MEDIARELEASEWEDNESDAY16AUGUST

NOTTINGHAMENTERSRACETOBECOMEEUROPEANCAPITALOFCULTURE2023

NottinghamhasconfirmedthatitislookingtobidforEuropeanCapitalofCulture2023,atalauncheventheldtoday(Wednesday16August2017).Theannouncementtookplaceinaspectacularluminarium–astructureofluminescentcolourandlight–createdbyinternationallyrenownedlocalartistsArchitectsofAir.CompetingagainstBelfast,Dundee,Leeds,andMiltonKeynes,Nottingham’sEuropeanCapitalofCulture2023bidteamisconfidentNottingham’sentrywillbeheavilysupportedbypeopleacrosstheMidlandsandbeyond,andiscallingonlocalstobecomeNottingham2023‘CulturalLions’.PaulRuss,chairmanofNottingham'sCulturalStrategyPartnershipandchairoftheNottingham2023boardsaid:“ThelionsoutsidetheCouncilHousehavebeenalocalmeeting,gatheringandrallyingpointfordecades,weareaproudandinclusivecityandurgepeopleofallbackgroundsto‘joinourpride’andhelpusgettothenextstageofthebidbybecoming‘CulturalLions’.“Nottinghamisanambitious,younganddiversecitywithacultureofgrassrootscollaborationandahistoryofrebelliousinnovation.“Aspartofthebid,wewanttogiveeveryoneinNottinghamtheopportunitytotakepartinaproject,productionorexperienceandnurturethenextgenerationofcreativeproducersandculturalleaders.“We’reproposinga‘culturalchange’programmethatwilltransformthelivesofpeopleintheMidlands;harnessingthepowerofcreativity,stimulatinginnovation,attractinginvestmentandcreatingnewinternationalnetworksthatwillredefineourrelationshiptoEuropeandtheworld.”

NottinghamhasoneoftheyoungestandmostdiversepopulationsintheUK,withanaverageageofjust34.Oncetheglobalindustrialcentreoflace-making,nineoutof10jobsinNottinghamarenowintheserviceindustry,andthecityisintheprocessofreimaginingitselfasacreativeeconomyforthe21stCentury.SpearheadingtheNottingham2023bidisNottingham’sStrategicCulturalPartnership,withsupportprovidedbyNottinghamCityCouncil,theUniversityofNottingham,NottinghamTrentUniversity,MarketingNGandNottinghamUNESCOCityofLiterratre.SandeepMahal,DirectorofNottinghamUNESCOCityofLiteraturesaid:“OurbidwillbemassivelyhelpedbybeingaUNESCOCityofLiterature.WeareproudlystrengtheningNottingham’stieswithEuropeandinturnenhancingNottingham’sstatusasatrulyEuropeancity.Ihavenodoubtatallthatthecitycanproducethetypeofextraordinary,imaginativeandinclusiveprogrammethatcanwinthiscompetition.”ProfessorSirDavidGreenaway,Vice-ChancelloroftheUniversityofNottinghamsaid:“Creativityandculturalvibrancyisanengineforgrowth,businessandgraduateretentionandposeshugeopportunitiesforourcity,studentsandpublic.”ProfessorEdwardPeck,Vice-ChancellorofNottinghamTrentUniversitysaid:“NottinghamTrenthasaproud175-yearhistoryofcontributingtotheculturalandeconomicdevelopmentoftheregion,sowearedelightedtobebackingthebidandtheenormousopportunitiesthatbeingcapitalofculturewillbringtotheCityandCounty.”CllrDaveTrimble,PortfolioHolderforLeisureandCulturesaid:“2023willseethefirstopportunityforaUKCitytobecomeEuropeanCapitalofCulture,sinceLiverpoolheldthetitlein2008.“ThisprovidesuswithagreatopportunitytosetavisionfortheNottinghamweaspiretobebytheyear2023,andhashugepotentialforattractinginvestmentandgrowthtothecity.”

Thecityandsurroundingcountyhasahistoryofpioneeringnewwaysofthinkingandworkingtogether,fromthelegendofRobinHood,computingpioneerAdaLovelace,andthewritingsofDHLawrence,AlanSillitoeandJonMcGregor,totheworkoffashiondesignerSirPaulSmith,singer-songwriterJakeBugg,andnationallycelebratedtheatremakersAdamPenford,EmmaRiceandJennySealey.Reactingtotheannouncement,SirJohnPeacechairoftheMidlandsEngine,said:"It’sfantasticthatNottinghamisbiddingtobecomeEuropeanCapitalofCulturein2023,notjustforNottingham,butforthewholeoftheMidlands.“BeingEuropeanCapitalofCultureisahuge,year-longopportunityforacitytopromoteitselfanditscreativecommunitytotheworldandtoattractsignificantnumbersofvisitorfromacrosstheUKandoverseas,givingalong-termboosttothelocalandregionaleconomies.“Art,cultureandthecreativeindustriesmakeasurprisinglylargecontributiontotheMidlandseconomyalreadyandhavesignificantpotentialtogrow,tobecomemoreproductiveandtocreatemorejobs.“IurgethewholeregiontogetbehindbringingtheEuropeanCapitalofCulturetotheMidlands.”AdedicatedwebsiteandsocialmediachannelsforNottingham2023havealsobeenunveiledtoday,providingaplatformforlocalstoshowtheirsupportbybecomingaNottingham2023‘CulturalLion’andkeepuptodatewithbiddevelopments.TheEuropeanCapitalofCultureprogrammeisanannualcompetitioninwhichcitiesfromtwoselectedEuropeancountriesbidforthetitle.Nottingham’sbidformspartoftheNottinghamCulturalStrategicPartnership’sten-yearculturalframeworkplanandwillbedevelopedbyFestival&EventsInternational.In2023boththeUKandHungarywillhostaEuropeanCapitalofCulture.Nottinghamhasuntil17October2017toproduceitsbid.Formoreinformationandtoshowyoursupportvisitwww.Nottingham2023.co.uk

ENDSForfurtherinformation,contactEmmaHoughtonorJozefSoltysikatCartwrightCommunicationsonjozef@cartwrightcommunications.co.ukor01158532110