Star Ifans ‘feeling lucky’ as Swansea launches bid for 2021 City of Culture
TWIN Town star Rhys Ifans has helped launch Swansea’s bid to become UK City of Culture. The Hollywood actor appeared live on screen from London as part of a send-off event held at the National Waterfront Museum.
The bid was delivered on a memory stick by two of the leading lights of Swansea’s young creative talent – musician Ify Iwobi and dancer Richard Nkhata.
The duo pressed “send”, after which a giant screen showed an animation of the bid’s digital journey to London where Ifans was waiting outside the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in Parliament Street.
As he received the bid on his iPad, the 50-year-old actor, said: “Got it! I just want to send my heartfelt congratulations to all of you gathered there tonight in Swansea for all your incredible hard work and diligence over the months and years leading up to this moment. I’m feeling lucky.”
Swansea is in the running for the 2021 City of Culture along with Coventry, Paisley, Sunderland and Stoke-on-Trent.
Wales’ second city lost out this year to Hull, which is said to have benefited from £1bn investment since hosting the year-long event.
Swansea Council leader Rob Stewart said the city had really come together to get behind the bid.
“We are Wales’ cultural capital and the whole of Swansea really wants this,” he said.
“It’s good to see the leaders of all political parties come to the event to give their backing too. This really is a bid about Swansea, its people, its ambitions and its place in the UK and world. Having everyone’s support like this – from the public, from key local organisations, from businesses and from the media – is incredible. Of course, having Rhys Ifans helping us deliver the bid is the icing on the cake.”
The Labour leader added: “People talk about Swansea needing more investment, more jobs, more opportunities, more people, more tourists – being City of Culture will help do that.”
Swansea Sound presenter Kevin Johns MBE, who compered today’s event, added: “It’s very easy to get caught up in the hoopla surrounding a bid like this and lose sight of a huge part of what it’s really about – exposing young, inquisitive minds to the limitless possibilities of creativity, not just in the arts but in all aspects of life, so it is great to have bright young talent such as Ify and Richard join older talent like Rhys Ifans in sending the bid on its way.”
The winner will be announced in December.
Tracey McNulty, head of culture for Swansea Council, said: “A lot of hard work has gone into this bid.
“We have to convince the panel that we can deliver real opportunities for our residents, improving skills, jobs and health – but also that we can host the best of the UK’s cultural offer here in Swansea, in our own unique way.”