Coventry, Hereford, Paisley, Perth, Portsmouth, St David’s and
the Hundred of Dewisland, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunderland, Swansea,
Warrington and Wells have all formally entered the competition
for the third UK City of Culture.
The Heritage Lottery Fund has today committed £3 million to the
holder of the UK City of Culture title from 2021 onwards to boost
local heritage.
To unlock the funds the successful bidder will need to
demonstrate that their programme is underpinned by heritage and
builds on existing investment by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
, Minister of State for Digital
and Culture, said:
UK City of Culture is a fantastic opportunity for towns and
cities to celebrate their creativity and use culture as a
catalyst for economic growth.
I am delighted to see so many bids from across the country,
showing how many areas recognise the important role culture can
play in the development and regeneration of communities.
UK City of Culture helps boost tourism and raises the profile
of arts and culture. The exciting funding commitment from the
Heritage Lottery Fund today is yet another incentive for towns
to secure this prestigious title.
Ros Kerslake, Chief Executive of the Heritage Lottery Fund, said:
This list shows there is clearly a great deal of enthusiasm
among the UK’s cities for celebrating their unique culture.
Heritage, much of which has benefitted over the past 23 years
from National Lottery funding, is so important to a city’s
identity, as well as making a huge contribution to tourism,
jobs and the local economy. Building on the support we have
given to Hull 2017, this funding will allow the UK City of
Culture 2021 to showcase its heritage to the world.
Hull is the second city to host the title. Its programme includes
365 days of cultural events and, to date, more than 340,000
people have attended the In With A Bang fireworks event and Made
In Hull programme. It is estimated that being the UK City of
Culture 2017 will deliver a £60 million boost to Hull’s economy
this year. The city has also seen a £1 billion investment since
winning the title in 2013.
A shortlist of the bidding areas will be announced in the summer
before the winning area is announced in December.
Media enquiries and interview requests - please contact the DCMS
News and Communications team on 020 7211 2210.
Notes to editors:
- The Heritage Lottery Fund’s early, in-principle, commitment
of £3m funding to future holders of the UK City of Culture title
will enable the successful city to start planning at an early
stage to ensure that heritage is embedded throughout the
year-long cultural programme.
- In common with all HLF funding awards, an application will
have to be submitted and will need to be of the required quality.
By announcing funding at this early stage and setting out clear
expectations, HLF is aiming to maximise the likelihood of a
successful bid.
