East Kent bids for UK City of Culture title
Canterbury Cathedral -
one of the attractions in east Kent
Kent is in the running to host a UK City of Culture... but the
area covered stretches beyond a city.
The area of east Kent is competing against 10 others across the
UK for the 2017 title.
Kent's bid includes Canterbury, Ashford, Dover, Folkestone and
Thanet.
It will compete against Aberdeen, Chester, Dundee, Hastings and
Bexhill-on- Sea, Hull, Leicester, Plymouth, Portsmouth and
Southampton, Southend-on-Sea, and Swansea Bay for the prestigious
prize.
Announcing the nominees today, culture secretary Ed Vaizey said:
“This is fantastic news and shows the appetite for the prestigious
‘City of Culture’ title is inhealthy supply right across the length
and breadth of the country.
"The competition brings together communities and creates
economic and social benefits and I am pleased to see so many local
authorities and different partners coming together. I wish
all 11 the best of luck.”
The nominees for 2017 UK
City of Culture
The entrants have until April 30 to submit their
initial bids, which will be considered by an independent advisory
panel chaired by Phil Redmond.
The panel will then decide on a shortlist, to be announced in
June.
The UK City of Culture award builds on the success of Liverpool
being awarded the European Capital of Culture prize in 2008.
The White Cliffs of Dover
play a key role in attracting visitors to Kent
In that year the city saw 9.7 million more visitors and brought
in an extra £735 million from tourists.
The first city to be awarded the UK title is Derry for this
year.
It's thought the title could mean the winning city hosting a
number of key events, such as the Turner Prize, the Brit Awards,
the Man Booker Prize and the Sterling Prize.
05/03/13
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