Alongside all applicants to Creative Scotland’s Multi-Year Funding, Creative Dundee made a commitment to centring Fair Work practices within our organisation – an intention that aligns with the Scottish Government’s target of becoming a Fair Work nation by 2025. In taking the time to outline how this commitment responded to and could guide the way our team works together, we found ourselves asking – as an organisation regularly working with and advocating for creative practitioners – ‘how does Fair Work extend to freelancers?’
Broadly speaking, there’s not a great deal of clarity about the expectations around Fair Work and freelancers – and what the responsibility is of those who work with them to ensure that their Fair Work practices cover freelancers as well as employed staff.
This blog explores Creative Dundee’s approach to Fair Work, insights from freelancers about better working practices, and how freelancers might benefit from knowledge about Fair Work for self advocacy.
As defined by the Fair Work Convention, “Fair Work is work that offers all individuals an effective voice, opportunity, security, fulfilment and respect” – these are known as the five Fair Work dimensions.
Through actions outlined in 2022, the Scottish Government’s vision is that embedding fair working practices enables success, wellbeing and prosperity for society – “underpinned by the principles of equity and equality of opportunity for all”. It aspires to encourage practices that tackle inequalities that persist (such as the gender pay gap, disability employment gap, and issues addressed by their anti-racist employment strategy) and positively support the economy, as well as the workforce who drive it.
Much of the government’s Fair Work plans rightly recommend equitable practices that centre people. However, their action plan makes no mention of freelancers. Indeed, if you look for results online linked to ‘Scottish Government Fair Work for freelancers’, much of what appears is work driven within the creative and cultural sector. Given that freelancers make up the majority of the creative workforce in Scotland, it’s positive to see that the sector is broadly reflected as being proactive. Many organisations and institutions rely on freelance practitioners and arts workers extensively for programming, production, facilitation, technical work, leading on progressive practices, design work, retail products and much more.
After the welcome news of success in receiving Creative Scotland’s Multi-Year Funding earlier this year, organisations had to complete a ‘Fair Work First compliance’ form, confirming their commitment to paying the Real Living Wage and providing channels for ‘effective voice’ for employees. Applying this conditionality to grants (such as those distributed by Creative Scotland) enables the Scottish Government to seek commitment to Fair Work without legislation.
Creative Scotland’s own objectives for Fair Work are to promote fair pay, conditions, and employment opportunities across the creative sector. Although it’s unclear at this time how they will monitor an organisation’s demonstration of this, it’s even less clear whether these objectives – and the five aforementioned Fair Work dimensions – are afforded to freelancers when there’s no explicit requirement.
When writing our Fair Work statement at the end of 2023, we framed it to respond to how the organisation supports our staff team but in tandem wanted to ensure that it outlined how we extend the Fair Work dimensions to our work with freelancers. This became the statement that now lives on our website, sharing our commitment to how we work within our team and with others.
We felt it was necessary for our statement to differentiate between the team and freelancers. This isn’t because we consider freelancers as secondary or additional; rather, doing it this way meant we could clearly respond to guidance that addresses employees specifically, acknowledging that some of the benefits and framing of how we respond to the dimensions are things only applicable to employed staff (i.e. four day work-week).
This differentiation also meant that we could explicitly underline that freelancers are intrinsically part of how we think about Fair Work, rather than it being implied (or worse, an omission). Highlighting the difference makes it obvious, particularly when there is no expectation that this information be presented at all. In being explicit, we hope that it encourages others to consider how to include freelancers in their Fair Work plans, if they haven’t already.
It also feels worth noting that our statement talks about working and connecting with freelancers. Even when we’re not commissioning people, we still have a responsibility in how we interact with them – particularly when we hold power in those relationships as a resourced organisation. The freelancers we connect with are also always incredibly generous in the insights and experiences they share with us. We want to ensure that generosity is reflected back through our actions.
It should come as no surprise that freelancers think and talk about fairness in working all the time. In the lead up to developing our statement, two focussed discussions held with our Amps network and freelancers in the city explored the things organisations could do better when working with freelancers, building on many conversations over the years. Not only did these exchanges guide our statement, but they help Creative Dundee more broadly as an organisation too – we know there’s always the opportunity to learn and put this learning into practice.
Contributions (some of which are shared in graphics above and below) were grouped under five themes: fairness and expectations; care and consideration; communication and clarity; support and resourcing; and invoices and payment. It’s worth noting that ‘fairness and expectations’ garnered the most responses – things like “clients don’t have enough awareness of the process or time involved”, “more collaboration and less instruction, especially if they’re not paying enough”, and “stop trying to get free work or extras for free” – but all responses fit under the umbrella of the Fair Work dimensions.
Their insights highlight that there are still knowledge gaps in how to fairly hire and support freelancers in the sector. Some of this will be rooted in inexperience and lack of familiarity of freelancing, alongside barriers for those who know or want to do better, such as lack of financial resource, timelines dictated by funders or partners, and working with partners who have different expectations or understandings of working with freelancers.
At Dundee’s Culture Summit in November 2024, a paid working group of freelancers shaped one of the event’s themes to foster discussion around artists and practitioners within the city’s creative ecology. Their presentation outlined the precarity and variety of freelance life, and the many skills that one person is required to learn and juggle when self-employed. Enthusiasm was shared for the development of a freelance charter or similar resource, one that would encourage fairness and transparency when working with freelancers in the city – but how can freelancers be supported in taking the lead in this work, and what can organisations do to enable the conditions for this to happen?
Self advocacy can feel particularly difficult in a small city like Dundee – the risk of burning bridges or limiting yourself in what is already a relatively small pool of available work sits alongside the fact that skilled creative work is routinely undervalued. Asking for what’s fair can stir up feelings of asking too much or concerns that you’re being (or being perceived as) unreasonable. Repeated and common issues are a drain on a freelancer’s time and energy, and some – particularly emerging practitioners – may simply be unaware whether asks of them are appropriate or reasonable.
While freelancers spend a lot of time considering fair working, they may not use the framework of Fair Work in doing so – or know that organisations within the creative and cultural sector may have made a commitment to embed Fair Work practices. Using the five dimensions, we’ve collated some points to consider – though this list will not be exhaustive nor applicable to all work undertaken.
