Artists and Designers to the Streets

Have you had the chance to explore Dundee? Wander around the city centre and experience the atmosphere?

Lots of people choose to come to the city for its good art culture, but some say there is not much to see. It seems like the centre’s highlights are its sculptures that attract the most attention. Do not get me wrong – Dundee has numerous interesting places to visit. Despite the heritage buildings and cultural sectors it lacks the feel of culture in the streets. There is not much to stop and look at. People pass by, walking from one shop to another, not really interacting with the environment and each-other.

 

Dundee needs to look up to popular cities such as Paris, Barcelona, London and Prague, where cultural influence is apparent throughout. The V&A Dundee project is spotlighting art and design in the city. The museum will increase tourism and help the city to become more vibrant and exciting. Locals will be inspired and influenced by upcoming events and the visitors that start coming to Dundee. At the moment however, the city misses entertainment, interactive design and traditions in its streets and artists performing and demonstrating their skills.

Dundee is going through a lot of exciting changes. So far there have been many great events happening all over the city related to art and design. The problem is that those who are not creative do not tend to attend those events and surprisingly many of them do not even know about them. People naturally enjoy entertainment and going to venues that are for free. Inviting artists and designers to the streets is a great way of creating interaction with the ones who do not normally engage in this kind of activities and do not realize the importance of creative industries in relation to the city’s well being.

We need to take steps that would be beneficial for the community as well. Dundee is a small city and the fact that people like to get out and engage with other people shows great potential in terms of bringing the community together. We need to offer new events and create public cultural centres where people with the similar interests could gather and socialize in reality, not virtually. This would then allow them to share their knowledge, experience and inspire each-other. It would enhance quality of life in the city and turn it into a vivid destination for art, history, learning and entertainment. This could be a brilliant reason for people to stop here and even stay in Dundee.­­­

Every year at the DJCAD degree show, graduates prove their talents by presenting outstanding work. The city and local businesses need to recognise that art and design is not only what they can see at degree shows and need to make use of the graduates’ amazing creative talents. All these enthusiastic and energetic individuals who are interested in designing, making and enterprising need to be given an opportunity to create and make locally. It is important to keep opening up empty stores and making available properties and locations for them to give these creative thinkers with vital design skills the chance to improve the city and bring new life and culture into our city centre. They know how to look at the world, frame and solve problems, think about new opportunities, and can explore and help to develop a creative potential in anyone.

So artists and designers, let’s reclaim the streets for cultural activities and create and design a happy, positive and more desirable city to live in!

By Katarina Spenerova.

 

 

Bibliography

http://www.designcurial.com/news/the-urge-to-converge-4663806

https://mikepress.wordpress.com/2015/06/04/lets-design-and-make-a-better-dundee/