Leisure & Culture Dundee has announced that The Dundee Tapestry, the popular large scale community artwork celebrating the city's past, present and future, will go on display this year in a newly developed gallery space at The McManus: Dundee's Art Gallery & Museum.
The new space to host the tapestry has been made possible by funding of £75,000 from the UK Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Created by more than 140 volunteer stitchers from Dundee and the surrounding area, The Dundee Tapestry consists of 38 beautifully hand stitched panels, each one depicting a different aspect of the city's story. The tapestry highlights Dundee's industrial heritage, creative achievements, biodiversity and the lived experiences of its people from the mid nineteenth century to the present day.
The Dundee Tapestry project was conceived by John Fyffe MBE of the Weaver Incorporation of Dundee, one of the city’s Nine Incorporated Trades and co designed by Dr Frances Stevenson of DJCAD and Andrew Crummy MBE, the artist behind The Great Tapestry of Scotland. The tapestry brings together eight core themes: Communities, Nature, Industry, Women, Education, Culture, International Connections and Creative Futures. The circular design structure was inspired by the work of Dundee biologist Sir D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson.
The tapestry was previously displayed at V&A Dundee and drew 196,000 visitors across its 2024 and 2025 exhibitions. Its forthcoming installation at The McManus creates a new opportunity for audiences to explore this significant community artwork.
The new gallery space at The McManus will offer a dedicated environment for the tapestry. Visitors will be able to spend time with each panel and engage with this modern textile interpretation of the city's identity. It is hoped that the new display will further strengthen The McManus's role as a destination that tells the story of the city and attract thousands of new and returning visitors.
Anna Day, Head of Culture & Libraries at Leisure & Culture Dundee said,
"The Dundee Tapestry stands as a powerful tribute to the people of Dundee, celebrating the city's resilience, creativity and shared heritage. We are particularly excited to unveil the artwork in our new gallery space at The McManus. The tapestry proved to be very popular with visitors during previous displays in the city and we look forward to welcoming visitors from near and far to experience it in this inspiring new environment."
John Fyffe MBE, Deacon Convener of the Nine Incorporates Trades of Dundee and Dr Frances Stevenson Honorary Reader in Textile design at DJCAD said,
“We are delighted that after a hugely successful exhibition in the V&A that Leisure & Culture Dundee have offered us an opportunity to partner with them and display this great legacy project in a new gallery in the McManus. To have the Tapestry on display in a free exhibition in the heart of the city will be very welcome to all who come to visit.
To be offered a place for it to be displayed is just reward for all who played a part in producing this amazing piece of public art.”
The tapestry was created through thousands of hours of volunteer dedication. Stitchers worked in groups across Dundee from spring 2022, learning new skills, researching historical content and transforming their findings into hand stitched illustrations. Many contributors were first time stitchers who developed new skills through the project.
For more information on the Dundee Tapestry visit www.thedundeetapestry.com
Outside The McManus (from left) Christine Don, (stitcher), Lynne Potts (stitcher), Ervin Mackie (stitcher), Dr Frances Stevenson (honorary reader DJCAD), and John Fyffe (deacon convener of The Nine Incorporated Trades of Dundee)