For individuals, the opportunity to have an effective voice is crucially important. Having a say at work is consistent with the broader suite of rights available to citizens in democratic societies.
It is a reasonable aspiration to want work that is fair – and for fair work to be available to everyone. Fair opportunity allows people to access work and employment and is a crucial dimension of fair work.
Fulfilment can arise from positive and supportive workplace relationships that promote a sense of belonging and this overlaps strongly with respect as a dimension of fair work.
Respect at work enhances individual health, safety and wellbeing. Dignified treatment can protect workers from workplace-related illness and injury and create an environment free from bullying and harassment.
Security of income can contribute to greater individual and family stability and promote more effective financial planning, including investment in pensions.
Alongside the above, we’ve collected some Fair Work related guidance for creative freelancers in Scotland. We don’t believe the onus should be on freelancers to ensure that they’re being treated fairly, but we know that space and resources to aid understanding and growth in confidence is the first step in being able to advocate on behalf of not just yourself, but the wider community – because better working practices that are adopted due to your advocacy support the freelancer who comes after you, just as the acceptance of bad practice unfortunately lowers the bar for future work.
The creative and cultural sector has the power to do good work and set high standards for fair working for freelancers, who are the core of our creative ecosystem. It’s essential that organisations extend their Fair Work practices to the freelancers they work with, and understand their responsibility to form fulfilling, respectful, safe and sincere opportunities that recognise the knowledge, experience, care and creativity that freelancers bring to all that they do.
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Creative Dundee is all about shouting out, connecting and supporting the incredible creative networks all around the city. Through original content we aim to platform the views and voices of a broad range of creatives in Dundee, across different disciplines, and as individuals, collectives, and grassroots organisations.
This year we’re looking to commission creators to explore topics that expand the conversation on the creative industries in Dundee, or highlight socially engaged perspectives on the role of creativity in climate action, wellbeing, activism and more.
If you have an existing idea for a blog or feature, or would like to register your interest in being commissioned for our website – we would love to hear from you!
Deadline: 10pm, Fri 30 May
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A major new UK-wide project by artist Jeremy Deller to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the National Gallery will have its Scottish chapter take place in collaboration with Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design (DJCAD) students in Dundee on Sat 24 May.
The Dundee project titled ‘Meet the Gods‘, offers a chance to collectively revel with the Roman deity Bacchus and his mythical friends. Art students will demonstrate the power of the Art School to produce collective joy with a showcase taking place in Dundee City Square and Myatt Hall – renowned historical landmarks and cultural cornerstones of Dundee.
The event will include a performance by ‘weirdo-punk performance band’, Fallope and the Tubes, and there will be the opportunity to leave with your own DIY merch with the help of of collaborative artists Peter Kennard and Cat Phillipps (KennardPhillipps). ‘Meet the Gods’ will also be supported by a series of facilitated and collaborative workshops with Dundee Community Gardens.
When
Sat 24 May, 2–6pm
Where
City Square
Dundee
DD1 3BG
This event is part of ‘The Triumph of Art’ by artist Jeremy Deller, a nation-wide project that was commissioned by the National Gallery, London, as part of its bicentenary celebrations. It marks how festivals are part and parcel of art, culture and civic life, and that art and artists can be catalysts of collaboration and joy.
This summer will see new participatory public events in all four nations produced in partnership with The Box, Plymouth, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in Dundee, Mostyn Gallery, Llandudno, and The Playhouse in Derry-Londonderry. For the final event in July, they’ll take over Trafalgar Square in London for a free, family-friendly celebration with contributions from all four nations.
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Alongside Dundee’s Changemakers Hub, we’ve been delighted to bring back Fabric – an informal peer-learning journey to share, reflect and imagine how collective action can shape a better tomorrow.
Bringing together creative practitioners and community organisers, this iteration of Fabric focused on community climate action, giving participants the knowledge, skills, confidence and connections to fuel future work or projects.
In this blog originally shared with Dundee’s Changemakers Hub, Shona Cherry takes us on a field trip to The Scottish Crannog Centre for the final Fabric session, ‘From Dwellers to Changemakers’, reflecting on the Fabric journey and a day exploring learnings from our ancestors.
The 2025 Fabric cohort, like the ones gone before, is a group of climate and creative community members with one thing in common – Dundee. The city has brought us together, for a variety of reasons, and the stories we’ve shared with each other during the four steps of this Fabric journey have been connected by the common thread of this incredible place we all love.
Sometimes though, a wider perspective is valuable and our day outside the city at The Scottish Crannog Centre provided us with new and different viewpoints. The benefit of stepping away from the daily norm and our own wee worlds, not just into a different space but into an otherworldly place, is altering in some way. Even if it’s not entirely obvious how.
Set on spectacular Loch Tay, the centre team is currently rebuilding the Crannog which sadly burnt down in 2021. The fascinating process by which they embrace traditional skills with a peppering of modern supports was shared openly as the Fabric group wandered the village. The peacefulness and tranquillity of this place can’t be overstated, which may have been helped by the unusually calm and sunny weather.
This amazing space and the incredible team there tell tales of life from the iron age. I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced a bunch of individuals with such endless knowledge and passion for their work. As we heard stories of what life may have been like, I was distracted by birdsong – a reminder of the constant connection in nature between past and present – and I wondered if the birdsong would have been the same back then.
We were told how communities had to work together to survive, not venturing far for subsistence. Perhaps aware of other crannogs on the loch but really nothing beyond that. In the context of our globalised world today, that’s hard to wrap your head around and at the same time, rather enticing. Sometimes our ‘hyper-connectivity’ can feel overwhelming. So many people to follow and connect with. So much information.
But our modern-day communities have an opportunity to create real change and elevate us. We can take the benefits of the world we live in now, use the lessons from the past, and discard the things that do not serve us or our peers. We were told that:
“What we’re doing here is trying to find our way back to the start of the story.”
What surprised me was that the centre is a social justice organisation. Being able to draw comparisons between the work of Dundee Changemakers and The Scottish Crannog Centre was unexpected but affirming. They have a strong commitment to social causes, the environment and sustainability, fair work and accessibility – what we at Changemakers might call, a just transition.
Whether implicit or explicit, they are doing the multi-faceted and diverse work of an organisation with far reaching goals and impact. This place isn’t just a museum or a historical educator (although those things are, of course, extremely important), they are actively bringing communities together around some of our most pressing societal issues, through sharing stories from the past and connecting them with those of the present.
Throughout the day, we were free to explore the variety of activities at the centre, which included how people from that time might have prepared food (the home-made cheese with wild garlic was delicious!), made clothes, created and used tools, and entertained each other.
We were treated to a hilarious puppet show which animated stories of crannog life in the most unexpected way. Telling stories is a way of explaining ourselves that has existed throughout time. It’s how we understand our past. Many folk stories might have only existed verbally but are often there to communicate or connect us to lessons for the future – such as the utterly sustainable life that these people might have had.
The stories we heard perfectly captured their self-sustaining way of living – there was no extraction, only interaction.
After our meander through time and a generous lunch offering, we were joined by Claire Cooper from Bioregioning Tayside. Bioregions are a way of reframing how we see ‘place’ beyond our current understanding. Considering our geography from the perspective of community, land, availability of resources, rather than the manmade boundaries we all know, was a shift. ‘Change the Frame, Change the Story’ is their thought-provoking tagline.
We were prompted to consider how we adapt and respond to the environment we find ourselves in, physical or otherwise – valuing, shaping and interacting with one another, and the idea of reinhabitation.
Claire shared some powerful examples of storytelling for impact, that combine the natural environment, art and sustainability on a massive scale. One of which was The Awakening – a 9,000 sqm art installation of a giant hand sited on the Coire Lairige at the Spittal of Glenshee. Co-designed by Tayside-based artist Martin McGuinness and Fraser Gray, it was inspired by the Glen’s many connections to the legendary pan-Gaelic giant hero Finn mac Cumhaill, including the story that he is asleep under the mountains with his warriors ready to be awoken at a time of great portent to come to our aid. Made from 2,500m of Jute and Geotextile it was installed to coincide with the UN Climate Change Conference COP26 in November 2021.
Again, we were directed to consider how the past can inform the present. The idea of looking back to understand where we are now is important for bioregioning, as it is for most of the ways we consider the future.
I left the Crannog wondering what this means for us, at Dundee Changemakers Hub, as well as the many other climate and social action groups in the city. We cannot go back to where we were, no matter how many of us might wish for a bygone, less complicated time. There is a way forward that allows us to take what was precious and worth saving from the past and combine it with the incredible advances we’ve made (the good ones, at least!), to create a better future – just like they’ve done at The Scottish Crannog Centre.
With renewed enthusiasm we have an opportunity to reweave connection, create stronger social fabric, and take action that will bring us beyond what we experienced with Fabric.
We took a long, slow exhale at the end of March. After celebrating the changemakers in Dundee and the incredible work of local people and grassroots organisations driving climate action and social justice in our city, Dundee Changemakers Hub turns its attention to what’s next, with the intention to continue to foster connection, facilitate collaboration, and elevate community action.
Shona Cherry is Hub Manager at Dundee Changemakers, and has been working in sustainability, mainly in food and drink, for over 6 years. Her work-life of 30+ years has taken her through many industries, sectors and roles, and led her to return to a role supporting and serving the incredible people of Dundee.
Dundee’s Changemakers Hub is delivered by a collective of four local community organisations: Transition Dundee, The Maxwell Centre, ScrapAntics, and Uppertunity. The Hub offers support, events, workshops and micro-grants to connect and amplify collective community action.
The Hub is part of a growing national network of Climate Action Hubs funded by the Scottish Government’s Climate Action Fund, which aim to build local awareness of the climate emergency, develop local plans, help groups take up funding opportunities, and contribute to a Just Transition.
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Stobswell Forum, in collaboration with Upper Dens Landscaping Board (UDLB), are seeking a Dundee or Tayside-based artist for the exciting opportunity to redevelop three public art boards at the entrance of the historic Weavers Yard site.
There will be a fee of £6,000 for the project, inclusive of development, consultation, production and installation. When submitting a design, artists are asked to consider the history and future of Weavers Yard, embracing the existing public artworks on and around the site.
The new artwork can be any material or genre, but the artist will be responsible for engaging in consultation with Weavers Yard residents before production and installation. The project must be completed by March 2026.
Complete the submission form before 9am, Mon 19 May, providing the following:
Interested artists can get in touch with the Stobswell Forum for an informal discussion by contacting Trustee Helen King, and a tour of the development is possible on request to Emily Kernahan, Hillcrest Engagement Team.
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Dundee’s Changemakers Hub are currently recruiting for an exciting part-time role within their team! The Hub, anchored by four community organisations and hosted by Transition Dundee, is a collective committed to fostering positive change and climate action in Dundee. Together, they envision a sustainable and inclusive future for Dundee, connecting communities, sharing knowledge, and amplifying local voices.
They are seeking a passionate and community-oriented person for the role of Community Engagement Coordinator. This ‘front facing’ role is key to nurturing relationships and building collaboration with local changemakers, fostering engagement and instilling the Dundee Changemakers ethos. The role would suit candidates who enjoy interacting with a wide variety of people from different walks of life, and are well organised and team-orientated.
This is a 10 month fixed term role from May 2025, working 22.5 hours per week with an annual salary of £18,700.
Key info:
Application Deadline: midnight, Monday 5 May 2025
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Launched in the early 2000s, They Had Four Years exists as an opportunity for Generator Projects to support and nurture recently-graduated artists. One year on from their Degree Shows, a selection of handpicked Fine Art graduates from art schools across Scotland get the opportunity to exhibit newly commissioned work in the Generator Projects galleries.
This year’s edition features the work of five artists: Edward Cawood (Edinburgh College of Art), Olivia Margaret Frances (Glasgow School of Art), Jungyoon Im (Glasgow School of Art), Theodora Koumbouzis (Glasgow School of Art) and Kristína Gondová (Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design). Exploring themes from censorship and opression, to the natural world and industrial heritage, it’s promising to be a varied and unmissable show.
