Dundee College of Art

Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design was established as part of the Dundee Institute of Art and Technology in 1892 and became an autonomous institution in 1975 before merging with Dundee University in 1996. It is regarded in the upper echelons of colleges of art and design in Britain. There are approximately 1000 undergraduates and research postgraduate students. Dundee's Art College dates back much earlier than the founding of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design located on Perth Road in 1953. It began as part of the Technical Institute opened in 1888. In 1909 one James Duncan of Jordanstone bequeathed £60,000 towards founding an independent art school in Dundee. Various problems meant that it was not until the 1930’s that plans were finalised for a new college. The outbreak of World War II caused further delays and the new art college (later renamed Duncan of Jordanstone College) was founded in 1953. However, it was not until 1975, that it became entirely free from the Technical College. In 1994 the College became a Faculty of Dundee University, and the world-class College art collection became part of the University museum collections. Its fine art focuses mainly on Scottish artists with a date range from the 18th Century to the present. There are also fine examples of English art including works by Gainsborough, Constable and the Pre-Raphaelites and by contemporary artists such as Edward Burra.