Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Centre full of potential
ONE of the many things I have always enjoyed learning more about is the history of Dundee and photographs of the city in past decades.
It really is a fascinating insight into what life was like for Dundonians in the 20th Century.
So when I heard that the Evening Telegraph would be launching a new exhibition based on its The Dundonian supplement I was excited.
Fittingly the exhibition is being hosted in the Federation Gallery in the Keiller Centre.
The gallery has been a space I have visited a couple of times and some of the exhibitions have been very engaging.
The Keiller Centre was one of the most popular destinations for Dundee shoppers back in the day and it links in perfectly with the theme of the exhibition.
The gallery really is a wonderful area dedicated to showcasing local culture and it shows off the potential the Keiller Centre can have in this century.
The shopping centre, as many will know, has had a rough ride in the past couple of decades. But in more recent years it has tried to get back up and reinvent itself as a cultural venue, and I believe that is all down to fantastic leadership.
Centre manager Kathryn Rattray and her hard-working team are looking to make the Keiller Centre great again. The determination and drive they all have is something I am proud of.
Overseeing the launch of a website as well as social media platforms for the centre, they are bringing it into a digital age.
I certainly believe there are many opportunities for the centre in the years to come but I believe the years of it being a shopping centre have come to an end.
But that opens the door to new opportunities, which is something the team are wanting to do.
It is definitely a fantastic place to host cultural events such as The Dundonian exhibition.
Given the attention it is attracting on social media, many have expressed an interest in visiting the exhibition, myself
included, and it has been wonderful to see the enthusiasm locals have for it.
But imagine all the possibilities the unused spaces could be used for.
I was speaking to some Dundonians a few months ago, off the back of a piece I did on the centre, and there were
suggestions ranging from the likes of a gaming hub to a wholefood market.
I certainly believe the Keiller Centre can have a promising future because it has so much potential to be a place for Dundee’s creative and cultural industries.
We just need to get behind it.