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Proudly supported by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland (2019 – 2022)

What Is Fun A Day Dundee?
Dundee has been participating in the Fun-A-Day project since 2011. The premise is simple: pick a project (take photographs, work on a painting, focus on a hobby, go walking, do something different each week, etc) and aim to work on your project each day/every week throughout the month of January. Fun A Day will be cheering you on the whole way, and there’s a whole community of different people joining in with you online!

The originators of Fun a Day are the Artclash collective in Philadelphia. So you can join people from Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia, Portland, LA and New York in this Fun a Day Challenge. Fun A Day may be the only one of it’s kind in the UK, and we welcome anyone to take part. You don’t have to be based in Dundee. The project runs online, and you can focus on having fun in your own schedule and check in/share with the community online.

Fun A Day started off as a way to encourage artists to keep each other motivated, but over the years, we have seen an increase in anyone and everyone making this project their own. We’ve had artists to those who would argue they aren’t creative at all taking part! We’ve had infants to adults, and everything in between! There’s a whole variety of projects participants have worked on in the past, it’s always amazing to see what unfolds over the month.  We’ve had a family making faces in their cereal, 31 paintings to depict someone’s month, dedicating a month to a novel, focusing on developing an art project, taking time to dance, creating sculpture from recycled material, photography, crochet projects, craft, learning to play an instrument, writing, printing… the list goes on!

(Image: K Rolina Gibson)

You create and produce your project on your own terms, in your own time each day (or as close to it as possible!) Some people want to try something new, like learning an instrument, begin knitting, or by taking up a new physical activity such as yoga. Fun A Day is a good motivator and the perfect excuse to achieve some goals or have a bit of fun.  If you miss days – no worries, it’s your project and there are no strict rules, don’t be discouraged in continuing on.

Following January we hold a showcase to the public of projects made. It’s not compulsory to take part in the exhibition, but many participants find it to be the perfect end to their project. It’s a fun and satisfying way to step back, and see all that has been achieved within such a short time. It’s a brilliant opportunity for artists, non artists, and people of all ages and backgrounds. Fun A Day brings people together, and inspires creative making for the rest of the year, as well as inspiring others who come to view the exhibitions. In 2020 and 2021 we moved our exhibition online involving participants in creative ways to make a fun weekend out of it. We also found that our online exhibition enables the showcase to be accessible to people far and wide, with a weekend filled of activities where anyone can drop in through their phone/tablet/laptop.

(Image: Laura Galloway)

Frequently Asked Questions!

• 1. What Is Fun A Day Dundee? (FADD)
  Fun A Day started in America. Artists encouraged each other to focus on personal projects over the month of January to achieve goals. Over the years it’s welcomed non artists and hobbyists, and has reached its way to Scotland!
  The concept is simple:
  1) Pick an idea/project that you want to do every day/every week over January.
  2) Document/work on your project bit by bit over 31 days.
  3) Share your work online with other participants and/or follow other projects.
  4) Hit some personal or artistic goals in a fun way, with a friendly community.
  4) Be a part of a group showcase (in person/online exhibition) in the Spring to celebrate the fun we had in January.
  
  Dundee has run FADD since 2011, slowly growing each year, with different artists volunteering to run the project over the years. We now reach over 100 people taking part in January, with numbers close to 100 exhibiting. We’ve been supported by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland in our most recent years, enabling us to acquire a team to run FADD to provide paid opportunities, public activities, and support our community in more ways outwith our January project.

• 2. Where Does FADD Take Place?
  We are based online. You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. In anticipation of January starting we share previous participant stories, general information about us, and give you time to ‘sign up’ to take part. During January over these accounts, we encourage and cheer you all on, share on going projects, and provide general information. Following January we share updates and opportunities as well as our showcase of participant projects. (Typically as a public exhibition in person with workshops and activities.) We’ve recently provided social meets and workshops in person to help people network and put faces to Instagram names! These have been online and in person to reach/suit everyone.

