‘Design Out Loud’ to showcase oral history collection

Published On Fri 15 Sep 2017 by Grant Hill

Dundee’s designation as the UK’s first City of Design recognised the creativity and innovation running through its past and driving its future, features that a University of Dundee event will celebrate next week.

Clips from a 1985 fashion show filmed on campus are among the highlights of ‘Design Out Loud’, an event being held at the Baxter Suite on Thursday 21 September to showcase the University’s oral history collection and champion the role of design in the city.

The interactive multimedia event will cover illustration, graphics, comic arts and fashion, with recordings of interviews with leading figures from these disciplines being played as well alongside live talks from those working in design in Dundee today.

Matthew Jarron, head of Museum Services at the University, will discuss how it has been a vital part of Dundee’s evolution for well over a century. DC Thomson archivist David Powell will explain the role of design in comics and Suzanne Scott, the designer of the Discovery Walk plaques and Oor Wullie statues, will speak about her work.

This is the fourth annual event based around the oral history collection, a project instigated to give a voice to the hundreds of thousands of archival items held by the University.

“Our archives are full of fascinating documents, maps and photographs that help tell the story of both the University and the city of Dundee,” explained Senior Archivist Dr Jan Merchant. “Our oral history project adds to and enhances the documentary collections, creating intimate insights and providing fresh perspectives on our heritage.

“These voices capture the big stories, but very often it’s the everyday things that people want to know about. To that end, we have interviewed more than 100 people including jute workers, artists, police officers, politicians, housewives, soldiers, singers, musicians, journalists and poets.

“This event celebrates design and how it is represented in the archives. As a UNESCO City of Design, Dundee is recognised as one of the world’s leading centres of design and we are keen to highlight this topic in our collection too. The evening is open to the public and we really want to get them involved and telling us their stories as well as listening to those of others.”

‘Design Out Loud’ takes place at the Baxter Suite, Tower Building, from 6.30-8pm on Thursday 21 September. Entry is free but, as spaces are limited, anyone interested in attending should register in advance by contacting the Archive on 01382 384095 or booking their ticket at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/design-out-loud-tickets-37243249562.

For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
Tel: +44 (0)1382 384768
Mobile: 07854 953277
Email: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk