2019 news from the University of Dundee Museum Services

From the Curator of Museum Services at the University of Dundee :

We kick off 2019 with a new exhibition in the Tower Foyer Gallery highlighting some of the most exciting recent additions to our collections. Since our last Recent Acquisitions exhibition in 2017, over 1 400 items have been catalogued into the Museum Collections, a small selection of which are shown here. Among the highlights are:

• artworks acquired by Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design from the annual Degree Shows

• fascinating natural history specimens from Life Sciences and Anatomy

• drawings from the Moira Macgregor Bequest, a major donation of over 500 artworks by the Dundee-born designer

• original comics art acquired by the School of Humanities to support their innovative Comics Studies courses

• an Apple II computer from 1978 used in the Psychology department

The exhibition is on show until 23rd March and is open Monday to Friday 9.30am to 7pm; Saturday 1pm to 5pm.

We are also pleased to announce an exciting development for the D’Arcy Thompson Zoology Museum, which will now be open to the public one Saturday a month throughout the year. The museum will now be open 2pm to 4.30pm on the second Saturday of every month. Admission is free – please enter by the main front door of the Carnelley Building. More details here.

Dundee Pensioners’ Forum – Question Time

I am looking forward to participating in next Monday’s Dundee Pensioners’ Forum Question Time :

Improvements at Riverside #dundeewestend

At the City Council’s Neighbourhood Services Committee last week, we agreed improvements at Riverside as follows :

Central Reservation on Riverside Drive : Due to the nature of this island and with how busy this part of the road is, it is dangerous for staff to carry out cutting work on the grass here. To enhance the approach to the city, removing the grass and replacing with hard standing will be not only tidier but takes away the risk of working on this narrow island.

Installation of bollards between the pavilion and Barnetts Motors : On several occasions, there have been near misses with cars (when football is on in particular) – both bumping onto the grass and coming off. Installing bollards will not only reduce the parking here, on safety grounds, but encourage users to use the car park provided at the pavilion. It will also keep the grass in better condition.

Car park at the pavilion : Due to ongoing complaints, this car park now requires more than being topped up with materials. Proposals are to scrape up existing car park, re-level to ensure water run off and resurface with recycled Tar Planings, making the car park a safer area to use. This will not have the appearance of fully resurfaced hardstanding but will substantially improve the look and performance of the pavilion car park for users.

As I have repeatedly raised the condition of the car park over the years with the council – see below – the improvement planned is very welcome indeed.

Weekly Road Report – West End Ward #dundeewestend

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL – WEEKLY ROAD REPORT

Forthcoming Roadworks – West End Ward

Bellfield Street – off-peak (9.30am – 3.30pm) stop/go traffic control on Monday 18 February for 2 days at new housing development for road and footway reinstatement works.

Latest Friends of Wighton update!

From Sheena Wellington :

Next Saturday – 19th January – at 11am (doors open at 10.30am)

Cappucino Concert with Simon Kempston

Simon Kempston is ‘one of Scotland’s best songwriters’ (The Sunday Herald) and leading fingerstyle guitarists. Simon’s original, distinctive guitar playing is founded upon a complex, finger-picking style which technically reveals his classical training yet is steeped in the history of the folk, blues and celtic traditions and is complemented by Simon’s rich, powerful and compelling clipped vocal style.

An award-winning songwriter and an inspiring, poetic lyricist, Simon’s songs are amongst the most thought-provoking you are likely to hear, often sidestepping the usual themes of love and attraction in favour of offering social commentary and an insight into the everyday lives of people.

Simon is a powerful and intense live performer, and his true passion for music and song shines through in his acclaimed shows. He has performed at scores of esteemed venues and festivals in 27 European countries and Canada, Ronnie Scott’s, Celtic Connections, Sligo Live and Fairport Convention’s Cropredy Festival amongst many others. Simon has also performed live on BBC Radio Stations across the UK, as well as a plethora of continental music radio stations.

Simon’s first full-length album ‘Carefree Prisoner’ was released in 2009 to rave reviews and his latest album, which sees him reignite his relationship with Ian McCalman as producer, is his best, most poetic, most diverse and engaging collection of songs yet. The album is entitled ‘Broken Before’, was released in late 2018, and features superb, complementing instrumentation from Robbie Greig, William Archibald and Bob Miller.

Immerse yourself in the soundscape of this incredibly talented performer and allow his beautifully crafted folk-tinged songs to transport you on a uniquely Scottish journey.

Tickets £5 with tea & coffee available for a small donation.