Designers and artists have a massive potential to breathe new life into our cities, to build new enterprises, and to offer people completely new products, services and experiences. In Dundee this is our vision, and this week an event will take place that will move us closer towards our goal of a vibrant creative city centre.

POPDUNDEE is a week-long pop-up shop that will be held in the Overgate shopping centre between 11 – 15 May. It is part of the 15 Good Deeds event run by the Overgate to celebrate its 15th birthday. During the week between 9am – 5pm, students from DJCAD will be showcasing and selling their work, ranging from art prints to jewellery to handcrafted gifts. This is a wonderful opportunity for emerging artists to showcase their talent and for the public to see what is being created right here in Dundee. POPDUNDEE also lays the ground for the DJCAD degree show, which opens on the 22nd May.

Jamie Mowat, Ashling Larkin and Vicky Stephen are the three design students from our animation course who are organising and running the event. The initiative arose from their participation in the pioneering DJCAD design module Design Enterprise that aims to connect design enterprise with the city of Dundee. Jamie Shankland of Marble Boy Clothing helped to broker the connection between the DJCAD Design Enterprise team and the Overgate.

POPDUNDEE is very much a product of Dundee’s status as UNESCO City of Design. Jamie, Ashland and Vicky attended Dundee’s first Pop Up Design Cafe organised by Creative Dundee back in January to celebrate this new status. POPDUNDEE shows how the City of Dundee is creating a powerful design vision, inspired by Creative Dundee, supported by creative enterprises, and made real by hugely talented and enterprising young designers.

Follow this on twitter: #popdundee

Article originally featured on Mike Press’s website.