V&A at Dundee will be a place for Scotland to celebrate its design heritage and promote its emerging creative talent.
From the architecture of Robert Adam to the fashion of Bill Gibb, from the bicycle to Grand Theft Auto, Scotland has an outstanding record, past and present, in studio, industrial and digital design. Today it is recognised as a major player in emerging technologies and the creative industries. Scotland is home to some of the UK's leading schools of art and design and holds significant potential for leading the next generation in design.
While instances of Scotland’s design heritage are displayed as part of existing broader museum provision, nowhere is there the concentrated focus our design history merits. In this, Scotland compares unfavourably with other nations. By working in partnership with museums and others, V&A at Dundee will provide for the first time a dedicated space for the exhibition, exploration and understanding of our design heritage.
The V&A at Dundee programme, in its richness and diversity, will provide opportunities for the broadest range of communities to understand, learn from, interact with and be inspired by our rich creative culture, past and present.
V&A at Dundee will highlight the importance of design in everyday life and will be a powerful advocate for investment in design of the highest quality. It will be the catalyst for new projects, companies, institutions and initiatives across Scotland.
V&A at Dundee will work in partnership to help establish Scotland’s position as a global player in design. It will help attract major investment and contribute to the development of Scotland's cultural and economic growth.
Dundee possesses a thriving cultural life that is entirely complementary to the development of V&A at Dundee.
Dundee Contemporary Arts (DCA) provides a vibrant contemporary art centre of international reputation. Dundee Rep is home to Scotland’s only full-time acting company and the country’s national contemporary dance company, Scottish Dance Theatre. The Caird Hall is an outstanding venue for concerts and shows, from opera and ballet to comedy.
Dundee also has two highly regarded universities leading the way in areas of art, design and culture:
Dundee is also the home of Britain’s best-loved comics, published by DC Thomson.
V&A at Dundee will build upon these successes, bringing into being an exceptional building with a purpose of national significance, which will contribute to plans for the growth of the city’s prosperity and symbolise its renewed confidence and identity. The building, and the quality, scope and ambition of V&A at Dundee’s exhibitions and programme will attract visitors locally, nationally and internationally, transforming perceptions of the city.