Dundee has won a share of £500,000 investment to spark further regeneration into the city centre

Dundee has been chosen as one of six locations across the UK to benefit from a major round of research funding aimed at sparking creativity and regeneration.

Arts Professional reports that the University of Dundee will lead a new project that will transform forgotten retail spaces into cultural hubs, bringing life back to areas of the city centre that have been left behind.

The initiative is part of the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council’s Community Innovation Practitioner awards, which together share almost £500,000 in support.

For Dundee, the funding marks another important step in reimagining how empty shops can become places for creativity and collaboration.

By giving artists, designers, and community groups the chance to use these spaces, the project aims to show how culture can be at the heart of urban renewal.

Over the years, the city has made headlines for bold cultural investment, from the opening of V&A Dundee to grassroots initiatives that celebrate its creative spirit.

This new wave of support ties directly into that momentum, reflecting the role of the arts in shaping Dundee’s future.

Students, makers, and local residents will be central to how these hubs evolve. The project will not only provide space for creative work but will also generate case studies and research on what successful cultural-led regeneration can look like.

Dundee will join a network of other projects across the UK, each exploring how creativity can address local challenges in different ways.

While other universities are looking at crafts in Manchester or cultural health in Huddersfield, Dundee’s focus remains firmly on its city centre and how arts-led action can give neglected spaces a new life.

The outcomes will feed into a national conversation about how culture contributes to wellbeing, growth, and community identity.