‘Time will tell’ if £32.8m project was value for money

WHETHER THE £32.8m City of Culture project was value for money “remains difficult to answer in full,” the report says, as the truth will be revealed as the years go by.

Professor Franco Bianchini, the director of the University’s Culture, Place and Policy Institute, said tourism had been “largely sustained, the cultural sector is better networked and more ambitious”, and there is evidence that “many of the positive impacts of Hull 2017 are continuing to shape the city”.

Some £676m public and private investment which came into the city from 2013 to this year “can be at least be partially attributed to City of Culture”.

Visitor numbers were up one per cent to 6.25m last year, avoiding a post-2017 cliff-edge.

In 1991, Glasgow saw a 28 per cent drop after its year as European Capital of Culture.

And three times as many city arts organisations now get national funding – 21 now receive just under £1m per year, compared to just six which shared £228,000 in 2016.

The Citywide Residents’ Survey also showed a rise of six per cent in numbers from Hull and the East Riding attending arts events, festivals and performances last year.

Prof Bianchini said: “There’s still some way to go but the city is definitely on the right track in terms of cultural tourism and improving tourism numbers.

“(The city council led) Yorkshire’s Maritime City is another milestone in the cultural tourism strategy.”

However, in terms of developing the cultural sector, he said “perhaps the levels of resources are not enough”. The report said a strong cultural infrastructure – including marketing, public relations, fundraising and audience development – was crucial for cities to make the most of the potentially positive long-term effects of a major cultural event – as shown by Liverpool after the European City of Culture 2008.