Other partners are the city council, Scottish Enterprise and the Victoria & Albert Museum.
The Heritage Lottery Fund has given grants totalling £536 million to date to projects in Scotland, including over £170 million for 120 museums and galleries.