Plans to capitalise on Hull’s UK City of Culture status revealed

As Hull’s tenure as UK City of Culture 2017 quickly approaches, Hull City Council has announced plans to ensure this title will leave a legacy for the city.

Working with public and private sector partners, Hull City Council has driven the development and delivery of legacy plans aimed at putting culture and the arts at the centre of transforming the economic landscape of Hull.

Since 2013, investments of more than £1bn, creating thousands of jobs, have been put into the city. This includes the completion Siemens’ plans to build a £310m offshore wind manufacturing plant at Alexandra Dock, the £200m Energy Works development opened by Spencer Group, RB’s £100m investment in a research and development centre and the University of Hull’s £90m investment in new facilities.

The City Council has now accelerated delivery of a £100m capital investment in the city’s cultural and visitor infrastructure.

Expected to attract an additional £300m of investment from other public and private sector funders, the ‘Destination Hull’ legacy programme is delivering:

• Improved facilities at the Ferens Art Gallery and Hull New Theatre.
• The new 3,500-seat Hull Venue, which will provide a high quality space for performances and events from early 2018, and is set to bring an additional £13.8m of spend into Hull’s economy each year.
• A transformed public realm, creating spaces that people will want to visit and a more vibrant city centre economy.
• A revitalised Old Town, Fruit Market and waterfront, capable of fulfilling its potential as Hull’s historic and cultural heartland.
• The preservation of some of the city’s most important historic sites and buildings including Beverley Gate.

Today, Hull City Council also launches Hull’s 10-year Cultural Strategy 2016-2026.

With culture and the arts at the centre of Hull’s regeneration and development, the strategy will guide Hull as an international cultural city with a sustainable visitor economy driven by strong cultural institutions and leaders.

Delivery of the strategy will be propelled by a new cultural partnership which will develop plans to capitalise on the city’s maritime and international connectivity, and shape an artistic and cultural programme.

Over the next ten years, the partnership will see the delivery of Hull’s cultural plans, with priorities including a bid to make Hull Old Town a UNESCO World Heritage site and a £30m funding bid for projects that will allow the city to exploit its historic role as Yorkshire’s Maritime City.

Planned infrastructure projects also include a £50m investment to build Yorkshire’s cruise terminal and the delivery of the £194m Highways England scheme to improve the A63 including a footbridge re-connecting the city to its waterfront.

With a £2.6m legacy fund already established by Hull City Council and the Hull 2017 Company, work to develop Hull’s 2018 programme has begun.

Building on the £32m raised to deliver UK City of Culture 2017 as well as the new national and international cultural partnerships, the city aims to secure at least £8m for annual cultural programming post 2017.

Looking to promote your product/service to SME businesses in your region? Find out how Bdaily can help →