It’s great to see places starting to open up here in Dundee, we are so lucky to have so many cultural buildings and events on our doorstep. Here is my round up of some of my favourite places if you fancy getting out and about and rediscovering the city again. *I’ve popped links to all the places so you can check for any bookings or restrictions.
15th August – It’s great that Dundee’s Farmers Market is set to start back up monthly, you can pick up local produce from breads, jams to veggies.
20th August – The McManus Galleries is favourite building of mine, stashed full of interesting objects. I love the Stephen Bird ceramic piece it’s worth stopping and having a closer look at it. The David Batchelor sculpture brings a smile to my face with the brightly coloured bottles too. It’s great to see my Dundee Delights illustrated products available to buy again from their shop.
27th August – V&A Dundee I’m so looking forward to seeing the Mary Quant exhibition – as you know I love colour and pattern and my background is in printed textiles! Can’t believe I’ve not been in the building since March, normally I would be in regularly delivering workshops for schools and families.
4th September – Dundee Contemporary Arts It’ll be nice to see Arty the penguin again at Jute Café Bar, I’m sure Arty has been a good guard while the building has been closed. I’ve always loved the DCA for their cinema, beer garden on a sunny day and picking up cool cards and gifts from the shop. You will be able to pick up my Dundee Delights greetings cards, magnets and tea towels here . The galleries will be opening the following week.
Places already open include: Dundee Transport Museum good for a bit of nostalgia. Camperdown Zoo somewhere I like to take my son (and I like it too), check the website to book a slot. Verdant Works is a great space, remember to look up at the cool rafters. And if you like boats and history visit RRS Discovery or HMS Unicorn . You can also check out www.Dundee.com for more things happening.
If you would like to see the full Dundee Delights collections inspired by Dundee landmarks and foods you can see them here with free postage on all orders. You’ll also spot some new prints inspired by the wildflower growing during lockdown.
Thanks for reading!
Dundee Delights is a new illustrated greeting cards collection by designer and illustrator Louise Kirby. Launching on Friday 13th October by giving a fresh and positive image of the city. Louise will place free cards around the city hoping that the finders will send them to friends and family locally and to the far corners of the globe. Louise would love to hear of where they end up be it an Aunty in Australia who loved days at the ferry beach as a child, an old school or university friend in another city that you want to hello to, or invite your granny in Lochee for a coffee and cake. To share where they end up either email Louise Kirby on 
Patterned sand looking over to Broughty Ferry castle with a happy sun shiny Dundee cake sky, evoking memories of days at the beach.
The characterful 5 bronze penguins by sculptor Angela Hunter that make people smile as they walk past and sometimes they have been known to adorn clothes and hats.
Local delicacy of the Dundee Cake, with the lovely pattern of the almonds on top.
Maggies Centre designed by world renowned architect Frank Gehry here in the city which I believe is evidence of how good design changes peoples’ lives providing a place of calm, support, nurture and tranquility created within a purposeful space. Externally, I enjoy the shape and movement of the roof which I feel echoes the local landscape.
Creative and cultural hub in Dundee with the curved face of different surfaces which is invites you in to the space which houses 2 cinemas, print studio, galleries and a bar and a restaurant.
Dundee’s art gallery and museum in the fantastic gothic revival architecture, I love dramatic staircase and the detail in the architecture. So many stories lye within this building I particularly love the ceramics, Dundee and the World exhibitions and the Tay whale.