Hello! It’s that time of the year again… Fun A Day is here to get you ready, and help to have fun during January ! Once you’ve celebrated the festive season, and you don’t quite know what to do with yourself, you can turn to us to help inspire you with creativity, fun, and a sense of achievement within an online and physical community.

What Is Fun A Day?

Dundee has been participating in the Fun-A-Day project since 2011. The premise is simple: pick a project (take a photograph, make the bed, draw a picture, bake a cake, etc) and do it every day in January, then show your work afterwards in a big group exhibition. It originated in America as a way for artists to encourage each other to keep making and creating, and now over some years and finding its feet in Dundee, it is an open, casual and fun experience for anyone. Even for those who don’t consider themselves creative. Projects are your own, you complete them in your own time, and share them online during the month if you’d like to connect with the online community. We’re here to cheer you all on (see Facebook, Instagram and Twitter), and you can also get the chance to say hi in person at our social meets, where you can chat with fellow participants.

Who Is It For?

FADD is not just for artists. It’s for the curious, the crafty, the ‘I once did some sewing 6 years ago, and would like to try it again’, for the adventurous, for the people who need to find focus during a difficult month, for the ones who like to try something new every day, for those who want to learn a new skill, and for those of us who want to have some lighthearted fun without any expectations, high standards, and skills/qualifications. We’ve had families with infants taking part all the way up to over 70+yrs. We have seen many people with a whole variety of day jobs, unrelated to creativity, finding some inspiration and solace in this community of makers doing the project just for fun!

How Do I Take Part?

It is a free project. You can sign up by sending us a message on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, or by saying hello via email at funadaydundee@gmail.com. We like to know who we’re reaching and who is giving the project a go, so please do say hi! You decide what kind of fun who will be having in January – it might be the same thing you do every day, or it might be just whatever you feel like as each day comes. Don’t worry if you fall behind, the aim is to have fun. You also don’t have to religiously count each day (e.g. if you’re sharing your progress on social media, sometimes numbering each day with a post can make you feel restricted/feel like a chore and be disheartening when you miss a day) so it isn’t necessary!

What’s The Exhibition About?

To celebrate our projects following the end of January, we like to gather any bits and pieces we’ve made, any documentation and exhibit it all to the public in Dundee! This is a super , fun and casual exhibition, with a backdrop of colours, fairy lights, sweets, music, workshops, and happy volunteers (who are also fellow participants) so it isn’t a polished, high brow art exhibition per say! It is the essence of the community shared online during January, and we like to make it welcoming, especially as many people are exhibiting work they’ve made for the first time. 

Who Runs FADD?

Fun A Day has always been run by dedicated, creative volunteers. Last year FADD was supported by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland which was fantastic! 2020 now sees a team behind FADD to help 4 years coordinator; Sam Sherriff (Baxter) run the event as it continues to grow in numbers and popularity. Meet the team!
Coordinator: Sam Sherriff (SamBaxterArt)
Leah Gurr
Hannah Wingfield
Linda Barclay Isles
Kristina Aburrow

What Are Social Meets?

Social meets are casual get togethers that FADD arranges for participants to meet and chat in person (as many connect online). They are usually held in coffee shops in Dundee, and it’s a nice way to interact with the FADD community and the FADD team if you have any questions you’d like to discuss in person. We know meeting new people can be intimidating, but trust us, some brave souls who gave it a go last year, say it is so worth it to step out of your comfort zone, as we will always greet you with a smile and we’re happy to talk! So if you think you’d like to come along to one if you end up taking part in the project, go for it!