Print Studio Tour at DCA #dundeewestend

This Thursday - 9th January at 5.30pm – and again on Saturday 11th January at 12 noon - you can get a free tour of the Dundee Contemporary Arts Print Studio!

The studio has a huge range of state-of-the-art equipment for both traditional printing and creating digital artworks.    

DCA Print Studio houses everything from a Victorian relief press to 3D printers and a laser cutter.   Come along and be shown around. 

These tours are the perfect precursor to doing a course or becoming a registered user - or are for anyone who has always wondered what goes on in the studio!

Free, but booking essential by contacting Dundee Contemporary Arts on 909900 or e-mail dca@dca.org.uk.

Discovery Film Festival 2016

Discovery Film Festival, Scotland's International Film Festival for Young Audiences takes place from Saturday 22nd October until Sunday 6th November.

It is now in its thirteenth year.    Based at Dundee Contemporary Arts, and touring to partner venues throughout Scotland, the festival screens films from all over the world which have been specially programmed for young audiences.

The festival includes three exciting weekends of films, creative activities, and gala events, as well as two weeks of screenings and events for schools.

Discovery Film Festival aims to develop new audiences for the best in international film, improve media literacy and offer young audiences an insight into the lives of children and young people in other cultures.   The festival has been running since 2004 when it was started as a partnership with Dundee Education Development Department, Scottish Screen and DCA.

You can find out more about the festival here.

Launch of Dundee as a UNESCO City of Design #cityofdesign

Yesterday, I was delighted to attend the packed launch event at the University of Dundee to recognise our city becoming a UNESCO City of Design, the first UK city to be given this prestigious recognition - see right. 

The launch event was part of three days of events that continue today at DCA.

Dundee’s bid focused on three approaches to design: place, covering architecture and redesigning Dundee, products, such as life-saving drugs, jewellery and computer games, and processes, including designing public services to support people.   

Only 17 cities around the world hold the UNESCO City of Design title, including Beijing, Berlin, Helsinki and Montreal, so this recognition for our city is a tremendous achievement.

Discovery Film Festival 2014

Discovery Film Festival  :   Scotland's International Film Festival for Young Audiences

Saturday 25th October – Sunday 9th November 2014

Discovery Film Festival is now in its eleventh year and starts today. 

Based at Dundee Contemporary Arts, and touring to partner venues throughout Scotland, the festival screens films from all over the world which have been specially programmed for young audiences.

The festival includes three exciting weekends of films, creative activities, and gala events, as well as two weeks of screenings and events for schools.

Discovery aims to develop new audiences for the best in international film, improve media literacy and offer young audiences an insight into the lives of children and young people in other cultures.

The festival has been running since 2004 when it was started as partnership with Dundee City Council's Education Development Department, Scottish Screen and DCA.

You can find out more here.

Friends of Balgay AGM

Yesterday afternoon, I had the pleasure of attending the Annual General Meeting of the Friends of Balgay, at the Mills Observatory.

Despite torrential rain, there was an excellent turnout to hear Clive Gillman (see right), Director of Dundee Contemporary Arts, give a very interesting presentation about Dundee's bid for UK City of Culture 2017.

Friends of Balgay can be contacted via their website contact form and would welcome your involvement in enhancing and protecting Balgay Park and Hill.

Discovery Film Festival: Scotland's International Film Festival for Young Audiences

This year's Discovery Film Festival takes place from 19th October until 3rd November and is now in its tenth year. Based at Dundee Contemporary Arts, and touring to partner venues throughout Scotland, the festival screens films from all over the world which have been specially programmed for young audiences.

The festival includes three exciting weekends of films, creative activities, and gala events, as well as two weeks of screenings and events for schools.

Discovery aims to develop new audiences for the best in international film, improve media literacy and offer young audiences an insight into the lives of children and young people in other cultures. The festival has been running since 2004 when it was started as partnership with Dundee Education Development Department, Scottish Screen and DCA.

The festival works with partner venues in Dumfries and Galloway, Glasgow, Edinburgh, North Lanarkshire, Falkirk, Fife, and the Highlands and Islands to bring a selection of films from the Discovery programme to new audiences across Scotland.

Discovery Film Festival is a DCA project and is organised by Festival Producer and Cinema Youth Development Officer, Mike Tait. A team of Young Ambassadors (aged 15-18) work with the Festival Producer to programme films and advise on the overall design of the festival. A team of teachers and education consultants advise on the education programme and create Curriculum for Excellence relevant resources for classes visiting the festival.

