UK City of Culture: Record number of places apply

More places in the UK have put in bids to be awarded the next City of Culture than ever before.

Applications have come in from all four corners of the country.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said a record 20 places have expressed an interest in hosting a year of cultural activities in 2025.

There is a bid from each UK nation, including Wolverhampton in England, Stirling in Scotland, Conwy County in Wales and a joint application from Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon in Northern Ireland.

Entrants have been tasked with proving that they can put culture at the heart of their plans to recover from the impact of the pandemic.

Those which are longlisted will be awarded grants of £40,000 to support the next stage of their applications.

The successful area will take on the baton from Coventry, which is the 2021 UK City of Culture, with Hull and Derry-Londonderry having previously enjoyed the status in 2017 and 2013 respectively.

Coventry has received more than £15.5 million from the government to directly support its year of programmes, according to the DCMS.

The city has also attracted another £100 million so far in investment to support cultural projects, such as the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, Coventry Cathedral and Belgrade Theatre, among others.

During its year in the culture spotlight, Hull saw more than 5.3 million visits to more than 2,800 events, cultural activities, installations and exhibitions, while 75% of those who visited the Humber port city in 2017 stated that it changed their perception of the city for the better.

Nine out of 10 people in Hull thought that UK City of Culture had a positive impact on the city and 90% of residents took part in at least one cultural activity, according to department data.

The 20 bidders will be reduced to an initial longlist in the coming weeks and then cut down further to a final shortlist in early 2022. The winner will be announced in May 2022.