Dundee defiant despite losing City of Culture bid DUNDEE is set to press ahead with plans for an artistic revolution in the next few years despite losing out in the race to be the UK's next culture capital to Hull. Dundee had predicted it was set for an £80 million economic boost and 1.7 million visitors in 2017 if the bid had been successful. But despite drawing up a £25 million programme of events, it is licking its wounds after losing out to the Yorkshire city, which had drafted in Creative Scotland's former chief executive Andrew Dixon, who was forced to quit the post almost a year ago, to help advise on its bid. The other contenders were Leicester and Swansea Bay. Dundee's bid, details of which were only unveiled at the end of last week, was predicted to create 1000 new jobs. However its plans revolved around two projects that are happening anyway - the opening of the long-awaited V&A museum and the city's wider £1 billion waterfront regeneration. Also included in the bid were plans to create one of the largest arts spaces in Scotland in a former DC Thomson printworks building and a new museum of transport. Dundee's programme included dramatic sound and light shows around key landmarks, outdoor concerts, street theatre spectaculars, blockbuster exhibitions and large-scale theatre shows, as well as plans to lure the Turner Prize, the Man Booker Prize and the international Comic-Con event to the city. Scottish Government backing Despite the prospect of Scotland being independent when 2017 comes round, the SNP threw its weight behind Dundee's efforts, with First Minister Alex Salmond penning a message of support for the bid document and pledging £6 million for the project budget. Minutes after the result was announced, Scottish culture secretary Fiona Hyslop told her twitter followers: "Just spoken to Stewart Murdoch from Dundee bid - there is so much in their plans to still drive forward." She added later: "This is obviously disappointing news for Dundee and for the bid team and I have passed on my commiserations. Dundee has already embarked on a pioneering journey that uses culture and creativity to promote regeneration and tackle wider social issues in a range of innovative ways. A city rooted in culture and heritage, Dundee not only cherishes its diverse heritage and traditions, but also seeks further opportunities to share, celebrate and regenerate, and I am confident that its cultural journey is well on track to continue. A statement from the We Dundee campaign, which had spearheaded the bid, said: "For Dundee, this is not the end but just the beginning." UK culture secretary Maria Miller, who made the announcement on the winning city, said: "This is brilliant news for Hull and everyone involved in the bid there. But I also want to extend my thanks and admiration to the three other bid teams from Dundee, Leicester, and Swansea Bay. I know just how much time, effort and determination they each put into their bids. I hope they will still take forward many of the fantastic ideas and events they had planned so that their communities can enjoy these innovative cultural plans. Dundee's Lord Provost said: "Our bid document was full of excellent ideas. We will be looking at what aspects of this can now be taken forward and staged for the people of Dundee. Dundee City Council leader Ken Guild added: "Far from being downhearted, we can be very, very proud of the bid we put together. It has shown the breadth and depth of cultural activity in the city and raised the profile of the city tremendously, not only across the British Isles but abroad as well, which will help attract investment. The winning bid - which outlined plans to stage more than 80 events over the course of 2017 - was chosen by an panel led by Brookside and Grange Hill creator Phil Redmond. It also included a number of prominent figures linked to the cultural scene in Scotland, including Channel 4 executive Stuart Cosgrove, former Scottish Opera director Ruth Mackenzie, ex-Glasgow School of Art director Seona Reid and Robert Palmer, who led Glasgow's reign as European Capital of Culture in 1990. Hull will become the second official "UK City of Culture" after Londonderry, in Northern Ireland, which has been staging events throughout 2013 and has seen £120 worth of investment pumped into the city since winning the title four years ago. Actors Brian Cox, Alan Cumming and Tilda Swinton, singer-songwriters Ricky Ross and Sheena Wellington, choreographer Michael Clark, playwright David Greig, the National Theatre of Scotland, the British Museum, Scottish Dance Theatre and Scottish Ballet were among those hoped to feature in major productions in Dundee. Unique Events, the producers of Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations for the last 20 years, were brought in as artistic consultants on the Dundee bid, with T in the Park organisers DF Concerts, Disney and NASA also involved. Brian Ferguson: Dundee could host next big thing