Sunderland officially submits UK City of Culture 2021 bid

The latest UK City of Culture Bid, which could deliver a multi-million-pound boost for the North East, has officially been submitted.

Sunderland 2021 submitted the first stage of its UK City of Culture Bid, and the decision to whittle down the final eleven bidding towns and cities to an expected shortlist of four, is now in the hands of judges representing the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

Sunderland’s bid, which is expected to attract investment to the whole of the North East, will go up against Coventry, Hereford, Paisley, Perth, Portsmouth, St Davids, Stoke, Swansea, Warrington and Wells.

Winning City of Culture status could deliver a multi-million-pound boost to Sunderland’s economy.

The current City of Culture, Hull, is expected to see an extra £60m coming to its economy by the end of 2017. The city has already seen a £1bn boost in investment since being announced as the winner of the title in 2013.

The first stage of the bid was submitted April 28th, with shortlisted cities submitting a second stage bid in September and the winning city announced in December.

Rebecca Ball, director of Sunderland 2021, said: “This is a hugely significant moment and something that many, many people across the city and the North East have been working towards for months.

“We have had fantastic expressions of support. There is a real sense of passion, enthusiasm and optimism as we submit this bid. It’s a really exciting occasion and we are all keeping everything crossed that the judges shortlist our fantastic city.

“If this bid is successful, it will build on existing and planned infrastructure in a city that is already in the midst of a £1.5bn investment journey, which includes cultural projects such as the new auditorium, the Vaux redevelopment, Hylton Castle regeneration and many other exciting projects.

“This is really about building on positive momentum – and in particular, about engaging our next generation to make sure we create a city they can be proud to call home.”

Representatives from the Music Arts and Culture (MAC) Trust, Sunderland City Council and the University of Sunderland – the founding partners of Sunderland Culture, which is responsible for Sunderland 2021’s bid – were also on hand to push the button on the final submission.

Councillor Paul Watson, leader of Sunderland City Council, commented: “There has been a real momentum building in Sunderland, and a real sense that this is our time to shine. We wholeheartedly believe that we can offer something special in 2021 if we are successful in this bid, and we eagerly await the decision of the judges, when we learn whether we are among the shortlisted places to make it to the next stage.”

Shirley Atkinson, the University of Sunderland’s Vice-Chancellor, added: “We are very proud to be playing a lead role in Sunderland’s increasingly vibrant and creative culture, which is engaging audiences, bringing together communities and enriching lives.

“Our City of Culture bid is a tremendous opportunity to share the ingenuity, enthusiasm and determination of our city and its people with an even greater audience.”

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