Sunderland is bidding for the UK City of Culture 2021.
The City of Culture vote being held every four years and designed to give a location in the UK funding to increase its arts and culture, and has the most potential for improvement. The next budget declared by the Heritage Lottery fund is £3m to the winning city.
For 2021, eleven cities have expressed an interest that are Perth; Paisley, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunderland, Coventry, Hereford, Warrington, Portsmouth, Wells, Swansea and the smallest city in Britain, St David’s. The winner will be named in December and all contestants must be submitted by the end of April.
Minister for Digital and Culture, Matt Hancock, said the UK City of Culture competition was a “fantastic opportunity” to 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.”
For more information on Sunderland’s bid and how you could get involved go to www.sunderland2021.com