Standing up for Dundee and promoting arts and culture

Following the Dundee City Council Leisure, Arts and Communities Committee meeting on 8th June I welcomed the report which highlighted excellence of Dundee's museums and I also called upon the whole council to support extra funding for Dundee's museums. My press release on the issue is below.


Standing up for Dundee


Labour's spokesperson on Leisure, Arts and Communities for Dundee City Council Councillor Richard McCready has welcomed the commitment of Councillor Bob Duncan to stand up for Dundee and to make the case for Dundee's museums to the Culture Minister Michael Russell MSP. Councillor McCready highlighted the excellence of Dundee's museum collection at Monday evening's committee meeting and pointed out that Culture Minister Michael Russell has stated that he is willing to look at ways to make additional support available to Glasgow's museums. Councillor Duncan made it clear that he would be asking the Culture Minister to remember Dundee Culture if extra funding was ever available.

Councillor Richard McCready said, 'I was pleased to see the report on the national recognition of Dundee's whaling collection at the committee this week. This is further proof that collections of national importance are not only to be found in Edinburgh or Glasgow. Dundee is the home to nationally important collections and it is important that we promote Dundee as an important cultural venue.'

'The Culture Minister Michael Russell MSP keeps telling Glasgow based media that he is prepared to look at additional funding for Glasgow's Museums. I have made the point to Mr Russell on a number of occasions that if extra funding is forthcoming for Glasgow then it must also be forthcoming for available. I am delighted that the Convener of Leisure, Arts and Communities Councillor Bob Duncan has put party politics to one side and has agreed to make the point to Mr Russell that Dundee's museums should benefit from extra funding as well.'