6 September 2011

V&A at Dundee Development Director appointed

Mr Sandy Richardson has been appointed to the position of Development Director for the V&A at Dundee project.

A highly experienced fundraising professional who has been Head of Development at National Museums Scotland for the past seven years, Mr Richardson will take up his post on 31st October.

£45million of funding is required to establish an international centre for design housed in a world-class building at the heart of Dundee's waterfront. A third of that is anticipated to come from the Scottish Government, a third from statutory bodies such as the Lottery and European funding streams, and a third from individuals, trusts, foundations and companies.

Whilst at National Museums Scotland, Mr Richardson successfully delivered a £46million capital campaign that allowed its extensive and acclaimed redevelopment to take place. Prior to that, he was Head of Development and Alumni Relations at Heriot-Watt University and has also worked in marketing with various publishing companies.

Mr Richardson has led award-winning fundraising teams with a proven record in raising large sums of money from both public and private sources, domestically and internationally. He will work closely with Philip Long, Director of the V&A at Dundee project, the Fundraising Board headed up by Alasdair Locke and Tim Allan, and the various project partners.

Discussing his new role, he said, 'The V&A at Dundee project represents a tremendous vision, and I am very excited to be playing a part in bringing it to reality. It is a bold, ambitious and transformational project which will change the face of Dundee and also change the way people think about design.

'We now need to secure substantial financial support to make something extraordinary happen. As a professional fundraiser with a lot of experience building support for capital developments in the cultural sector, I look forward to this challenge and am confident that such an amazing vision can command the attention, the enthusiasm and the philanthropic backing of a wide range of supporters.

'Working with the team already in place, a committed Board, Philip Long as Director and Alasdair Locke and Tim Allan leading the fundraising drive, I can’t wait to get started in this new role.'

Philip Long welcomed Mr Richardson to the project, and said he was delighted to have someone of his calibre joining the team.

'Sandy Richardson has an excellent track record in large-scale fundraising projects as well as a real passion for Scotland’s cultural sector. I’m sure he will do an excellent job as we seek to raise the capital to deliver the V&A at Dundee project.

'Last week we announced that Alasdair Locke and Tim Allan would be heading up the Fundraising Board, and Sandy’s appointment another significant step in our plans to realise the project.'

The V&A at Dundee will be an international centre for design housed in a world-class building at the heart of Dundee's waterfront. It will celebrate Scotland’s design heritage, showcase contemporary design talent, and encourage design innovation for the future while providing a venue for major international touring exhibitions from the V&A and other providers.

Architect Kengo Kuma’s design for the V&A at Dundee was last month named by leading journal World Architecture News as the best 'Unbuilt' project in the Civic Buildings category.

The project is being delivered by Design Dundee Ltd, a ground-breaking partnership between the Victoria and Albert Museum - the world’s greatest museum of art and design - and Dundee City Council, the Universities of Dundee and Abertay Dundee, and Scottish Enterprise.

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