V&A Dundee ready to fire up Ignite Festival

13 May 2014

A pioneering digital design and culture organisation will visit Dundee this month thanks to the V&A Museum of Design Dundee.

On Saturday May 24 the city will play host to two events featuring the acclaimed cultural agency onedotzero.

Established in 1997, onedotzero has become a world leader in digital and audio-visual culture, curating high-profile touring festivals, acclaimed public exhibitions, seminars and bespoke screening programmes aimed at inspiring innovation.

onedotzero co-curated the phenomenally successful Decode: Digital Design Sensations at the V&A in London in 2009/10. The groundbreaking exhibition, featuring existing work and new commissions by established international artists and designers, showcased the latest developments in digital and interactive design to rave review.

That partnership has now led onedotzero to Dundee as part of the Ignite Dundee festival, which runs from 16-31 May and showcases the very best of Dundee’s creative and cultural activity.

On Saturday 24 May, 10.30 -11.30am, the Hannah Maclure Centre Cinema at Abertay University will show a selection of fun-packed shorts hand-picked for the new digital generation of young motion aficionados. With visually stimulating animations from around the world, this range of comical and charming stories promises to entertain, stimulate and delight all members of the family and is suitable for all ages from two years and upwards.

Later the same day at 6pm Shane Walter, Creative Director and Co-Founder of onedotzero, will deliver a lecture at the University of Dundee’s Dalhousie Building. Shane will discuss how onedotzero brings art, entertainment and technology together to thrilling effect across the globe.

Sarah Saunders, Head of Learning and Engagement for V&A Dundee, said it was a coup to be able to bring a world-class organization of onedotzero’s stature to Dundee and their eagerness to take up the invitation underlined the city’s status as one of the UK’s fastest developing creative hubs.

She added, “onedotzero are an award-winning digital and cultural organisation who have a vast range of experience, from co-curating the V&A's Decode: Digital Design Sensations exhibition, to creating a touring festival that visited 150 cities worldwide over 15 years.

“We are really looking forward to welcoming onedotzero to Dundee as part of the Ignite Festival – and equally as excited about showing off our fabulous city to them while they’re here.”

Free tickets for both events are available by logging on to www.vandadundee.org

ENDS

Notes to editors:

V&A Museum of Design Dundee will be an international centre for design, housed in a world-class building at the heart of Dundee’s revitalized waterfront. It will host major exhibitions, celebrate design heritage, inspire and promote contemporary talent, and encourage future design innovation.

V&A Dundee is being delivered by Design Dundee Ltd, a partnership between the Victoria and Albert Museum – the world’s greatest museum of art and design – and Dundee City Council, the University of Dundee, Abertay University and Scottish Enterprise.

The Scottish Government has committed £15m in capital towards the project’s £45m budget. The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has awarded a further £9.4m (of which £8m is for capital). Creative Scotland has awarded £5m (of which £4.5m is for capital). The remaining amounts will fund activities in the pre and early opening phase. A further £15m is also being sought from private sources, corporates, generous philanthropic pledges and gifts with £6.7m already raised towards this goal.

onedotzero is a cultural leader curating and producing memorable and engaging events, exhibitions and experiences. Bringing art, entertainment and technology together to thrilling effect, onedotzero’s skills encompass commissioning, production, consulting, public and private events, content development, publishing and education.

For all media enquiries, please contact: Graeme Cleland or Susan Nickalls at the BIG Partnership on 0131 557 5252 or email firstname.surname@bigpartnership.co.uk

ABOUT IGNITE DUNDEE:

Ignite Dundee runs from 16-31 May and showcases the very best of Dundee’s creative talent.

Ignite Dundee is a partnership between Abertay University; Dundee Contemporary Arts; Dundee – One City, Many Discoveries; Dundee Rep Theatre; Leisure & Culture Dundee; University of Dundee and V&A Dundee.

For more information, visit www.ignitedundee.co.uk

#IgniteDundee