Discovery would like to thank Dundee City Council Education Development Department and Fishers Tours for their ongoing support. We are also grateful to DCA's partners and supporters: Creative Scotland, Dundee City Council Leisure and Communities Department, The University of Dundee, Scottish Enterprise and Europa Cinemas.

If you would like to support Discovery or get involved, email discovery@dca.org.uk.

Dundee's second Blue Skies Festival!

This coming Saturday sees the start of the second Dundee Blue Skies festival, a week of kite flying, stargazing and rainbow chasing starts - and it runs until 11th August.    Blue Skies brings together cultural agencies from across the city to present you with an exciting mix of free events for all ages.   

Events include :

* Blue Skies at Celebration in the park - launch activities on Saturday 3rd August.

* Make Paper come alive - on Monday 5th August - at DCA.

* Top Gun - with extra guitars - on Saturday 10th August - at Dundee Airport.

* The Perseids - on Sunday 11th August - at the Mills Observatory.

There's many other events as part of the Blue Skies Festival - see more at www.dundeeblueskies.co.uk - and what's more, all are free of charge!

Women, Food, Film and Power - an event for Fairtrade Fortnight

The above event, featuring a free workshop and thereafter a double bill of films and discussion takes place at Dundee Contemporary Arts next Saturday 2nd March as part of Fairtrade Fortnight.   You can read more details about this event here.

Impressive response from the City Council on safety concern

Earlier today, I received the following urgent concern from a constituent:

"I have just been out for a walk - along the cycle track and on to the DCA.  When I left the cycle track and crossed the road, heading for the back of the DCA, there is a huge cover missing from a manhole - the drop into the drain is so big that a child could fall through the gap."

This was a matter of real concern and I immediately contacted the City Engineer and Roads Maintenance Partnership about it.    Within a very short period, I received the following response:

"The Roads Duty Inspector inspected the site an hour or so ago.   He found a gully frame cover that had been dislodged leaving an opening so put back properly.   He could not find any other issues so hopefully that was it."

This was a most impressive rate of response to the credit of the City Council's City Engineer and the Roads Duty Inspector. 

Brian Taylor's Big Debate

Good to see BBC Scotland's Brian Taylor's Big Debate coming to DCA this week - during West End Christmas Fortnight ...

Park and Ride proposals - public exhibition

I have previously updated West End residents on the proposed Park and Ride facility at the land west of Wright Avenue.

A public exhibition is taking place on Thursday (8th November) between 2pm and 8pm at Dundee Contemporary Arts in Nethergate in order that all interested residents can view the proposals and make comment.

You can read the technical report on the proposal here.

Don't forget the Discovery Film Festival

Further to my recent update about this year's Discovery Film Festival, the Festival starts today.  

Discovery Film Festival 2012 will feature the best films for young audiences from across the world, as well as workshops, special events and two special exhibitions in the galleries aimed at young people.

More information is available at www.discoveryfilmfestival.org.uk - the Festival is something for young people not to miss.

Premiere of ‘Our Dundee’ - a young people’s short film

As part of the Dundee Wave of Change project (coordinated by Go Dundee) a group of young people from The Shore made a short film about people’s experiences of life in Dundee and their views about the city’s future.  The young people were supported by professional ­film makers D Fie Foe.

The film will receive its public premiere at DCA on Sunday 7th October 2012 at 1pm as part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival (click here for details).  The young people who made the film will be there to introduce the film and then answer questions afterwards so please come along and take part if you can.  Entry is free.

You can watch a short preview of the film by clicking ‘play’ below:

Discovery Film Festival 2012

Plans are well under way for this year’s Discovery Film Festival, taking place between 20^th October and 4^th November at Dundee Contemporary Arts.

Discovery Film Festival 2012 will feature the best films for young audiences from across the world, as well as workshops, special events and not one but two special exhibitions in the galleries, curated with young audiences in mind. 

The film festival will be welcoming back Norway’s lovable talking twig, Twigson, whose first adventure was such a hit at last year's festival that the festival this year is screening the sequel, Twigson Ties The Knot.

Discovery Film Festival 2011 was the festival’s busiest year yet with over 15,000 visitors attending screenings, workshops and the exhibition at DCA and at venues across Scotland. There’s lots in the 2012 programme to attract an even-larger audience this year!

