All events are free unless otherwise stated. To browse events by region, please refer to the digital print programme available to view and download here. View a map of events here.
University of Dundee
Festival Hub 2019
‘The Aquatic City’
The Tay is a dark and eerie river with an ignoble history of bridge disasters, whaling, pirating and shipwrecks. But its biggest surprise has yet to reach the surface, a Scottish Atlantis has thrived beneath the water this whole time. In this imaginative series of events, University of Dundee researchers will explore everything from sea monsters to Scottish folk songs, graphic novels to magic lanterns.
November 2019
The Aquatic City’s Well of Ideas
Inspired by the Poet’s Box shops in which Dundonians once performed and printed their latest creations, this festival-long shopping centre hub will celebrate the city’s aquatic heritage through hands-on workshops, dramatic performances, film and visual art, and more. Get your hands inky with Pathfoot Press and their hand-operated letterpress. Watch some of Dundee’s most talented 'zinesters' hard at work. Explore ideas of place, environment, and climate change in writing workshops. Or join in making poems from found texts, and take…
Find out more »Sea Creatures, Great and Small
This take-over event at Dundee Science Centre will include all of the regular interactive exhibitions, plus some special water-themed activities, such as monstrous crafts and drawing, pop-up performances and talks, face-painting, and more. Artists from Dundee Comics Creative Space will help you create your own sea creatures, great and small. Come and see the new permanent whale and whaling exhibition for yourself! Suitable for all ages. Please note: hundreds of free tickets will be available to book on first come,…
Find out more »All Aboard Me ‘Arties!
The rich whaling collections held in the University of Dundee's archives have inspired this unique event of creativity and exploration for all the family. The session will start with storytelling by Matthew Ylitalo, with an exhilarating tour of the secret history of whaling in Dundee. Children will then have the opportunity to get arty, illustrating Matthew’s story or creating their own story through illustration. With original archives to look at and handle, and a sailing board game designed by Archive…
Find out more »The Tay Treasure Hunt & Beach Clean
Led by student volunteers and 'Playing Small Parts' Eddie Small (local playwright and Being Human festival veteran), meet at Broughty Castle for four events in one! Come along for a treasure hunt (of fake treasures recovered from a fantastical civilisation living in the Tay!), a beach clean, an open-air walking tour, and a forum for improvised storytelling. As you walk, you will learn more about the local environment and create stories about the Tay people and their ancient and modern…
Find out more »‘What Lurks Beneath’
An homage to the weird and wonderful world of B-movies, this short faux-documentary by film artist Chris Gerrard splices together classic clips with some new footage to tell the ludicrously fake story of the mysterious people (and things) lurking beneath us in the eerie River Tay. Feast your eyes on this unique archaeology of aquatic-themed film. Includes a short Q&A with the filmmaker. This event is part of 'The Aquatic City' hub series organised by the University of Dundee.
Find out more »‘Song of the Sea’
Ten-year-old Ben and his younger sister Saoirse live in a lighthouse towering over the sea with their gruff father, who is unable to get over the loss of his late wife. Saoirse, now six, has never uttered a word, though Ben happily chatters away for both of them. But we soon learn that Saoirse, like her mother before her, is a selkie – mythological creatures that live as seals in the sea but shed their skins to live as humans…
Find out more »‘River of Words’ with the Wyvern Poets
Come along for an evening of poetry inspired by the eerie and majestic River Tay, in association with the Wyvern Poets Writing Group Dundee. Writing group members will read a selection of their new pieces from their specially commissioned pamphlet River of Words (available free for attendees). There will also be an opportunity to try out your own writing in the open mic section of the evening. Refreshments will be provided. This event is part of 'The Aquatic City' hub…
Find out more »‘Water Worlds’ Comic Book Launch
Join us in the new Dundee Comics Creative Space for the launch of the latest comic book produced during this year's festival, comprising the artworks of local artists and competition winners. Sea monsters, sailors, selkies, and more - the sea is truly a site of terrors and wonders! Professor Chris Murray will open with a quick illustrated talk on a history of water-world comics such as Aquaman. Then certificates and complementary comics will be presented to competition winners. An exhibition…
Find out more »Sails, Whales, and Tails!
Designed and performed by the Chairman of The Magic Lantern Society, Jeremy Brooker, this event comprises a hair-raising, eye-popping visual performance using Victorian equipment and live musical accompaniment to bring our whaling and seafaring history back to life. Watch as a fantastical world of discovery and exploration opens up before your very eyes, from Dundee to infinity and beyond! Also includes explanatory talks (with a Q&A) and, at the end, a chance for the general public to take a closer…
Find out more »Sails, Whales, and Tails!
Designed and performed by the Chairman of The Magic Lantern Society, Jeremy Brooker, this event comprises a hair-raising, eye-popping visual performance using Victorian equipment and live musical accompaniment to bring our whaling and seafaring history back to life. Watch as a fantastical world of discovery and exploration opens up before your very eyes, from Dundee to infinity and beyond! Also includes explanatory talks (with a Q&A) and, at the end, a chance for the general public to take a closer…
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