V&A DUNDEE
P H O T O
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: J U L E H O W D E N
VIEW TO A THRILL
Co-designed by a group of young people, the 3D Festival will showcase the best of Dundee’s creative future. Deborah Chu explores how this fi ts in with the city’s wider regeneration
A s the last pieces fall into place ahead of V&A Dundee’s much-anticipated debut, it has never been clearer that the new museum is far from the entire story. While this is an undoubtedly historic moment, the opening of V&A Dundee plays only a small part within a grander narrative about the city itself; one whose remarkable regeneration has long been cultivated by a dedicated citizenry, a rich history in design and industry, and a vision for the future that is progressive, inclusive and deeply creative.
This vision will be exemplii ed in the 3D Festival, a two-day celebration co-designed by V&A Dundee’s Young People’s Collective. Comprised of those between the ages of 16 to 25, the Collective will have a hand in shaping every aspect of the festival, from selecting the lineup to designing the merchandise. As such, the festival will be a key event in Scotland’s Year of Young People, and will encapsulate all that this year is meant to symbolise: an ethos of forward-thinking, hope for what lies ahead, and the emergent generation of young Scots who will bring this potential to fruition.
With the dramatic contours of V&A Dundee as a backdrop, up to 20,000 visitors will be welcomed to join the celebrations in Slessor Gardens, right in the heart of Dundee’s transformed waterfront. The i rst day of the festival will take place on the eve of the museum’s opening and will feature a colourful showcase of creative talent ranging from music and dance to design and performance. On V&A Dundee’s opening day, family activities and hands-on design workshops will take place in Slessor Gardens. Further details relating to the festival lineup will be announced over the summer period. Maryam Deeni, a member of the Young People’s Collective, is enthusiastic about the work that they’ve done so far with their co-designers DF Concerts & Events, and views the 3D Festival as an unprecedented occasion to not only bring the community together, but also to welcome the world to Dundee. ‘This is an opportunity for us to do something great and we want everyone to feel part of it,’ says Deeni. ‘The opening celebrations will show off the new museum and will be a chance to highlight the great things that have been going on in Dundee for a long time. The festival will be a combination of what the city is proud of and the exciting things still to come.’
V & A D U N D E E E S S E N T I A L I N F O
OPENING: Saturday 15 September airport is a ten-minute journey from the waterfront.
WHERE: 1 Riverside Esplanade, Dundee
HOW TO GET THERE: The museum is located across from the city’s railway station and the
PERMANENT GALLERIES: At the centre of V&A Dundee’s design galleries is Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s Oak Room. This newly-restored 13.5 metre-long panelled room will be viewed
by the public for the i rst time in almost half a century. Other treasures include the Cartier ‘Valkyrie’ diamond tiara, an intricately-illustrated Book of Hours from the 15th century, original Beano artwork from Dundee publishers DC Thomson, and the snap40 digital device.