Dundee and Venues

For our 2025 annual conference, we visit Dundee, a city located on the estuary of the River Tay and surrounded by rich agricultural land and stunning east of Scotland coastline. Famous for its founding industries around the three ‘J’s (Jute, Jam and Journalism), it was a city with strong heritage in engineering including ship building and at its peak was Scotland’s Third City. With the decline of the traditional industries in 1950’s the city’s economic fortunes changed and was accompanied by challenges associated with deprivation despite investment into electronics and manufacturing sectors in the 1970’s and 1980’s (NCR, Timex and Michelin).

The millennium provided a turning point where city planners and stakeholders recognised the need for bold action to transform the city. They wanted to develop an alternative economic model better equipped to reflect a knowledge and creative based economy to help establish Dundee as an attractive place to live and work. A 30-year waterfront regeneration programme was outlined which reflected the need for radical redesign of its layout, urban form, transport infrastructure and public realm around what can be one of Europe’s best urban waterfront locations.

Urban planning, with a focus on collaboration between government agencies and stakeholders, is recognised to have enabled a programme based on promoting innovation, sustainability and has resulted in a city which is emerging as a key cultural destination. So far, £1.6 billion has been invested in an attempt to unlock the city's potential.

The regeneration of Dundee reflects the conference theme by showcasing the transition towards regenerative cities which sees the built environment as a deliberate act of design and planning with the restoration of the environment at the heart of a placemaking approach. Abertay’s University masterplan and the recent approval of the Eden Project, Dundee serve to demonstrate the city's move towards a more restorative approach.

Abertay Masterplan   RSS Discovery
 

For our 41st Annual Conference we are visiting Abertay University, Dundee for the first time. We will be based in the Old College in the Bell Street Complex, located in the city centre less than 10 mins walk from train and bus stations and the other venues associated with the conference. The Old College building dates from the Edwardian Era, and the conference sessions will take place in a set of rooms on the ground floor which look out onto an attractive quadrangle fitting of its period.

For our traditional Monday social evening we will visit Discovery Point were delegates will have the opportunity to board the pioneering Royal Research Ship Discovery and uncover the stories of her illustrious past, from her beginnings in the shipyards of Dundee and her legendary Antarctic expedition of 1901 under Captain Scott, to her many adventures beyond.

Delegates will then be able to explore the award-winning expedition within Discovery Point as well as enjoying catching up with old friends and making new ones. The venue is located on the banks of the River Tay and sits adjacent to the V&A Museum so delegates will be able to appreciate the outstanding architecture of this iconic building as their backdrop whilst visiting the RSS Discovery.

Our annual conference dinner and awards evening will be held on the Tuesday and hosted at The Verdant Works Museum. This hidden gem of the city showcasing Dundee’s industrial heritage at Verdant Works Museum. Delegates will be able to visit the museum prior to being shown into a beautifully refurbished Mill building where dinner will be served.

Long before Dundee was known as City of Discovery, it was known as Juteopolis. Dundee was the centre of the Jute industry through the 19th and early 20th centuries. This historical treasure encourages visitors to step back in time to the heart of Dundee’s industrial age to discover more about the city’s fascinating social history.

For more information about the city and our venues, please follow the links below (all open in new windows).

Our venues:

General tourist information and visitor resources:

Please visit the ARCOM 2025: Accommodation page for more information about hotels and places to stay.