Some of the biggest names in Dundee’s creative sector are backing a new venture hailed an exciting first for Scotland.
The Westport Gallery will act as a showcase for some of the city’s finest young artistic talents, featuring sculpture, paintings, video installations, games and fashion.
Exhibitions will be curated by students from the city’s Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, who will become de facto talent spotters.
The art will sit alongside a licensed tapas restaurant to create a vibrant new space designed to entice a new audience to explore the city’s creativity.
Behind the plan is Andrew McMahon, who owns three prominent city centre businesses: the Westport Bar, The Tinsmith and the D’Arcy Thompson.
He believes the gallery to open in January will be an important addition to the city, complementing the V&A.
The project has been praised by the V&A, Creative Dundee and Duncan of Jordanstone, which will be offered year-round exhibition space for its students, offering them a showcase, marketplace and “real-world experience”.
Games entrepreneur Chris van der Kuyl said the merger of licensed premises and gallery is “inspired” and said it would find a valuable place at the heart of the city’s cultural sector.
He has signalled his intention to showcase the visual arts at the gallery, while celebrated Dundee fashion designer Hayley Scanlon a Unesco ambassador may also stage shows.
She said the gallery would “enable the public to engage with art in a new way”, describing the concept as “vibrant, trendy and cool”.
The Westport Gallery will open in the premises once occupied by the retailer of the same name, which closed this year. A top, Madrid-based tapas chef will train gallery staff.
Solicitor Janet Hood, who helped the premises secure the right to sell alcohol at a meeting of the Dundee City licensing board, said: “The main thrust of this project is to have people enjoying the finest Dundee-based art in a decent ambience where they can also have a drink and a snack. This would give young artists the opportunity to curate exhibitions, showcase work and engage with customers in a way that I don’t think is happening anywhere else in Scotland.”
Mr McMahon said: “This will be a real showcase and shop window for emerging Dundee artists. It will be very much a partnership and the intention is that students from Duncan of Jordanstone will curate the majority of the exhibitions. It is about making it their space as much as it is our space.”
He added: “With the three businesses already in the city’s cultural quarter, I’ve rubbed shoulders with many regulars who are immersed within the artistic community. This is, nonetheless, completely new to us, but we are very excited.”