See more at www.discoveryfilmfestival.org.uk or click ‘play’ below:

Blue Skies Festival starts Friday!

On Friday, the first ever Blue Skies Festival, Dundee’s festival of kite flying, stargazing and rainbow chasing starts - and suns until Sunday. Blue Skies brings together cultural agencies from across the city to present you with an exciting mix of free events for all ages.   

Events include :

*   FRIDAY :  Cloudbusting - A one-day event at DCA that will bring together representatives from the creative and cultural sectors with those in health and education, to explore how the knowledge and imagination of the country’s creative sector might be applied to address the various issues around poverty.

*   SATURDAY :   Life of Galileo - A special presentation taking place at the University of Dundee, Carnelley Building (old Chemistry Building) on Life of Galileo by Bertolt Brecht created by Dundee Rep Theatre, directed by Ben Harrison (Artistic Director of the award-winning site specific theatre company Grid Iron) in collaboration with local astronomer Brian Kelly. 

*   SUNDAY :   Perseid Nocturne - A series of events at Mills Observatory.

There's a whole host of other events as part of the Blue Skies Festival - see more at www.dundeeblueskies.co.uk - and what's more, all are free of charge.

... and then there was Tuesday ...

As reported in tonight's Evening Telegraph, I have condemned the irresponsible persons who drove across the football pitches at Riverside over the weekend leaving the pitches damaged - see right.

I am pleased to say that, having spoken with the City Council's Head of Environmental Management about the situation, he has promised remedial works and the offer from the Riverside Sunday Morning League to assist with this is both generous and welcome.

Tonight, I attended Dundee Contemporary Arts' Finance and Operations Sub-Committee at which there was productive discussion on a number of financial and administrative matters.

Dundee Contemporary Arts Board Meeting

Last night, I attended the latest Board meeting of Dundee Contemporary Arts.

In addition to the usual agenda items on DCA activities, finance, staffing and related matters, there was a very interesting discussion on the partnership between DCA, the University of Abertay Dundee, the University of Dundee and the Visual Research Centre.

The new Torsten Lauschmann exhibition is well worth a visit, and it is great to see DCA going from strength to strength in all areas of activity.

Discovery Film Festival : 22nd October - 6th November 2011

… Scotland's International Film Festival for Young Audiences

Another fantastic programme of world class films for children and young people will begin on 22nd October.    From the opening film, A Cat in Paris, to Steven Spielberg's highly-anticipated Tintin and this year's crop of animated Shorts for Wee Ones, it's shaping up to be another great year.

Saturday 22nd October, 3.15pm - Opening Film: A Cat in Paris 

Ever wonder what your cat gets up to when you're not around?    This charming and visually stunning animation follows the double life of Dino; a loyal tabby to Zoé by day and a cat burglar's accomplice by night.   We'll be joined by a very special guest, Alain Gagnol, the film's co-director and scriptwriter.

The opening event is a great day out for everyone. As well as the film there's the opening of Torsten Lauschmann's new exhibition, Startle Reaction, plus workshops and activities for all ages. A Cat in Paris ticket holders can join us for hot chocolate and French-inspired nibbles at a post-film family reception.

Other festival highlights include laugh-out-loud escapade The Liverpool Goalie, meaningful coming-of-age comedy Aurélie Laflamme's Diary and chilling murder mystery On The Ice. See our whole programme of films, workshops and events at http://www.discoveryfilmfestival.org.uk. 

Dundee Contemporary Arts Board

Tonight, after my weekly surgery at Blackness Primary School, I attended the Board meeting of Dundee Contemporary Arts (DCA).

There were useful updates on DCA's community and education work and by Creative Scotland, and it was also good to learn that DCA is progressing towards Investors in People accreditation.

The Board meeting was extremely positive and highlights the dynamism of this world-class centre for the development and exhibition of contemporary art and culture based in the West End of Dundee.

Dundee Contemporary Arts - going from strength to strength

Last night, after my weekly surgery at Blackness Primary School, I attended the latest Dundee Contemporary Arts Board meeting.

DCA Director Clive Gillman gave a fascinating presentation on DCA's Annual Review of 2010/11, which covered the varied activities of the facility and showed extremely positive visitor levels, an outstanding year for the cinema including its highly successful live satellite events, the Discovery Film Festival and so much more.   

And ... look out for the forthcoming horror-filled Dundead weekend - see more at http://twitter.com/DUNDEAD.