• 3. What Do I Do?
  You can do whatever you like in January! Some people decide on a simple and focused project and others take each day as it comes, doing something different each day/week. Examples of previous projects:
  – Working on one painting or a series of paintings
  – Focusing on a new hobby
  – Working on a physical activity (sports, yoga, walking, dancing etc)
  – Taking the time to play an instrument
  – Reading a book/books
  – Modelling/construction
  – Writing
  – Photography
  – Digital design/film making
  – Documenting every day life
  – Playing with cereal (photos)
  – Art with kids (family)
  – Using waste (recycling) to make visual art
  – Cooking
  – Crochet/knitting
  – Craft
  – and much more!

   

  We hope whatever you choose, whether it be to focus on the one thing, or try a variety of projects, that you have fun, and it provides you with an achievable goal!

• 4. Who Can Take Part?
  Anyone! This project is widely accessible. It’s free and anyone can sign up. We’ve had ages 0 – 80! Many families take part, as have students, part time workers, full time workers, stay at home, self employed, those in the arts, those who aren’t involved in arts, artists, and non-artists, those with experience in creative work, and those with none. What’s great about FADD, is that we’re all on the same level, using this project as an excuse to do something we enjoy.

   

• 5. Do I Have To Be In Dundee?
  No! We welcome anyone to join in. As far as we’re aware, we’re the only FADD in the UK, so we encourage the fun to those far and near. Over the years we’ve had participants from Dundee, Angus, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh, England and America joining in.

• 6. When Does It Happen?
  FADD’s main project runs from 1st January to the 31st January. We know life isn’t always plain sailing, and it’s after a busy time/holiday, so we’re always relaxed about slow starts. Best thing to do is to think/plan in advance so that you can get started when you do find the time. Once in motion, document what you’re up to, and feel free to share with the FADD community online (over our platforms listed above) using the official hashtag that year. You can share photos, thoughts, notes, artwork, music and video content.

• 7. Do I Have To Share Online?
  Some people like to post content on their project once a week, and some post every day. Other share less often, and some not at all. It’s a personal project, so it’s up to you how you document/share it. If you’re not keen on being publicly open with yours, but would like to connect with the FADD team, you can always email us your progress privately.

• 8. Do I Have To Make Work Every Day?
  No. Each project is different as well as our schedules so we couldn’t expect the same documentation, the same progress, or final outcomes. However, making small goals (often deadlines) for yourself is a great way to build up to a large achievement. Some people aim for 20 mins a day, others make time every second day, and some find it easier to put aside many hours every 4-5 days.

• 9. Who Is FADD?
  Sam Sherriff (sambaxterart) has been the coordinator since 2016 after taking part herself as a participant in 2015. Sam loved how relaxed and welcoming FADD was and wanted to carry on the tradition and reach out to more people! FADD is proudly run by a Team as well as collaborations with participants, creatives and communities each year. Check out our page here to see who’s behind the scenes.

• 10. How Do I Sign Up?
  Send “Sign me up please!” to funadaydundee@gmail.com. It’s free, and we ask people to sign up so we can send relevant and important information directly as well as being able to gauge numbers for exhibitions and funding. 
  

• 11. What Is The FADD Exhibition?
  Each year we showcase FADD projects made by participants in a fun, casual and exciting showcase to the public. We aim to exhibit every project, including those that have 31 individual pieces. We love to share the variety and all the personal stories in the one place. It’s always a fun and inspiring weekend. We also provide paid opportunities alongside voluntary work where participants can perform, talk to visitors, make promotional art and encourage others to create at our exhibitions . Last year, and for our 2021 our showcase we moved it all online. You can see these results by searching #FADD2020 and #FADD2021.
  

   

  If you’re interested in seeing more…

• Check out Participant Stories to read what others have to say about FADD,
• See some photos of previous exhibitions here,
• Scroll through last years posts by searching #FADD2020 on Instagram,
• Read some short testimonials about the project and exhibition,
• Browse some press articles,
• And check out our branch off: FADDCreatives which was formed during the covid lockdown.