Dundee Public Art Programme facts for kids
The Dundee Public Art Programme was a special project that brought art to public spaces all over Dundee, Scotland. It was the first big city-wide art plan in Scotland! This programme started because of how well a smaller art project worked in an area of Dundee called Blackness. From 1982 to 1985, art was used there to make an old industrial area feel new and exciting again.
Contents
How It Started
The Blackness Public Art Programme lasted for three years. It got money from three groups: the Scottish Development Agency, the Scottish Arts Council, and Dundee District Council.
Because it was so successful, Dundee District Council decided to do something similar in other parts of the city. They asked an artist named Robert McGilvray to find good places for art and set some goals. This led to the creation of the Dundee Public Art Programme (DPAP) in 1985.
Early Art Projects
The DPAP received money each year from the Scottish Arts Council. But its biggest help came from a larger plan called the Dundee Project, which began in 1982. This project aimed to improve the city's economy and looks. It was later replaced by the Dundee Partnership in 1991.
Most of the early art projects for the DPAP came from the Dundee Project partners. The Scottish Development Agency gave a lot of the money. This meant that artworks were placed in areas that were already being improved. Some early projects included art by Chris Kelly and Mike Windle at the Dunsinane industrial estates. David Annand created art for the new Dundee Technology Park. Chris Biddlecombe, Chris Kelly, and Martha Macdonald made art for the Whitfield housing estate.
Art in the City Centre
Later, the DPAP started adding art to the city centre. In 1987, Rod Chisholm designed a fence outside the train station. David F Wilson created the Wave Wall near Meadowside St Paul’s Church from 1988 to 1989. Lizanne Kempsell made special plaques for the fountains in City Square in 1988.
In 1992, the city asked for unique street furniture. David F Wilson designed a bollard (a short post) for Couttie’s Wynd. This led to many other bollards, railings, benches, tree guards, and flower baskets appearing around the city centre.
Murraygate was the first part of the city centre to be made just for walkers. It was a main focus for the DPAP. Besides Wilson’s street furniture, they added ground mosaics by Elizabeth McFall, Chris Biddlecombe, and Chris Kelly. A sculpture of a dragon by Alastair Smart was also created. Tony Morrow finished the dragon after Smart passed away.
The DPAP tried to create a big, important sculpture for the High Street. Many artists like David Mach, Doug Cocker, Jake Harvey, and William Pye suggested ideas in the 1990s. But the groups providing money couldn't agree, so the project was stopped. It wasn't until 2001 that a major sculpture was put up nearby. These were the statues of Desperate Dan and Minnie the Minx by Tony and Susie Morrow.
National Recognition
In 1987, Luke Rittner, a leader from the Arts Council of Great Britain, visited Dundee. He said the city's public art programme was "an example for the rest of Britain to follow." Later that year, another project in Dundee won a big award, and public art was noted as a key reason for its success.
In 1992 and 1994, the DPAP was nominated for a special award. In 1998, Dundee won a national award for having the best shopping environment in the UK. The public art was a major reason for this win. A national report even said Dundee had "one of the highest profiles in the UK" for public art.
Many other places copied Dundee's art programme. The DPAP even earned money by helping other cities plan their own public art projects. For example, they helped places like Inverness, Nairn, Ullapool, Coatbridge, and Inverclyde. The DPAP also helped create the Perthshire Public Art Trust. They took on jobs to develop large, unique sculptures across Scotland.
Later Projects
In the late 1990s, the DPAP revealed many new sculptures, mosaics, and stained glass artworks around the city. These included:
- On the Wing by Diane Maclean near Dundee Airport (1995)
- Ring o’ Roses by J Keith Donnelly on King Street (1996)
- Special gates by P Johnson & Co around the city centre (1996-2006)
- Mosaics and stained glass by Sara Daly and Liz Rowley at Dundee Bus Station (1998)
- The Overgate Bronzes by David F Wilson (2000)
The Dundee Public Art Programme stopped operating in 2003. This was because they didn't have enough money to keep running as a full-time organization. Before this, the company had grown a lot, inspired by the opening of Dundee Contemporary Arts. They even had an office and a small gallery to show ideas from local and national artists.
The DPAP gallery was also used by Scottish Enterprise Tayside to show people early plans for the Dundee Waterfront. During this time, DPAP worked on projects with The Rep, The Space, and Dundee Science Centre. They also got jobs from places further away like Glasgow and Tyneside. One example is the Dudes sculpture by Permindar Kaur for the North Sea Ferry Terminal.
The DPAP also held events for Scottish Natural Heritage and the Year of the Artist in 2000. However, this growth wasn't something they could keep up long-term. They didn't get much regular funding, and it hadn't increased. Also, the Scottish Arts Council was planning big changes to how it funded art groups in Scotland.
In 2002, Dundee City Council started a Percent for Art Scheme. This plan helps make sure that major public art projects can continue in the city. In 2014, Dundee was named a UNESCO City of Design. The city's many public artworks were an important reason for this special recognition.
