2024 Festival to celebrate the city's 10th anniversary of UNESCO City of Design designation
working with local and international partners to present an ambitious and optimistic
programme of design-centred exhibitions, events and projects

Festival to take place from 23 - 29 September 2024 in a dedicated space at the Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc which will be transformed into a national hub of design during a week of design-led exhibitions, events and experiences 2024 will be the Festival’s fifth edition showcasing the work of local and national designers and raising the profile of contemporary design in Scotland A new evergreen brand identity for Dundee Design Festival has been created by Martin Baillie Studio. It has been designed to act as a blank canvas – allowing designers to produce a bespoke creative concept for the marketing of each iteration of the festival. For the 2024 edition, a competition with the 2024 final year Graphic Design cohort at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design will see the winning students’ design writ large across the city and the Festival branding, staff uniforms and marketing materials From the 23rd of September 2024, Dundee Design Festival will activate a former factory space with work by over 100 designers, exploring a multiplicity of contemporary design ideas and practice. As Scotland’s National Design Festival, the programme will further anchor Dundee’s identity as a city of design.

UNESCO City of Design Dundee are poised to celebrate their 10th year as the city’s design champions in an iconic venue that has rarely been accessible to the public. Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc will become Scotland’s biggest design event with a week-long celebration featuring an exciting line-up of design-led exhibitions, events and experiences.,

Curated by Local Heroes founder Dr Stacey Hunter, the 5th Festival embraces Multiplicity as its theme. The programme will feature local, national and international elements showcasing the diversity of design, recognising the multiplicity of ways that designers and makers contribute to our world from design and craft to art and architecture.

Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc sits on the site of the former Michelin Tire factory. Powered by a mixture of sustainable and clean energy, the venue is the perfect festival partner with over 10,000 square metres of space that allows DDF to bring the work of over 100 designers together under one roof.

“We’re so excited that through the festival, we can help shine a light under the incredible facilities for innovation and technology businesses that are a key part of Dundee’s sustainable future.” Annie Marrs, Lead Officer, UNESCO City of Design Dundee, said: Ahead of a full programme launch in early 2024, Dundee Design Festival confirmed details of one of the many exhibitions taking place next year. Hyper-Local: Objects from the UNESCO Design Cities Network will be an international exhibition of design objects that embody specific qualities about the place that it comes from. The inspiring designs have been selected from the global network of UNESCO Cities Of Design. Participating cities include; Bilbao, Detroit and Nagoya. The exhibition will tell a city-specific story about design spanning materials and craftsmanship, industrial innovation, technology and culture.

Dundee Design Festival Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc Dundee photo by Grant Anderson

Speaking ahead of the festival its Creative Director Dr Stacey Hunter said:

“Our UNESCO Design Cities exhibition will reveal a multiplicity of ways of thinking about design. Whether made by hand or rapidly-prototyped, the objects will offer audiences a unique snapshot of international design solutions and a hyper-local insight into a diversity of cultures. It’s our anniversary present to the city and I look forward to sharing this expanded understanding of design and its contribution to everyday life, society and culture with Festival audiences.”

“We’re delighted to reveal Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc (MSIP) as our venue partner. This venue allows us so much flexibility and really encourages an approach that’s generous and expansive. The Festival will harness the cultural power of design to explore a sustainable vision of Scoland’s post-industrial future – one that reflects the creativity and innovation being pioneered by designers and makers at home and internationally.``

Annie Marrs, Lead Officer, UNESCO City of Design Dundee, said:

“The countdown is on for next year’s festival and Dundee’s 10th anniversary as the UK’s first and only UNESCO City of Design. Much like the city, the festival will embrace an international outlook that includes and values local projects and people, as well as celebrating national and international achievements. Design is for everybody and as we confirm more elements of the programme for the amazing space at Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc we’re excited to create a memorable festival where more than 100 designers will be showcased all under one roof.”

“We are learning so much from the dynamic and energetic team at MSIP about sustainability and it really underlines that for us, sustainability, inclusion and community are not themes – they are part of the DNA of the festival. Our shared values have made for a wonderful working relationship as we work together to showcase the potential of the carbon neutral site.”

Greig Coull, Chief Executive Officer at MSIP said:

“We’re incredibly excited to be the venue partner for the fifth Dundee Design Festival. By utilising our unique and flexible industrial units, alongside our green energy from wind power, I’m really pleased we can support the festival to deliver an ambitious programme that is internationally focused, with sustainability in mind. This fits both with the values and themes of the UNESCO City of Design status and with those of MSIP.

“Dundee is a City known for creativity, innovation and thinking big and next years’ festival, hosted at MSIP, will demonstrate all of that and more. It’s a privilege that we can host such an exciting festival at the Innovation Parc.”

The full programme for the festival will be launched in Spring 2024.

Listings Information: Dundee Design Festival 2024 23 - 29 September 2024 Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc, Baldovie Rd, Dundee DD4 8UQ Dundeedesignfestival.com (live from 5pm 1st December 2023)

For further information and updates about the festival go to dundeedesignfestival.com @dnd_designfest

For further information, interview and image requests please contact Owen O’Leary, Oh Really PR on 07815992658 or email owen@ohreally.co.uk