Opening Night
Sat 17 May, 6pm–9pm
When
Sun 18 May – Sun 22 June
Thu–Sun, 12pm–5pm
Where
GENERATORprojects,
25/26 Mid Wynd Industrial Estate,
Dundee,
DD1 4JG
Generator Projects is a Dundee based artist run initiative founded in 1996 by Paul Liam Harrison, Andy Kennedy and Caroline McIntee. As a volunteer organisation, they facilitate a varied cultural programme of exhibitions and events. They are committed to highlighting the importance of grass roots activity and its integral role in developing the careers of emerging artists.
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With over 130 innovative and boundary-pushing projects on display, the Abertay Digital Graduate Show is an opportunity to immerse yourself in the creativity of final year students from Abertay University’s Faculty of Design, Informatics and Business.
Covering everything from concept art and character design to cutting-edge tech like virtual/augmented reality and 3D modelling, the show offers a plethora of opportunities to play and explore.
Whether you’re into technology and digital design, interested in getting into games, or just keen to find out more about Abertay’s wide range of degrees, you’ll have the chance to play games, view graduates’ work, chat to exhibitors and connect with people in the local digital and creative industries.
When
Thu 15–Sat 17 May, 12–4pm
Evening Reception: Fri 16 May, 6–9pm
Where
Level 1 and Level 2
National Centre for Excellence in Games Education
Abertay University
Bell Street
Dundee, DD1 1HG
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At the end of May, DJCAD’s much-loved graduate showcase will welcome everyone back into the university studio and exhibition spaces! The Art & Design Undergraduate Degree Show celebrates the achievements of over 450 graduating students from University of Dundee’s Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, showcasing experimental and inspiring work in textiles, sculpture, product design, illustration, jewellery, architecture and so much more.
For this year’s show, a friends and family opening night event will be held on Fri 23 May before the show opens to the public for its nine day run from Sat 24 May.
When
Sat 24 May – Sun 1 June
Where
Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design
13 Perth Road
Dundee
DD1 4HT
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Each year our Amps network comes together for our Forum, where we also host our annual Community Ideas Fund. Designed to enable an exciting collaboration between supporters of our network, Amps are encouraged to collaborate on and pitch a new idea that will result in a positive social impact in Dundee. The award exists thanks to our growing community; not only do the network vote at the Forum on which project receives the fund, but the award itself is funded by Amps subscriptions. It’s amazing to see this support stretch beyond our network through each project’s wider impact in the city.
This year, the network awarded the fund to a project that seeks to open up Dundee’s studio spaces to share the creative practices and processes within. In this blog we share more about what they hope to achieve.
With the Community Ideas Fund, we’re going to host a long-awaited Dundee Open Studios event. We want to start with what we know: beginning with the small ‘seed’ of jewellery in 2025 then building to invite all forms of artistic practice to open their doors and let the public see the intriguing worlds of makers in Dundee.
We’re both jewellers who have good links with other independent jewellers in Dundee – we already have a network called Dundee Jewellers Collective (DJC), and have organised two exhibitions of our works in the past: The 4th J (2019) and an Autumn Showcase as part of Craft Week Scotland (2022). There is lovely support between makers at various exhibitions around the city, and the Open Studios will help strengthen these links. We want to build on that and create a framework for a larger open studios event encompassing a wider range of makers, artists and designers in Dundee in future years.
Open Studios are a brilliant way for members of the public to see into the hidden worlds of makers and artists. They’re a behind the scenes look at their craft which builds understanding and appreciation of their skills and work. Dundee doesn’t currently have an Open Studios event, even though they happen in all of the areas surrounding us – Perthshire, Angus and Fife have hundreds of artists and thousands of visitors taking part in and visiting Open Studios. As a UNESCO City of Design, it’s something Dundee is definitely missing!
Dundee Open Studios: the Jewellery Edition would take place over the last two weekends in September. As well as designing branding and materials for sharing the event, we’ll create a map which will guide people and share information about who is taking part – a treasure map to spread the joy of the handmade!
Seven studios across Dundee have agreed to take part in our first Open Studios, with 14 jewellers in those workspaces, and several of those spaces have offered to host jewellers who don’t have spaces that people can visit as guest designers, creating space for more than 24 exhibitors. We also want this event to share the work of emerging designers as well as established independent designers, including new graduates from DJCAD. Being part of the Open Studios will improve the connectivity of jewellers in the city and provide networking opportunities for makers. It raises their profile and further shares where these jewellers work, the services they provide and the kinds of jewellery they make.
We hope this is the catalyst to a bigger Dundee Open Studios encompassing all sorts of makers, designers and artists – linking disciplines and sectors across the city, and bringing local people and those from further afield ways to see the creative work and opportunities our city can offer. Students and graduates will also see an event they can take part in, the networks that the city offers, and provide reasons to stay in Dundee and be part of its creative community.
From small seedlings great things grow. Collaboration over competition! Spread the joy of jewellery!
Islay Spalding is a jewellery designer/maker and founder of Double Door Studios. Since graduating from DJCAD in 2005 she’s developed her practice in garages and workshops before opening her studios, jewellery workshop and exhibition space with the help of DDS’s tenants in 2020. Specialising in bespoke kilt pins and jewellery, Islay takes great joy in knowing that her work is a part of people’s stories. Inspiration weaves between surrealist art, geology, landscapes, architecture, and the beauty of the between, combining organic complexity with modern simplicity, creating unique pieces that are unusual and distinctive yet practical and pleasing to wear. She’s a proud Dundonian and is passionate about her craft and the community, actively seeking ways to promote independent jewellery makers to the public, help new graduates and create networks and links within the industry.
Katie New is a jewellery designer and educator from London, now based in Dundee. After graduating from DJCAD in 1999, Katie returned to London to run jewellery galleries and lecture in design at several art schools. In 2018 she established her home studio The Orangery in Dundee, offering bespoke jewellery workshops that invite people to explore the power of making and celebrate life’s special moments. In her own practice she creates sculptural jewellery in precious materials, creating pieces that explore the relationship between people and plants, and working with eco metals, 100% recycled silver and gold, and ethical gemstones. Her experience in opening up creative spaces to showcase making to the public includes hosting Open Studios across four areas in south London, and the Dundee Jewellery Collective for Craft Week Scotland in 2022.
This new collaboration was made possible through our Amps network’s Community Ideas Fund. Everyone in the network can choose which project they’d like to award the fund to at our annual Amps Forum – find out about the other amazing projects that pitched in 2025. This cash award is funded by Amps subscriptions each year – join Amps and help us make the fund bigger and better!
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The UNESCO City of Design Dundee team have launched an open call for individuals, businesses and organisations to join their new supporter scheme Design Lives Here which aims to make visible support for design-engaged working across the city.
The scheme is open to anyone who champions design within their work, including designers, design-centred businesses, or those who support design by hiring designers, implementing design-thinking in decision making, and more. In joining, supporters must demonstrate their commitment to the Design Lives Here Charter which supports passionate design endeavours, community wealth building and design education.
It is free to apply and join the scheme. Design Lives Here supporters will be recognised by UNESCO City of Design Dundee, featured on their website and socials, promoted to international members of the UNESCO Design Cities Network, and provided with access to the Design Lives Here logo for use on products and more. Supporters will also receive a set of exclusive scheme merchandise.
How to apply:
Dundee is the UK’s first and only UNESCO City of Design. The global designation as a Creative City acknowledges Dundee’s rich design heritage, its thriving contemporary design sector and a city committed to using design to solve problems and make Dundee a better place to live.
This scheme has been inspired by existing supporter programmes coordinated by Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere, Whanganui UNESCO City of Design and Design Regio Kortrijk.
Identity and graphic design by Stein Design. Design Lives Here is part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
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Makers for Maggie’s Spring Market is back! Head along to Maggie’s Dundee on Sat 10 May 2025, 12 – 4pm, for a fantastic line-up of talented artists, designers and makers from across Tayside showcasing and selling their creations and helping to raise vital funds for Maggie’s Dundee.
Spend some time in the beautiful Maggie’s building designed by star architect Frank Gehry, browse the stalls of some of the best local makers, relax in the pop-up café, try your luck in the raffle and find out more about the vital support offered by Maggie’s cancer centre in Dundee.
Keep an eye on Facebook and Instagram for more info on the wonderful array of makers taking part on the day!
When
Sat 10 May, 12–4pm
Entry: £1 donation to Maggie’s Dunde
Where
Maggie’s, Dundee
Ninewells Hospital
Tom McDonald Avenue
Dundee, DD2 1NH
Maggie’s is a charity providing free support to anyone who has been affected by cancer. Their network of centres across the UK create caring environments that can provide information and practical advice. Designed by world-famous architect Frank Gehry, and built in 2003, Maggie’s Dundee was the first new-build Maggie’s Centre. The white, cottage-like building with a wavy silver roof is modelled on a traditional Scottish “butt n’ ben” dwelling, and offers a welcoming sense of calm and sanctuary.
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The Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival (SMHAF) is seeking proposals for four small artist commissions to present during this year’s festival dates, from Mon 20 October to Sun 9 November. These commissions are open to artists based anywhere in Scotland and working in any discipline – music, film, visual art, performance etc.
Works submitted must address mental health and respond in a creative way to this year’s theme of ‘Comfort & Disturb’, taken from the Cesar A Cruz quote “art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable”. Artists are encouraged to interpret the theme in any way that they choose but artists will be expected to consider safeguarding for themselves, audiences, and anyone else involved in the creative process.
While the SMHAF artist commissions were originally designed to generate new work that can be presented online, they are also open to proposals that can be shared as part of a multi-arts event.
The fee for each commission is £1,000 inclusive of materials. Submissions close at 6pm, Fri 9 May.
How to submit:
Further announcements on the programme and other ways to get involved with the festival are due in the coming months, so keep an eye on the SMHAF socials for details!
The Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival (SMHAF) is one of Scotland’s most diverse cultural events, covering everything from music, film and visual art to theatre, dance, and literature. The festival aims to support the arts, explore how engagement in the arts can help prevent mental ill health, and challenge mental health stigma. Led by the Mental Health Foundation, SMHAF combines artistic quality with strong grassroots support, community engagement and social activism.
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On Sat 19 and 26 April, Generator Projects will be joined by writer and artist Hussein Mitha for a set of workshops exploring the Palestinian resistance through reading and writing practices.
Tickets to attend each workshop are free but booking is required to attend. Donations to The Ghassan Abu Sittah Children’s Fund are encouraged in lieu of a ticket price.
Reading the Palestinian Resistance
Sat 19 April, 1–3pm at Hapworks_00
A reading and study group on the Palestinian resistance, exploring short extracts from political, cultural and literary figures of the Palestinian resistance such as Basel Al-Araj, Walid Daqqa, Leila Khaled, Wisam Rafeedie and more. Participants will consider the universalising dimension of the Palestinian cause, as well as the role of literary and cultural production towards Palestinian liberation.
Writing the End of Zionism
Sat 26 April, 5–7pm at Generator Projects
Using tools from anticolonial, abolitionist and revolutionary sci fi, speculative fiction and theory, participants will respond to writing prompts that imagine the chain of events that leads to the end of Zionism, and the downfall and abolition of all borders and carceral regimes.
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The hugely popular Drop in and Play event is returning to DCA this May, in partnership with Ninja Kiwi, and they’re looking for brand new games to showcase!
Taking place on Sat 31 May from 1–4pm, visitors will be among the first to try a range of new games before they’re widely available, speak to game developers and let them know what they think.
They’re looking for new and unreleased games made in Scotland, and in particular Dundee, with the event providing a fantastic opportunity for developers to see how audiences interact with their work.
Deadline for applications: Fri 25 April 2025
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If you would like to support us in creating even better content, please consider joining or supporting our Amps Community.
Spring brings a chance for our Amps network to get together at a fun, friendly evening of connecting and community at our annual Forum.
