The head of Leisure and Culture Dundee has travelled to London in search of answers as to what went wrong with the Capital of Culture 2023 bid.
Director Stewart Murdoch, who was part of the bid team which had been due to pitch to the UK government on Tuesday morning, will instead meet representatives of the European Commission and the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to discuss why the city was allowed to continue with its bid following the Brexit vote.
Teams from five cities – Nottingham, Milton Keynes, Leeds and a joint Belfast-Derry-Strabane partnership – had been assured by DCMS their bids to become European Capital of Culture would not be affected.
That proved not to be the case last Thursday, when the European Commission wrote to DCMS to inform it that because of Brexit, no UK cities could be considered.
SNP administration leader Councillor John Alexander addressed Dundee City Council members on Monday evening to inform them of what steps were now being taken.
Mr Alexander moved to reassure councillors the efforts made by the bid team and the local authority in preparation for the Capital of Culture competition would not go to waste.
He said: “On the back of the disappointment of last week’s announcement regarding the Capital of Culture bid we are all now acutely aware of what has happened, but there are still details about exactly why it happened to come forward.
“We are seeking direct action both from the European Commission and the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
“Head of Leisure and Culture Dundee, Stewart Murdoch, is in London this week as part of these discussions and I hope to keep all members briefed.
“I have heard and looked all of the feedback sent to me following last Thursday’s announcement and I thank you for that.
“The hard work which has gone in will not go to waste and we will work to develop something, the details of which will come to light over the next weeks and months.
“I have had messages from our cultural partners including Dundee Contemporary Arts who are fully behind what we are trying to do.
“Rest assured I won’t be sitting on my hands and I will keep members abreast of all developments.
“We will still celebrate culture in this city.”
The details of both the bid document and what would have been pitched to DCMS are being kept tightly under guard, in case any progress is made following the discussions, according to a source close to the Dundee 2023 team.
