13 September 2009

Success of degree show recognised with prestigious award

The success of this year’s record-breaking Dundee Degree Show has seen the University of Dundee pick up a prestigious prize at the Scottish Event Awards 2009.

The Degree Show, which for the first time was held at the Vision building at Seabraes, exhibits the work of graduating students from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design. It was also the first time that a catwalk had featured as part of the Degree Show.

It beat off competition from schools, colleges and universities across Scotland to become the inaugural winner of the Best Educational Event award. In addition, the University narrowly missed out on the overall Event Management Grand Prix prize, the top award handed out at the ceremony.

The incredible quality of work produced by DJCAD graduates was showcased in the Vision building back in May and June. Supermodel Erin O’ Connor, a trustee of the Victoria and Albert Museum, was guest of honour at a special Preview Evening, and around 7000 people attended the exhibition within 24 hours of its doors opening.

Representatives of the College, part of the University of Dundee, along with colleagues from External Relations, who were responsible for VIP Preview Event 'Designs On ... The Future', picked up the award at a glittering ceremony held at the Hilton Hotel, Glasgow on Friday, September 11th.

Joan Concannon, Director of External Relations at the University, said everyone was thrilled at the award, which reinforced the city’s position as a centre of excellence for art and design, a status that is driving the ‘V&A at Dundee’ campaign led by the University and its partners.

'We are absolutely delighted to have the 2009 Degree Show recognised in this way,' she said. 'The award is a fitting tribute to everyone who worked so hard to make the event the success it was and, of course, the students who produced a wonderful array of challenging and thought-provoking work.'

'This year’s event revitalised an unused commercial property in a central city location, and this proved an innovative way of demonstrating the quality of artistic talent being produced in Dundee.'

'This raised the profile of the city as a hub of creative art, and the preview evening, which featured a dynamic catwalk display of the work of students from jewellery and textiles featuring 22 students as fashion models, was a resounding success.'

'Erin O’ Connor proved a big hit with students and guests alike as she officially opened the Degree Show from the catwalk.'

In total, nearly 11,000 people visited the 2009 Degree Show during its two-week run. With almost 5000 visiting the city and taking an overnight stay, an estimated £1.5million was generated for the local economy.

More than 250 graduates of a range of disciplines including fine art, graphic design, illustration, jewellery and metal design, textile design, and time-based art and digital film pushed the boundaries with their exhibitions.

The Society of Scottish Artists also mounted their public exhibition simultaneously with the Dundee Degree Show to enhance the experience - the first time the organisation had ever exhibited outside of Edinburgh.

The VIP Event ‘Designs On... The Future’, led by the University’s External Relations department, focused on attracting an audience of influential industry stakeholders. More than 500 people attended this invite-only event which featured 22 Dundee students as fashion models. This event led to widespread media coverage which in turn led to a significant increase in numbers of guests attending the Friday night preview night.

Visitors included potential employers, media, curators, friends and families of the students, general public, and other professionals involved in the art world. The feedback received from visitors, who came from as far afield as Singapore and the USA, was overwhelmingly positive.

The Best Educational Event award recognised those events which focus on the advancement of education or are organised for or by educational establishments.

The Scottish Event Awards recognised the best events staged in Scotland over the past year, along with the support services that made them possible. They celebrate excellence in a number of areas, including exhibitions, conferences, product launches, sports events and venues.

Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design has been rated as the top art school in Scotland and in the top four in the UK according to the latest Research Assesment Exercise (RAE). It has led the V&A at Dundeeproject to create a statement building on Dundee’s waterfront to house V&A contemporary collections and transform Dundee into THE Scottish art and design city.

For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07854 953277