This social evening is a highlight of our Amps calendar, with opportunities to catch up with old friends and meet new supporters of the network. With our usual relaxed and welcoming vibe, we’ll host space to chat, connect, and hear from all of the projects pitching for this year’s Community Ideas Fund.
Each team of Amps will share their collaborative idea, then everyone can choose which project should be awarded the fund of £2,500 to enable it to come to life – and the fund exists thanks to the subscription fees of our Amps community!
Want to join the Forum from the comfort of home? We’ll be streaming the pitching portion of the event on Zoom in order to include Amps who want to vote but are unable to attend in person. Please book a ticket and we’ll provide a link just before the event.
Tue 15 April 2025, 7:00–9:00pm
Hapworks_00, 7 Castle Street, DD1 3AA
Please note: our event officially ends at 9:00pm, but you’re welcome to stay a little longer to chat and enjoy a drink before continuing the conversation with us at a nearby establishment. :-)
Tickets are free and booking is essential.
This event is for Amps only – become an Amp and come along!
Event hashtag: #AmpsDundee
An Open Studios event linking the studios and shops of independent jewellers in the city, opening the hidden world of the creative community in Dundee. A collaboration by jewellery designer and founder of Double Door Studios Islay Spalding and jewellery designer and maker Katie New.
Inspired by the ‘fungi philosophy’ of mycelial interconnectedness, resource sharing and the ongoing search for enrichment, Dundee Fungi Fest will explore and promote learning about nature and health, while fostering community connections through the medium of fungi. A collaboration by mixed media visual artist Hollis Crowe and craftsperson and community artist Ele Roscoe.
A local queer-led opportunity for Dundee’s LGBTQIA+ community to gather and creatively share stories and affirmations to one other, the city and the world. A collaboration by designer and educator Connor Finlayson and designer Jamie Stein.
A community-led creative project connecting folks across Dundee through workshops fostering collaboration, storytelling and creative communication skills, amplifying diverse voices in an accessible and inclusive way. A collaboration by craftsperson and community artist Ele Roscoe and Cricket McCann of independent artist studio, Little Jupiter.
A community wellbeing project to enhance personal, interpersonal, local, national and global peace through creative, educational and reflective experiences. A collaboration by educator, musician, DJ and events organiser Dominic Venditozzi and community musician and visual artist Mark Urban.
Amps is a community of people who make and cultivate creativity in Dundee, working together to collectively build on the future of the city. We connect through events and projects designed to help establish links, showcase work and develop collaborations. New supporters are always welcome – join Amps and help make Dundee even better!
The Community Ideas Fund is an annual cash award that enables a creative and experimental Amps collaboration to benefit Dundee. The more Amps there are, the bigger the fund is – it’s made up of your Amps subscription fee.
Help us grow the fund and make Amps more accessible by supporting a Pay It Forward subscription! Your contribution will help someone experiencing cost as a barrier to getting involved.
2024’s fund was awarded to Becca Clark and Su Shaw for their project, dundee radio club. Listen to their guest blog to find out about their experience.
If you would like to support us in creating even better content, please consider joining or supporting our Amps Community.
Each year, Creative Dundee’s Amps network comes together for our Forum, an annual event where people in the network present pitches for the Community Ideas Fund – a fund that encourages Amps to collaborate on a new, experimental idea that will result in a positive social impact in Dundee. With the recipient chosen by Amps and approximately 50% of all Amps subscriptions going towards the pot, it’s a fund that exists thanks to our growing community.
In April 2024, curator and producer Becca Clark and sound artist, musician and producer Su Shaw teamed up to present their project: dundee radio club. In this (audio!) blog, Becca and Su share their experience of bringing ddrc – described as ‘a sonic love letter to Dundee’ – to life thanks to the support of the Community Ideas Fund.
The 2025 Community Ideas Fund is open for applications until Mon 31 March! Find out more about the fund and how you can pitch a project or take part.
Download a transcript of dundee radio club’s audio reflective blog.
Perhaps you were one of over 1,700 listeners in one of 23 different countries who tuned into their 48-hour Listening Festival (featuring over 100 contributions from Dundee and beyond) in February? If so, Becca and Su would love to hear your feedback and thoughts on what you heard, enjoyed, and want more or less of in future broadcasts, and whether you’d like to contribute to what comes next.
Find out more about dundee radio club on their website and Instagram, and read more about their collaboration in a feature with The Skinny.
The Community Ideas Fund is made possible thanks to our Amps network. Each year, approximately 50% of everyone’s subscription helps fund an exciting new collaboration that benefits Dundee. New supporters are always welcome – join Amps and help make Dundee even better, and find out more about the projects pitching for the 2025 Community Ideas Fund!
If you would like to support us in creating even better content, please consider joining or supporting our Amps Community.
For our second edition of Creative Base, we’re turning the spotlight on the folks found behind the scenes – the producers, facilitators, curators, connectors and meddlers – bringing together Dundee’s creative communities, building the platforms to share their work, and driving the conversations and actions that push the city’s cultural future forward.
We’ve asked them to share some insights into their work, what it means for them to be working in Dundee, and what could be improved to ensure a better and brighter future for creative practitioners in the city. In the spirit of collective working and ‘passing the mic’, we’ve also asked each practitioner to share other Dundee-based creatives whose work they admire, are inspired by, or just think you’d like to know about!
Original Copy is an artist-led collective dedicated to fostering collaborative spaces and supporting local artists. Through exhibitions such as Instructions Not Included (for art facilitators) and Freshly Pressed (for recent graduates), along with sketchbook open days and art x club nights, we aim to amplify diverse voices and cultivate community-driven projects – embracing art as both a critical and communal tool.
When Laurie (co-founder) moved to Dundee in 2018, she felt she’d discovered Scotland’s best-kept secret, while Dana (co-founder) grew up here, witnessing its transformation first-hand. Dundee is undeniably a thriving hub for art and culture, and we’re committed to building on its creative legacy – we want to ensure it remains accessible, inclusive, and deeply connected to the community. We love Dundee!
