Belfast and Derry Bid To Become "City of Culture"

Belfast and Derry City have put themselves forward as potential candidates to become the UK City of Culture in 2013.

The winning place, to be announced next spring, will host big ticket national cultural events, as well as putting on a year-long programme of their own.

A total of 29 cities and local areas from across the UK have placed bids. Top cities in the running including Aberdeen, Birmingham, Manchester, Reading and Sheffield.

Phil Redmond, the architect of Liverpool's highly successful year as European capital of Culture in 2008 will chair the judging panel for the City of Culture competition.

Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw said: "This is a fantastic response. Liverpool's experience last year proves that cultural life most definitely does not begin and end within the M25.

"It also shows that a cultural spotlight on a city can have a fantastic effect on inward investment, and give a real lift to local morale and community spirit. And with a number of eye-catching national events set to locate to the winning city during 'their' year, I'm sure that even more bids will come in before the final deadline at the end of the year."

The cities that have come forward so far will attend a seminar today in Liverpool in which key members of the team behind Liverpool 08 will explain what was behind their success, and potential bidders will receive one-to-one advice on how to prepare for the next stage.

Phil Redmond said: "To be offered the job of chairing the judging panel is another great privilege for me personally but another testimony to everyone who made Liverpool 2008 the most successful Capital of Culture to date.

"The key message we will be offering on Sept 10th is the power of collective working. Liverpool made 2008 what it was by defining culture as a collective endeavour that focused everyone on one common agenda. That is what we will be encouraging. Defining how each individual 'city' can define culture as a collective endeavour to bring about real step change."

(GK/KMcA)