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Dundee takes its new Beanotown sign very much to heart, huge range of BEANO-related events, too

By John Freeman on July 17, 2022

Dundee Culture, Public Art Dundee and other organisations have joined BEANO fans and many others in the enthusiastic response to the inspired, temporary, transformation of Dundee into Beanotown this summer, as part of the Dundee Summer (Bash) Streets Festival.

“Okay, it’s maybe not technically public art, but it’s still the coolest thing ever!”, the organisation, which celebrates the wealth of free public art across the Scottish city opined in a Facebook post.

*The Beanotown sign, temporarily located on The Law, Dundee. Image: Public Art Dundee*

“Love it,” responded one enthusiastic Dundonian. “It needs to stay forever.” A sentiment very much shared!

“You can see it for miles,” noted comic artist MontyNero. “What a city. The best place to make comics.”

Up and running now, as we previously reported, Dundee Summer (Bash) Streets Festival, aims to celebrate Dundee as the home of comics, running until 24th July.

*The Dundee Summer (Bash) Streets Festival includes a special exhibition of BEANO art at DC Thomson’s Meadowside headquarters*

The Festival program includes pop-up outdoor comic museum, the Dennis fun-run, workshops, talks, film screenings, street performances, an exhibition of emerging work, marble runs and world record attempts.

There are also a huge number of specific BEANO related events, too, detailed here on the Dundee City Council web site (PDF)

These include a Blamazing Beanotown Trail Map, specially designed by BEANO, guides festivalgoers around key Dundee places associated with the famous comic characters, and an exhibition inside DC Thomson’s HQ will give visitors a rare chance to see original artwork from one of the world’s most recognisable comics.

The map available from The McManus, DC Thomson Meadowside office reception, V&A Dundee, DCA, Gather Space at the Overgate and the festival activity tent in City Square, and times and dates of free tie in walks, which start today, Sunday 17th July, at 10.00am, are listed here on the Dundee City Council web site, and below.

On Tuesday 2nd August at 5.30pm, Zu Dominiak, comics creator, curator, lecturer and a former AHRC-funded intern with Museum Services, will be giving an informal guided tour of the tie-in Comics Stripped exhibition at the University of Dundee, followed by an illustrated talk focusing on the artist’s practice, including the latest Inside the Museum comic. Places should be booked via Eventbrite.

*Comics Stripped exhibition at Dundee University curated by Zu Dominiak. Features work by Henry Flint, Colin MacNeil, Carlos Pino and many more. Photo courtesy Colin Maxwell, used with permission*

*Comicsopolis talk with Professor Chris Murray. Photo courtesy Colin Maxwell, used with permission*

Public Art Dundee has also been promoting the installation of several eye-catching non-comic murals around Dundee recently, created by Boiiing Studio with support from, among others, Open Close Dundee, an organisation promoting street art in the city, and WCAIR (Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research) – the Dundee uni science labs who are investigating potential medicines to fight neglected tropical diseases that typically are not funded by other sources as there usually is less funding in the countries effected by these diseases.

• Check out more BEANO fun at Beano.com

*The ‘actual’ Bash Street in Dundee. Photo: Colin Maxwell*

• The Blamazing Beanotown Map

The Blamazing Beanotown Map: uncover the secrets of the World capital of Comics, Dundee, as told by Dennis, Minnie and Gnasher. Follow their footsteps around the must-see locations connected with comics of the past, present and future! Starting from The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum, a free forty-minute accessible (interactive) family walking tour.

Remember to ask for your stamp at The McManus when you’re done!

Maps available from The McManus, DC Thomson Meadowside office reception, V&A Dundee, DCA, Gather Space at the Overgate and the festival activity tent in City Square.

Sunday 17th July 2022 10:00am
Monday 18th July 2022 10:00am
Tuesday 19th July 2022 10:00am
Wednesday 20th July 2022 10:00am
Thursday 21st July 2022 10:00am
Friday 22nd July 2022 10:00am
Saturday 23rd July 2022 10:00am
Sunday 24th July 2022 10:00am

• Comics Stripped exhibition at the University of Dundee

• Dundee Summer (Bash) Streets Festival – exhibition and programme information

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.