The city of Sunderland is bidding to be the 2021 UK City of Culture.
The bid, which will be developed by a consortium of cultural organisations including the Music, Arts and Culture (MAC) Trust, was launched at an outdoor entertainment event in the city centre on Friday evening.
The City of Culture status, which is awarded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, is intended to be an economic and culture regenerator and follows on the success of Liverpool’s winning the title European Capital of Culture in 2008. The UK title is awarded every four years with the first being Derry in 2013. Hull will hold the title in 2017.
According to the DCMS vision of the City of Culture status, “winning the title and hosting a year of cultural events will help to:
- attract more visitors to the city, supporting the local economy
- increase media interest in the city, helping longer-term tourism
- bring community members together
- increase levels of professional artistic collaboration—people working together on creative projects.”
Expected to feature strongly in Sunderland’s bid are the Empire Theatre, the National Glass Centre, the Museum and Winter Gardens as well as a host of smaller organisations such as Theatre Space NE and a lively local music scene.