Overview
Dundee Design Festival (DDF) is excited to announce an open call to participate in FRAMEWORK. This group exhibition will showcase Scotland based contemporary designers and makers, considering the myriad of ways design intertwines and overlaps with other artforms and industries.
We are looking for contemporary design works for a group show that conveys the quality, ambition and breadth of the contemporary Scottish design sector. We want to present recent work that brings together a range of innovative and creative ideas and methodologies.
Selected designers will receive:
- A participation fee of £50-£100.
- For those that experience barriers to participation, access costs are available. These include but are not limited to: caring responsibilities, accessibility, and travel.
About Dundee Design Festival
Dundee Design Festival (DDF) is a 7-day celebration of contemporary design all under one roof. With over 100 participating designers, a variety of exhibitions, installations and a host of interactive events and activities; this will be Scotland’s biggest design event.
It will strengthen the profile of local, national and international design, designers and their methods, and widen the understanding of design and its contribution to our society and culture.
This year’s theme is MULTIPLICITY. The venue is at Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc from 23-29th September 2024 where we’re inviting audiences to experience the multiplicity of ways that design shapes our world. Sustainability is at the heart of the festival. We are on track to be one of the world’s most sustainable design festivals with a commitment to use less than 30% virgin materials in the production of the event – further details can be found here.
As the UK’s only UNESCO City of Design, the festival positions Dundee and Scotland as an important centre for design and creativity which is diverse, collaborative and rooted in experimentation and innovation.
Dundee Design Festival is a UNESCO City of Design Dundee project delivered through Dundee Partnership and hosted by V&A Dundee.
Eligibility Criteria
FRAMEWORK is a group exhibition showcasing existing works from contemporary designers based in Scotland. The display will run throughout the festival at Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc, from Monday 23 September to Sunday 29 September 2024.
This is not a commissioning opportunity, nor a trade show; FRAMEWORK is an exhibition. If you’d like to make your work available for purchase, we can signpost this to visitors, however transactions will not be processed by DDF (they should take place independently between purchasers and individual designers). Each work will be selected by the DDF team (further details below).
Said works will be displayed utilising donated industrial materials in line with the festival’s sustainability commitment, and will be installed by the DDF technical team, under the direction of festival curator Dr Stacey Hunter. Selected designers are not required to be onsite during install. DDF reserves the right to display selected works in our preferred manner.
Sustainability is at the heart of the festival. We are on track to be one of the world’s most sustainable design festivals with a commitment to use less than 30% virgin materials in the production of the event – further details can be found here. It is important that featured FRAMEWORK designers also consider sustainability through their work.
FRAMEWORK is an object based exhibition, however we welcome submissions from those working in alternative ways (digitally or virtually for example). For these types of applicants, proposed display methods should be considered and noted when applying.
How to Apply
To submit for FRAMEWORK, please complete the online application form.
For anyone who cannot access the online application form, a downloadable version is available here. This should be completed and returned, alongside supporting imagery, to dundeedesignfestival@vandadundee.org using the subject line ‘FRAMEWORK Application’.
Dundee Design Festival is funded by Creative Scotland. With this in mind, we are requesting all applicants fill in an anonymous Equality and Diversity Monitoring Form.
You can complete the Equality and Diversity Monitoring Form here or via the link in the online application form.
Supporting imagery should be submitted via the online application form when prompted; up to 8 images can be uploaded. Videos are also accepted as supporting imagery; a maximum of 3 hyperlinks can be copied into the online application form when prompted. Submissions without supporting imagery will not be accepted.
Please note, any applications received after the deadline of Midnight, Sunday 7 July 2024 will not be considered.
We’re committed to an inclusive and accessible application process. If you would prefer to submit audio responses rather than written responses for the longer-form questions, please get in touch so we can make suitable accommodations. If you have any other questions about the application process, please email dundeedesignfestival@vandadundee.org
Technical Requirements to Note
- Supporting images should be jpeg format at 300dpi; one side should ideally measure a minimum of 1000px.
- Please pay close attention to the naming conventions for all files you upload (all file names must start with your name).
- Once you hit the submit button, the files will be uploaded. This might take some time (depending on your internet connection and size of files). Do not navigate away or shut the page down. After submission, check that you received an automated thank you email.
- To avoid any accidental losses, we recommend you write your answers separately and copy/paste them into the required fields.
Selection Process
Submissions will be reviewed by our Dundee Design Festival team the week commencing Monday 8 July 2024. The team will select designers on the basis of their eligibility and the individual quality of their submissions, as well as with a view to forming a cohesive collective presentation. All accepted applicants will be contacted the week commencing Monday 15 July 2024.
FAQ
Is it okay if my work has been exhibited previously?
Totally fine with us! However, if your work has been displayed within the last 3 years, we’d love to hear when and where it was shown. You can include a wee note about this in your application, within the ‘Description of Work’ question. This will not affect your final word count.
My work doesn’t have a strong sustainability focus, does this mean I’m not eligible?
We’d love to hear about how you consider the issue of sustainability – even if the submitted work doesn’t focus on it as a theme. Does sustainability interest you? Is it something that affects how you work – or think about a project? We’d love to know!
I’d like to propose a new piece of work I’ve not yet made, is this eligible?
FRAMEWORK is not a commissioning opportunity. With this in mind, only existing works are eligible for submission.
Can I submit work as part of a collective or organisation rather than as an individual designer?
Of course! We welcome submissions from all types of working styles and environments (including collectives, studios, agencies etc) however we request that one person acts as the main contact throughout the application process.
I have multiple pieces of work I’d like to submit – can I apply more than once?
We recommend you submit just once, even if you have multiple pieces you’d like to share with us. Please focus your application on one work only. If you feel strongly about sharing additional works, please note this in the ‘Any Questions?’ answer box on the online application form. Please note, only one work per designer will be featured. For smaller scale works, such as jewellery, a set of pieces could be considered as one work.
I’m sure I had a question, I just can’t quite remember it right now!
No problem at all! You can send us any enquiries at dundeedesignfestival@vandadundee.org. We aim to reply within 5 working days, however this can be longer during busy periods.