Good luck to Sunderland City of Culture bid
Too often Newcastle and Sunderland are perceived as rivals in the North East and even at loggerheads over many issues. Newcastle Liberal Democrats are proposing a chance for us to come together and give whole-hearted support to the Sunderlan culture bid, which if successful will be of benefit to the entire region and not just to the City of Sunderland - and may show that at times we have common interests and priorities
Tomorrow night at the Newcastle City Council meeting, Councillor Faulkner will propose that :
Council notes that Sunderland is one of the bidding cities to be UK City of Culture 2021 and expresses its strong hope that the city makes the shortlist, due to be announced in May, and goes on to be the successful bidder.
Success for Sunderland would establish it as a significant centre for arts, heritage and culture, attracting millions of pounds into the local economy through investment in the arts and an increase in visitors and jobs. It would kick-start a four year period of growth, innovation and creativity and culminate in a year of exciting cultural and artistic events.
Council believes that a successful bid by Sunderland would be beneficial for the entire region, as will the Great Exhibition of the North next year which Newcastle and Gateshead will host.
The effect of entering the competition can be seen even when a city's bid has proved unsuccessful, with Durham's Lumiere festival a product of the city's failed bid to become UK City of Culture in 2013 as well as our own bid to be European Capital of Culture which created the Culture 10 programme and a platform for the subsequent successful staging of major events.
Council requests Cabinet to consider what help might be possible to support Sunderland's bidding team.