Open Call | Dundee Christmas Tree 2024

In cities all around the world, festive tree displays are a highlight of the season. Beautiful and inspiring trees are created by designers who combine festive traditions and contemporary design.

For a third year, UNESCO City of Design, in partnership with Dundee City Council are looking to commission four designers or creative practitioners to create bespoke and unique ‘Christmas Trees’ as part of Dundee’s Festive Celebrations, celebrating the diversity of the winter period. The ‘Trees’ will form part of a display located at City Churches.

Rather than simply decorating a tree, this brief seeks designers who will create a ‘tree’ which tells its own story. The design must use the ‘Christmas Tree’ as the central focus and inspiration, but final designs can take any form. The project is seeking creative, unique designs which respond to the concept of a central Christmas Tree in festival celebrations.

Considering the environmental impact of large-scale festivities and the commitment from the city to celebrate our own living Christmas tree, this project centres the principles of reduce, reuse and recycle. All elements of the ‘tree’ and its decoration must be made from 100% reused or recycled materials and utilise multiples of an object or material. It is preferable that the tree’s materials are made from materials that are recognisable as having been recycled. We particularly welcome ‘trees’ made from leftover, or waste household and everyday items.

This opportunity is open to:

• Designers and creative practitioners who live or work in Dundee (defined as living or work address with a DD1 – DD7 postcode)
• Designers and creative practitioners from Dundee (defined as DD1 – DD7 postcode) and recent graduates (graduating in the last 4 years from a Dundee university)

Selected designs will be awarded £2,000 to cover all materials, production, installation and fee.