APPOINTMENT OF CITY CULTURE CHAMPIONS FOR DUNDEE

That this House welcomes the appointment of actor Brian Cox, television presenter Lorraine Kelly and traditional singer Sheena Wellington to help highlight the unique strengths of Dundee City Council's bid to become UK City of Culture in 2017; recognises that the city's great cultural strengths include the only full-time theatre company in Scotland, at Dundee Rep, which is also host to Scottish Dance Theatre and a pioneering community programme, the popular Dundee Contemporary Arts Centre, the award-winning McManus Galleries, Verdant Works Museum, Dundee Science Centre and the Mills Observatory, the only full-time public astronomical observatory in the UK; celebrates the contributions made by the University of Dundee, the University of Abertay Dundee, Dundee College and Al Maktoum College of Higher Education which continue to play a prominent part in city life and support the creativity of the burgeoning digital media and video games sectors in the city; notes the continued success of the Dundee Literary Festival and the Dundee International Book Prize, now in its 14th year, and the thriving musical and arts scene; further notes the contribution of Dundee Libraries with 14 branches across the city; anticipates the construction phase of the V&A Museum at Dundee waterfront; and wishes the efforts of the three champions and those behind the city's bid the best of luck in the competition.