28 May 2013

2013 Degree Show attracts record visitor numbers

A record number of visitors flocked to this year's DJCAD Degree Show, Dundee's largest annual exhibition of art and design

By the time the curtain came down on this year's show, around 12,500 visitors had taken in the work of 290 graduating students from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design. This figure includes graduates from around the world who attended a special alumni reception to mark DJCAD's 125th anniversary.

Professor Tom Inns, Dean of DJCAD, said, "The quality of this year's Degree Show was absolutely first class, and our graduating students have once again excelled in producing an exhibition that is thought-provoking, challenges convention and displays huge amounts of technical ability.

"We are delighted that so many people visited the show, and I am sure they will have been very impressed with what they saw. The reputation of the show is such that visitors come from far and wide each year, and it was a real pleasure to welcome returning alumni from all over the world to help us celebrate the 125th anniversary of DJCAD."

Around 3500 students and their family and friends visited the Degree Show on the traditional Preview Evening on 17th May with an average of more than 100 people visiting every hour the exhibition was open thereafter.

Attendee numbers were bolstered by visits from schools, community groups, applicants, industry professionals and other organisations. The estimated benefit to the local economy of the Degree Show is around £1.5million with bars, restaurants, and hotels among the businesses that report a significant boost in takings at this time each year.

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
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