Affordable spaces. There’s a real need for accessible, well-maintained studios where artists can work, experiment, and collaborate without financial strain. Also, more creative interdisciplinary spaces that connect art with Dundee’s communities. Beyond that, many emerging artists struggle to find opportunities to stay beyond art school. More funding, residencies, and long-term support structures would help retain and grow Dundee’s vibrant creative scene.
Robyn Scanlan (City Flowers Garden Studio) – we love the work Robyn is doing in Dundee. She is a powerhouse of fostering community engagement and keeping creativity accessible, while championing similar values to Original Copy!
Calum Rennie – a curator, writer, and arts facilitator building meaningful connections across Dundee’s creative landscape. His passion is admirable and his work is impactful… yet he remains incredibly humble about what he does! (@calum_r)
I’m a writer, poet, speaker and facilitator – my approach is multifaceted but centres the intentional disruption of oppressive structures. Specifically, those that reside within us and distract us from reclaiming our wholeness. I’m interested in deconstructing and decolonising normative modes of knowledge production to invite us to shift our gaze towards the natural world, the dream space, embodiment and ancestral wisdom.
To date, much of my work has been outside of the city, this year, I am looking to ground myself more geographically and establish some firm roots here. It is essential that I do this work here so that all children, but especially those from global majority communities, feel a sense of ownership and belonging. So, that they can also go on to create and represent the rich, diverse, culture present here in Dundee.
Dundee has huge collective potential to be more inclusive, equitable and champion talent that doesn’t sit within the narrow confines of whiteness. I don’t believe we are there yet but we continue to work, disrupt and hold onto hope.
Acknowledging and then confronting the fact that not all folk are having the same communal experience may allow voices, otherwise invisibilised, to be heard and celebrated.
Nicola Wiltshire is an English painter based in Dundee after completing her MFA from DJCAD in 2014. Her work is represented by New Blood Art and Select Gallery London. Her paintings are unique and bold as she makes paintings on patterned fabric using strong and vibrant colours.
I love the way she mixes contemporary themes with historical technique creating eye-catching and truly beautiful pieces. Dundee is a brighter place with her here! (@nicola_wiltshire)
Fi Bailey is a multidisciplinary artist based in Dundee since 2022. She studied creative writing and writes mainly nonfiction about care, mental health and disability.
I first came to Fi’s work through her ‘write to be known classes’ and her warm, calming and therapeutic approach to facilitation made me feel at home and I left the space feeling nourished. I’m excited to see what other creative forces Fi will bring to Dundee.
Website / Instagram / Facebook
At dundeemusic.uk, we celebrate music in the city, highlighting Dundee gigs, bands and releases. We join the dots between all of these in an interactive way: I used to be an engineer, and enjoy exploring how things work and connect. For the past decade I’ve been a self-employed musician and tutor, music is a big part of my life.
For over twenty years I’ve been involved with the Dundee music scene, as audience member, musician and promoter. The current site traces its roots back to 2006 when I first started gig listings, since then it’s grown: thousands of gigs, hundreds of bands and releases, with even more connections between artists past and present in the Dundee Music Map.
Last summer we hosted a music scene survey, gathering input from music fans. Several themes emerged including collaboration, and I began setting up a music scene collective. A funding application was unsuccessful, though I went ahead anyway with a newsletter, networking events and covered costs of hundreds of gig posters. It would be great to grow this, supporting more musicians.
It’s hard to pick just two, I know so many people working creatively in the city!
Pete Smith – one of the finest Dundonian singers and songwriters, you need to listen to his album “First Class Outcast” and learn about the city and people from someone who knows them well! We first met at a community guitar group Pete was leading several years ago, and have been friends since, playing lots of music together.
Prisma Stream – with a fresh experimental album “Crimson Marvels” about to release this year, Lea Mattia blends stunning vocals, field recordings, instruments and electronica to create a unique soundscape! We have worked together on the new album during the past few months in 2nd hand studio, my new recording space in the heart of Dundee.
Website / Hubworld Linktree / Fergus Linktree
HELLO, I’m an events coordinator for Hubworld Scotland, an open community network for the games industry in Scotland running since 2023. We run an event every month ranging from educational talks nights and networking meetups, to cross country game show nights. We do our best to support members of our community through initiatives as well, my favourite being our Artist Spotlight where we hire an artist from our community to make up the branding of our bi-monthly event with their own style, sauce and creativity.
I never thought I’d be here two years ago. It has been a wild journey, but it’s taken me to meeting so many wonderful people and creating so many unforgettable nights. I love it.
Dundee is the place to be! It’s the place I’ve called home for the past nine years but its also such a huge hub for game development in the country. There are sooooo many indie developers, studios and companies based here making global hits, not to mention the people here are so lovely and interesting (no offence Glasgow and Edinburgh).
VENUES, as an events boy getting the perfect venue is the bane of my existence. We need more cool spaces! We have been looking for the perfect place to hold our annual festival in Dundee for ages and haven’t had any luck. This is not a joke pls message me if you know somewhere fun.
Hubworld is exclusively run by artists, so I’m going to plug the folks who have worked in-house as part of the team past/present because they’re brilliant and need more recognition.
Mallaichte – our resident in-house artist who is responsible for creating the majority of the branding for most Hubworld events and you can see why. He’s been on the team since the very beginning and does a hell of a job creating unforgettable artwork.
Melina Garcia Ayala (Creative n Chaotic) – Mel is one of the most driven folks I’ve met in my life and I’ve had the pleasure of working with her twice previously. It’s so cool to see where she is taking her business.
Go buy their art!
In my role as facilitator of Local Art Club, I work with venues, life models and collaborators to produce regular art classes as well as many special events and some workshops here and there. Since walking into the pub three years ago with a vague idea of drawing with others and making some new friends, Local Art Club has taken on a life of its own I couldn’t have imagined. I am so grateful for all of the support I’ve had over the last three years from incredible collaborators and organisations, and of course Creative Dundee!
Running the art club in Dundee has been a great pleasure for me. As a lifelong Dundonian, I have watched this city transform into a creative hub that punches above its weight not only in the UK art scene but internationally. To have contributed a tiny piece to the new creative landscape of Dundee has been such an exciting experience. I love to see art students, hobbyists and accomplished artists and designers work alongside each other in the classes and forming new friendships over a mutual love of drawing.
I think that it could be really helpful for artists beginning their careers to have more access to support and learning about the business side of art. We should all be more open with each other about what it means to make a living as an artist.
I would really love to shout out Art Angel, the work that they do in Dundee to support people living with mental health difficulties is fantastic and such a great resource for the city.
I am also a huge fan of Marvelesque burlesque group, who have been a fantastic collaborator of the art club for the last three years. They have been incredibly professional, kind and talented. Their commitment to inclusion within burlesque and the focus on confidence and self-empowerment is really inspiring.
The Dundee Artists Database is a free to use and free to search database for artists to use, they fill in their details and hopefully people can find them to offer them work, or they can find other artists to help cultivate communities.
Within the context of the DAD, I – the MUM of DAD – don’t do much. I intentionally set it up in a way that I knew wouldn’t take much tending to, and I liked the idea of it being quite low-fi. Once a year we have Daddycon, which is a bit of work, and is a reason for all the Daddies (artists appearing on the database) to come together in a non-networky and silly kind of way.
It means a lot for the DAD (or an artists database in general) to happen in Dundee. I think as someone not from here originally, I definitely feel a need to give back to Dundonians who’ve made my life easier. I’m happy that the DAD is a living document and record, to give people from all sorts of communities and backgrounds a way to say they were here and this is what they were doing. It does mean a lot to have this happen in Dundee as the gentrification accelerates.
Transition Dundee/The Wardrobe – I think they’ve done a great job of making a point of saying why and how reusing clothing is important and how it can be fun, and I love that they make a point of re/introducing skills like sewing and mending, and are helping people with general skills.
Art Workers for Palestine Dundee – AWFPD attend the marches and demonstrations in support of Palestinian liberation but also have a programme of free events including screenings of Palestinian films – and sometimes even Palestinian baked goods – where Palestinian artists, creatives and voices are platformed. They also have loads of resources available in Generator Projects and have made resources widely available in loads of different forms to make learning about Palestinian liberation and decolonisation in general really accessible to anyone.
SBWN Linktree / Bluesky / Website
I’m the Events and Editorial Manager for the Scottish BPOC Writers Network (SBWN), a professional development and advocacy organisation for writers of colour in Scotland. We provide platforms for Scotland’s BPOC writers at all levels of experience to be published and paid, connect with fellow writers, and discover new avenues for pursuing their creative journeys and finding their unique voices.
I’m also a comics and pop culture critic specialising in overthinking the ridiculous, pulpy, light, and violent, and an intermittent performance storyteller. My hope is to play some part in reviving critique as its own form of creative nonfiction, illuminating the unexplored depths of cultural output that’s too often taken for granted.
It’s really exciting to be part of a creative community where there’s room for less conventional forms of artistic expression. In a city whose biggest creative claims to fame include DC Thomson, Rockstar Games, and William McGonagall, there’s less pressure to conform my practice to a preset mould and more scope to pursue the particular combination of elevating marginalised voices + writing literally thousands of words about throwaway issues of comic books that characterises my creative ethos.
More platforms and networks for writers of colour! Dundee is quite a good place for radical creative practice, as demonstrated by organisations like Generator, but – as I’ve learned through my work with SBWN – there’s a sizeable quantity of Black writers and writers of colour in the city who could really use spaces and opportunities to foster more community, solidarity, and connection.
I’d like to give a big shout out to two creative practitioners whose work fills an important space in Dundee’s – and Scotland’s – artistic landscape. They take their craft seriously in ways that engage with and showcase the artistic potential of contemporary, accessible genres and mediums. Also they’re delightful people!
Nailah King – horror writer specialising in Black women-led witchy stories, fellow Scottish BPOC Writers Network committee member, and founder of copywriting/digital storytelling agency The Content Witches.
Elena Lam – visual artist working in digital and traditional formats, with a focus on fantasy and animals. Her work is influenced by a real passion for classic 80s/90s comics, manga, anime, and video games.
I’m not sure what I would call myself, a practitioner? Really I’m a part time latte artist attempting to keep a performance art practice after graduating art school, who is also on the committee of the amazing Artist Run Initiative Generator Projects. I think whilst I figure out the title of what it is exactly I do, I would describe it as a meddler (more of a good enthusiastic meddler than an interfering one).
Dundee is the first place I have truly lived in, outside of my place of birth. Leaving school, no one I knew came to Dundee for Uni really, so I have been able to make Dundee my own. There is such a great community of people all doing similar things in Dundee. I have a great love for this place, now hopefully I can help keep it flourishing!
New independent exhibition spaces, music venues, and DIY spaces often struggle with consistent funding and support, meaning people are less likely to feel like they can get involved. More backing for these spaces could help keep Dundee’s creative scene diverse and dynamic. But we must also constantly encourage radical democracy and involvement. Keep artists in Dundee!!
CAPSoc – Contemporary Art Practice Society at DJCAD. They are really out here doing stuff! I was part of the committee for CAPSoc in my 4th year, and since then I have watched them flourish into the best group for supporting artists and students with opportunities in Dundee. So proud to see it and long may it continue!!
Monica Madas – The first time I heard Monooka sing it purified my soul. Then I discovered more about her practice when she undertook a residency at Generator. The way she blends music with movement, puppetry and drawing is absolutely gorgeous!
I must also add my fellow Generator Committee members are phenomenal; Isla Valentine Wade, Oli Valentine Kemp, Persephone Russell, Declan McCourt and Mhairi Anton.
Huge thanks to everyone for taking the time to share with us! Don’t miss our first Creative Base feature, spotlighting more of the talented folks who have made Dundee their creative home.
Find out more about Dundee’s creative scene in our Collectives in the City series exploring the city’s grassroots creative projects and organisations, shop local with our Makers Gift Guides, or browse our blogs for more in depth insights from the city’s creative practitioners.
If you would like to support us in creating even better content, please consider joining or supporting our Amps Community.
