Newport submits bid to be City of Culture 2025
NEWPORT is bidding to become the UK City of Culture 2025. Newport City Council confirmed yesterday that the city is hoping to become the official City of Culture in four years’ time, going up against the likes of Durham, Bradford and Southampton.
The council has stated that if it were to win, the city itself and the wider former Gwent region would host a year-long programme of events and projects.
Newport council leader Jane Mudd said: “Newport City Council and its partners are committed to ensuring people feel good about living, working, visiting and investing in our city.
“We want to seize every opportunity to promote confidence and pride within our communities and to showcase Newport and Gwent to the wider world – that is why we want to step up and be the UK City of Culture 2025.”
Newport has now officially submitted an expression of interest, outlining the city’s plans should it win.
The next stage of the application process will see a number of entrants invited to submit a full bid by January 2022, and the winning city or town will then be announced in spring 2022.
It is not the first time a Welsh city has put in a bid, with Swansea making the shortlist for the 2021 bid before ultimately losing out to Coventry. And a bid by the wider “Swansea Bay” area lost out to Hull for the 2017 title.
The inaugural holder of the award was Derry-Londonderry in 2013.
In a separate contest, Cardiff submitted a bid to host the 2008 European Capital of Culture but that was won by Liverpool.
Councillor Mudd added: “Newport is a city with a proud cultural tradition and heritage. We are the gateway to south Wales, with communities diverse and rich in culture, tradition and language.
“We are also part of a wider region, formerly known as Gwent, where our past, present and future are inextricably linked. We share a social, cultural and economic history underpinned by our internationally recognised heritage.
“We want to challenge and shape people’s views about Newport – to tell the world about our unique culture and our long history.
“Working together with our partners, communities and volunteers – we want to tell our story. We want people to know about the fight for democratic rights here in Gwent. We want to tell the stories of people from around the world who have chosen us as their home throughout the centuries.
“We want to help promote our passion for music, art and homegrown talent – to hear poetry, performance and music in our public spaces, parks and communities and emanating from our establishments large and small. From elite sport and major events to grassroots sport in communities, we want to share and celebrate our activities right across the region.”
A number of organisations in Newport have already lent their support for the submission.
Additionally, the council has stated that there is also support from members of both the Welsh and UK Governments and local authorities throughout Gwent.
“If we are lucky enough to proceed to the next stage of the bidding process, expanding those links and harnessing the ideas and enthusiasm of organisations across the city and region will be paramount to us delivering a successful bid and events programme,” said Councillor Mudd.
“The legacy will be considerable – improved access to culture and heritage, the bringing together of communities, the celebration and better understanding of our cultural diversity, and another step up on the global stage which can only enhance our journey of transformation. I sincerely hope everyone will come together to support the bid.”