Its biennial arts festival this week will celebrate a decade of being the UK’s first and only Unesco-designated ‘design city’

The city of Dundee, about 60 miles north of Edinburgh on Scotland’s east coast, was once best known for its industry: whaling and shipbuilding in the 19th century, then its celebrated “three Js” – jute, jam and journalism. But in recent years, Dundee has developed another reputation: as an arts and culture hub, and the UK’s first and only Unesco-designated “design city”.

On Friday, at a former Michelin factory in the north-east of the city, the finishing touches were being put in place for the fifth Dundee design festival, which opens on Monday. The ­festival, held every two years, showcases work by more than 180 designers across disciplines including textiles, homeware and more.