Russian Politics under Putin – Tuesday 16 April 2019, 6pm

Many observers of Russian politics have been perplexed by the high levels of popular support which President Putin has been able to command. This is despite the fact the he has centralised power in the Kremlin, reduced the powers of the parliament and the opposition, and led an assault on democratic freedoms and civil liberties.

This talk will discuss the sources of support and opposition to Putin’s regime and assess the possible dangers that lie ahead during Putin’s fourth term in office.

Everyone is welcome. This event is free and non-bookable. Places are limited so please arrive early to avoid disappointment. Doors open at 5pm.

Art and Design Stories – Made in Dundee – Tuesday 8 May 2018, 6pm

Each year, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design is transformed into Scotland’s largest exhibition space. The 10 day event showcases the work of over 350 of the University of Dundee’s graduating art, design and architecture students. At the Degree Show, thousands of visitors see the products of years of creativity and hard work in an exciting show spanning the areas of design and craft, contemporary art practice, social digital, graphic communication and architecture.

Join us on Tuesday 8 May 2018, 6pm at The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery and Museum, for a sneak peek at what this year’s University of Dundee Art, Design & Architecture Degree show has to offer. Students from a variety of disciplines will take to the floor to discuss their work, in advance of the show opening on Friday 18 May 2018.

Everyone is welcome. This event is free and non-bookable. Places are limited so please arrive early to avoid disappointment. Doors open at 5pm.

Meet the Dundee Degree Show Artists – Tuesday 2 May 2017, 6pm


Each year, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design’s Matthew and Crawford Buildings are transformed into Scotland’s largest exhibition space to showcase the work of over 350 of the University of Dundee’s graduating art, design and architecture students. For 10 days visitors will have an opportunity to view the culmination of several years of creative development and hard work in an exciting show spanning the areas of design and craft, contemporary art practice, social digital, graphic communication and architecture.

Join us on Tuesday 2 May 2017, 6pm at The McManus Galleries, for a sneak peek at what this year’s University of Dundee Art, Design & Architecture Degree show has to offer, when five students take to the floor to discuss their work, in advance of the show opening on 19 May 2017.

Everyone is welcome. This event is free and non-bookable. Places are limited so please arrive early to avoid disappointment. Doors open at 5pm.

Creating Comics: A Celebration of H.G. Wells – Tuesday 1st November 2016

H.G. Wells is one of the most influential science fiction writers of all time. Among his many works are The Time Machine, The War of the Worlds, and The ImageInvisible Man, which brought futuristic, new ideas to life and showed us glimpses of today’s, and tomorrow’s, World.

Prof Chris Murray, University of Dundee, will explore the adaptations of H. G. Wells’ stories in comics, and will give an insight into the creative process behind comics. There will also be an opportunity to have a sneak peak of the new comic featuring adaptation of H.G.Wells’ stories being created at the University of Dundee. The talk and discussion will finish at 7pm. This event will be followed by a 30 minute special  session demonstrating how to create your very own comic strip (no drawing skills necessary).

This event is part of ‘H G Wells at 150: Hope and Fear’, a series of events that celebrate the great writer’s 150th birthday and is supported by the University of Dundee as the Scottish hub of the national Being Human festival (17th – 25th November).

Everyone is welcome. This event is free and non-bookable. Places are limited so please arrive early to avoid disappointment. Doors open at 5pm.

Memories of Food in Dundee – Tuesday 4th October 2016

Food plays an essential part in our everyday life, but is much more than a necessity, as we create culture and places where food takes centre stage. From trusted food shops that visit time after time, to our favourite eating places where we spend time with friends and family, our experiences and memories of food help us build a sense of belonging to the places we live in and call home.

This talk explored the social, space and time aspects of food and show how food acts as a trigger for memories, focusing on the city of Dundee and its people.

Jackie Malcolm, University of Dundee, discussed her research with elderly people who lived in sheltered housing across the city. Their shared memories provide insights into Dundee life, past and present, and the relationships formed through food.

Hosted at The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery and Museum this fascinating talk reached out to new visitors to Dundee Arts Cafe from our local communities.

 

The Animation of Movement – Tuesday 3rd May 2016, 6pm

For the last 15 years Brendan Body has
been a computer animator working in film
and television. Image usedHe has worked on popular films such as Harry Potter, The Amazing Spider-man, Pacific Rim, and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. Brendan is now teaching the next generation of Scottish animators as a lecturer and researcher at Duncan of
Jordanstone College of Art and Design at the University of Dundee.

