Bradford, County Durham, Southampton and Wrexham County Borough have been unveiled as the four areas shortlisted to be UK City of Culture 2025.
The four locations were approved by Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries based on independent advice made to the government by a panel of experts led by Sir Phil Redmond.
The finalists were whittled down from a record twenty initial bids to eight outstanding longlist applications which also included Cornwall, Derby, Stirling and Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon.
BRADFORD
Bradford District is the 5th largest local authority in England and home to 542,100 people, 175 languages and 2,287 listed buildings.
It also can claim two UNESCO World Heritage Sites and has long been associated with Britain’s industrial revolution while playing a key role in modern culture too, with bands and artists including The Cult and David Hockney hailing from this Yorkshire city.
COUNTY DURHAM
The County of Durham has come together in bidding to become City of Culture 2025. Bringing together picturesque countryside, historic cities and former mining villages, the County represents more than half a million people.
Not only has County Durham been home to religious scholars and academic institutions, the County also has a rich cultural offering with many live music venues to theatres, galleries and museums.
SOUTHAMPTON
With a population of over 250,000 people, Southampton is home to life long residents, a significant student population and a wide range of businesses while its famous docks serve a variety of holiday makers.
The area has a population that’s as diverse as the city itself, sharing the grassy common, shopping centres, marina, waterside and residential areas. The city’s flagship theatre, the Mayflower, is the biggest theatre on the south coast and has been hosting live performances for nearly 100 years.
WREXHAM
Wrexham’s well known for its imposing castle and aqueduct dissecting its stunning landscape, illustrating the city’s prestigious past. Located in North Wales near the Cheshire border, it has recently made headlines for the Hollywood takeover of the city’s football club.
Wrexham also has a lively cultural scene, with a wide range of live performance venues, from community centres to its racecourse. Long standing local landmarks also play a pivotal role in the city’s cultural life including the art deco Stiwt theatre, which has served as everything from a library to a bingo hall before being fully restored twenty years ago.
“The UK City of Culture competition shows the important role that culture can play in levelling up our towns, cities and rural communities - bringing investment, great events, thousands of tourists, and opportunity for people of all ages and backgrounds."
Lord Parkinson - Arts Minister
The competition, delivered by DCMS in collaboration with the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, brings culture into the heart of communities and gives people an opportunity to get involved in everything the arts have to offer.
Coventry UK City of Culture 2021 has seen more than £172 million invested in funding music concerts, public art displays, the UK’s first permanent immersive digital art gallery, a new children’s play area in the centre of the city, the new Telegraph Hotel and improvements to public transport.
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