Fabric :: Creative Dundee - Amplifying and Connecting the City

Fabric

A creative leadership programme for the city, which supports individuals who are passionate about Dundee and want to build on their creative leadership journey.

What is Fabric?

We believe that it’s in our collective interest to take a proactive approach to nurture the talent and values that will lead us to tomorrow. That’s why Creative Dundee runs Fabric, which aims to build a collective intelligence for Dundee’s thriving creative sector and requires it to be driven by people who are actively interested in the direction of the city.

Fabric is an informal peer-to-peer development programme for people who want to grow their confidence and agency for leading creative initiatives that will have positive impacts across the city. Each year, a selected group of 20 people comes together to share their knowledge, inspirations and ideas, meeting with doers and connectors in Dundee & beyond.

This has created a safe space for them to share their insights and experiences, get inspired from current leaders, and discuss how we can collectively make Dundee even better!

Who is it for?

Fabric is open to anyone who is actively interested in the future of Dundee’s local creative scene, wants to drive positive change, and is looking for:

– Time and peer support to reflect on your own creative leadership skills, your core values and your vision for the future;

– Opportunities to better understand Dundee‘s strengths and challenges, and create new connections across the city;

– A safe space to meet and discuss with other creative leaders within the city.

You can apply for the Fabric programme regardless of your creative practice, stage in your professional career or the demographic you identify with – we want the Fabric group to reflect the social, economic and cultural fabric of the city!

Read the final report for Fabric 2020

Dundee’s Creative Industries Strategy 2017-2021

Piloted in 2016, Fabric initially aimed to support Dundee’s active community in drafting a creative industries strategy for the city, by involving those who will be impacted by it. This strategy was initiated by Creative Dundee on behalf of the city and has been co-designed with those working/studying in the city’s creative sector and the local and national agencies who support them. Read more about the process and launch event here.

Dundee’s Creative Industries Strategy

Fabric 2020

In 2020, the Fabric programme was quickly adapted to be delivered digitally, due to the lockdown and spread of COVID-19. It focused on collective leadership and social justice, and included opportunities to hear from city and community leaders, to discuss the fluidity of leadership, what it means for arts organisations to play a civic role, the importance of sharing stories and much more!

View the final report for more insights into the Fabric 2020 programme, including resources and feedback from participants.

“Really really impressed with how you have managed to turn this programme digital at such short notice, and I am very glad we still got to do it this year! Have really enjoyed the experience and learnt a lot, and met some brilliant folks. Thank you!”
Fabric 2020 Participant

News

23.07.20

Fabric Day 1 – Core Leadership Values

Fabric 2018 – 19

From November 2018 to March 2019, the Fabric participants came together monthly in various locations, met with city and community leaders, and took part in group discussions about the achievements and challenges of the city’s thriving creative sector. The programme focused on Creative Scotland’s connecting themes and were an opportunity to think locally on how to keep Dundee’s Creative Industries Strategy 2017-2021’s action plan in motion.

View the final report for more insights into the Fabric 2018-19 programme, including resources and feedback from participants.

“Thank you for putting together the Fabric programme. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to spend time with such an interesting and inspiring group of people, and look forward to the collaborations and discussions that develop from it going forward. […] keep up the fantastic work, Dundee is a better place for it!”
Fabric 2018-19 Participant

News

20.06.19

Fabric Day 5 – Peer Mentoring

News

15.05.19

Fabric Day 4 – Environment

18.04.19

Fabric Day 3 – Digital

20.02.19

Fabric Day 2 – Equalities and Diversity

15.01.19

Fabric Day 1 – Creative Learning

12.12.18

‘One year on’ since the launch of Dundee’s Creative Industries Strategy

Fabric Dundee

In 2016, Creative Dundee ran a new peer project called Fabric Dundee, which brought creative practitioners and businesses together to strategically develop the future of the creative sector in the city and benefit those living, studying and working in and around the city. The project aimed to support Dundee’s active community in drafting a creative industries strategy for the city, by involving those who will be impacted by it. More about Dundee’s Creative Industries Strategy 2017 – 2021.

Creative Dundee invited a group representing some of the many creative disciplines which make up Dundee’s impressive scene to come together to share ideas, inspirations and experiences, and discuss what a local creative industries strategy should include. A series of themes emerged around spaces, skills, resources and connectivity, which helped inform the discussions and were valuable in showing how creative initiatives developed, matured and succeeded or failed.

“I like Dundee’s size. It means you can be connected very quickly with a wide range of people, projects and communities. This enables all kinds of things to happen relatively quickly. There is also a spirit in Dundee of mutual support which is very refreshing.”
Fabric Dundee Participant