Agenda item

From the Cabinet, 7 July 2015.

Further to Minute 20/15 of Cabinet, the City Council considered a report of the Executive Director for Place, which sought approval for the development of a Coventry bid for the UK City of Culture 2021 title and outlined the anticipated bid process and timescales, the bid feasibility work undertaken in Coventry to date, and the expected commitments and benefits for the successful city being awarded (in 2017) the title of UK City of Culture 2021.

The European Capitals of Culture (ECoC) programme was created in 1985 as an intergovernmental cultural initiative.  Initially titled ‘European Cities of Culture’, the programme had evolved to a position where the ECoC programme was now considered by many to be the flagship cultural initiative of the European Union.

In December 2013, Coventry City Council agreed a motion proposing the undertaking of a scoping exercise to set out plans for Coventry to make a bid for the UK City of Culture in 2021 and/or European Capital of Culture in 2023.

An independent Steering Group had overseen the detailed investigation of Coventry’s case to bid for either the UK or European title.  Whilst the Steering Group were of the view that there were clearly merits in considering a European bid, it concluded that the UK City of Culture process would currently be a better fit for the City, both in terms of the needs of the City and current positioning of Coventry.

In March 2015, the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) announced that the competition for title of UK City of Culture 2021 would be held in 2017, in Hull’s UK City of Culture year.  Based on previous bidding guidance, it was anticipated that the successful candidate city for UK City of Culture 2021 would need to deliver against a number of criteria which were detailed in the report.

The economic case for Coventry bidding for UK City of Culture was considered by the Steering Group to be strong.  A successful bid was likely to bring significant national investment into the City from public and private sources; visitor spend; enhanced student numbers as well as the potential economic benefits of accelerated development. In Derry/Londonderry there were major infrastructure developments realised through the programme and Hull was already attracting investment in transport, public realm and retail on the back of their successful bid.

The City Council also considered a briefing note of the Communities and Neighbourhood Scrutiny Board (4) at which they had made the following recommendations: that children and young people be included in the development of the UK City Culture 2021 bid and that the steering group be advised to consider representation from the school and further education sector.  In moving the report, these additional recommendations were approved.

RESOLVED that the City Council:

(a)  Approve the development of a city bid for Coventry to be UK City of Culture in 2021.

(b)  Include children and young people in the development of the UK City of Culture 2021 bid.

(c)  Advise the steering group to consider representation from the school and further education sector.