Belfast hosts Cultural Cities Network meeting

Belfast City Council is hosting a meeting of the Cultural Cities Network this week which will focus on cultural development in major cities across the United Kingdom.

The network, which will also be learning of plans for Cork 2005’s year of culture, sees John Kennedy, Director of Cork 2005 join representatives from Birmingham, Brighton-Hove, Bristol, Cardiff, Newcastle-Gateshead and Norwich to share experiences and drive forward plans for their cities’ cultural development.

Briony Crozier, Culture and Arts Manager with Belfast City Council, welcomed the opportunity for Belfast to engage with the Cultural Cities Network, saying: “Belfast City Council recognizes that culture can be a very powerful driver for positive change. That is why we have made culture and arts a key component of our Capital City development agenda, Capital City, and why we are implementing our three year Culture and Arts Plan and Cultural Tourism Strategy for Belfast.

"We are investing in culture to benefit the whole city – to raise quality of life and to change perceptions of Belfast. So, I am delighted that we’re continuing to strengthen links with the Cultural Cities Network – it is a very positive forum for exchanging knowledge and expertise, as well as identifying future opportunities to develop and showcase our cultural organizations in Belfast.”

The Cultural Cities Network was formed after the Secretary of State for Culture, Arts and Leisure, Tessa Jowell convened a meeting of the twelve UK cities which had competed for the European Capital of Culture 2008 title, to explore ways in which the work, commitment and creative thinking invested in the submissions could be carried forward for the benefit of local and regional communities and the UK as a whole.

During their stay, network members will be focusing on the development and implementation of city cultural strategies and identifying opportunities for partnership work, as well as experiencing the Belfast Festival at Queen’s and taking in a tour of Belfast.

(MB)