Dundee has confirmed it will press ahead with plans to bid for the title of European Capital of Culture in 2023.
Despite the disruption of the Brexit process, city planners are determined to press ahead with the bid and will formally submit a stage one bid in October this year.
Yesterday a group of key bodies in the city met to discuss the bid and receive advice and encouragement from Theresa Blegvad, one of the organisers of Aarhus 2017, the current Capital of Culture in Denmark.
Stewart Murdoch, director of culture and leisure for Dundee City Council and the chair of the bid team, said that the building of the Dundee V&A will be a key part of the bid, but Dundee will also offer its existing cultural assets - such as the Dundee Rep, its universities, the DCA, its gaming industry as well as its strong biotech and life sciences industries - as part of its campaign.
Other UK cities considered to be in the frame for the title are Leeds, Milton Keynes, and Belfast.
A final, second stage bid has to be made by summer next year.
Dundee bid for the 2017 UK City of Culture title, but lost out to Hull.
"I think the feeling today from all who attended, from the city, the arts, the universities, is that we are all strongly committed to bidding," Mr Murdoch said.
"Yes we will have the V&A Dundee but we are not bidding with a plan for large capital expenditure, this will all be about strengthening our already strong ties to Europe.
"It is ironic we are discussing this, this week [as Article 50 was triggering, beginning the exit of the UK from the EU] but the UK has already committed to hosting a city of culture whatever happens with Brexit and we will go for it.
"However it is clear we can only do this with strong backing from the Scottish Government."
Ms Blegvad said: "I think Dundee has a pretty good chance, it has a good situation now and has an opportunity to go on from there.
"There are already some good things in place. It has been a really interesting meeting, and to hear the passion and enthusiasm was great - in many ways Aarhus and Dundee are similar, a city by the water and part of a country, Denmark, of a similar size to Scotland.
"I think Dundee has a pretty good chance."
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