In his talk Brendan will discuss his career in animation and give some insights into the world of films and visual effects. He will also talk about his current research; where he will share his knowledge of animal and human anatomy, plus biomechanics, gained throughout his career, and how he will apply this to his latest project – producing some animation for the Natural History Museum’s most recent significant acquisition; a Stegosaurus fossil named ‘Sophie’.

Everyone is welcome. Free. Non-bookable. Places are limited so please arrive early to avoid disappointment. Doors open at 5pm.

Proving Your Identity: The Passports of the Future – Tuesday 3rd December 2013, 6pm

As more of our lives become digital, we use the internet increasingly for dealing with everything from applying for a driver’s license to shopping and social networking. Do you suffer from having too many passwords and pin codes that you can’t remember?  Do you find that the ways you share your identity for example travelling internationally, in the supermarket and with the bank are unpleasant and frustrating?

The research http://www.dreamstime.com/-image569051 being undertaken at the University of Dundee, and its partners, is developing new and more pleasurable ways of establishing that we are who we say we are; including jewellery that contains our emergency health information, and scarves that contain our basic ID info.

Come and hear about these new developments and try them out for yourself.

Join us in the relaxed atmosphere of the McManus Café for a short talk followed by your chance to ask questions and discuss the topic.

Everyone is welcome. Free. Non-bookable. Please arrive early to avoid disappointment. This event is likely to last one hour.

Should Humanities Be Taught At University? – 1st May 2012 with Prof. Nicholas Davey

On Tuesday 1st May 2012 Nicholas Davey, Professor of Philosophy in the School of Humanities at the University of Dundee presented this thought provoking discussion on the value of humanities education.

The Humanities tradition in British Universities is facing a serious challenge with regard to its relevance and financial viability within contemporary society. This talk covered some critical reflections on how the Humanities have become so badly misunderstood and what might be done to remedy this.

To view the talk in full see our playlist on YouTube

First Talk of the New Season – Dundee and Globalization, 1850-2010

The new season of Dundee Arts Cafe starts on Tuesday 6th September at 6pm in the McManus Cafe. Our first speaker this year is Professor Jim Tomlinson, a lecturer in History from the University of Dundee.

By the first world war Dundee was one of the most economically globalized cities in the world, above all because of its striking dependence on one industry, jute, which drew its raw materials from Bengal and found its markets across the globe.  But as jute declined the city’s dependence on the rest of the world decreased, and there followed a long process of ‘de-globalization’, most recently evident in the huge rise in employment in the public sector. This means that today Dundee’s economic fortunes rest much more on political decisions in London and Edinburgh than on international events.  This talk will explore how and why this change came about, and ask what significance it has for the city’s prosperity in the face of the current world economic crisis

This talk will take place on Tuesday 6th September at 6pm in the McManus Cafe, Albert Square.

Dundee Arts Cafe talks are held on the first Tuesday of every month at 6pm in the McManus Cafe, inside the McManus at Albert Square, in the City Centre of Dundee. The McManus is Dundee’s Art Gallery and Museum, and the cafe is located at the entrance and will be open before and throughout the talk serving hot drinks, wine or beer and snacks.

This is a FREE talk and everyone is welcome, there is no requirement to book, but there is limited seating for 60 people so please arrive early to ensure a seat.

The McManus Cafe will be open before the event serving hot meals and snacks. If you want to have a meal in the McManus before the talk you have to pre-book by calling 01382 307 201. You can view the menu at http://www.themcmanus-dundee.gov.uk/sites/default/files/cafemenu.pdf

Next Talk – ‘The World and Us: How Globalisation Affects Everyone’ – 3rd May 2011

Our next Dundee Arts Cafe Talk is at 6pm on Tuesday 3rd May by Catia Montagna from the University of Dundee. Catia will be discussing some of the key aspects of economic globalisation, including how they affect the way we live.

Very few trends have generated as much debate as the increasing amount of economic globalisation, with opinions ranging from extreme praise to extreme criticism. Catia will explore the origins of both sides of this argument and reflect on why, what is seen as a source of opportunities to enhance national prosperity by some is perceived as a threat to our individual and collective security by others, and on the role of government policy in balancing these positions.

Dundee Arts Cafe talks are held on the first Tuesday of every month at 6pm in the McManus Cafe, inside the McManus at Albert Square, City Centre Dundee. The McManus is Dundee’s Art Gallery and Museum, and the cafe is located at the entrance and will be open before and throughout the talk serving hot drinks, wine or beer and snacks.

This is a FREE talk and everyone is welcome, there is no requirement to book, but there is limited seating for 60 people so please arrive early to ensure a seat.