On 31 May, it was announced live on BBC the One Show, that County Durham’s City of Culture bid for 2025 was unsuccessful.
City of Culture – what is it?
The City of Culture designation is awarded to an area every four years, with the winner handed the city of culture title for a year. The winner then holds “cultural festivities through culture-led regeneration for the year.” It brings great social, cultural and economic benefits to the winner.
What areas were shortlisted?
Four areas were ultimately shortlisted: Bradford, County Durham, Southampton and Wrexham County Borough.
County Durham’s bid
The county’s bid held the the Durham Miners Association motto as its core message, Into the Light: The past we inherit, the future we build. The Durham 2025 website states “Our City of Culture project grasps the proud historic motto of the Durham Miners’ Association and places it at the heart of a deep-rooted and dazzling programme that reframes a county of unequal opportunity as a place of collective energy.
“At the heart of the bid is a year-long programme of arts, culture, sport, science and economics, including spectacular opening and closing events, a 12-month celebration of Durham’s 1,300-year history of space science, an international celebration of the bicentenary of the railways and a travelling fair that asks big questions about the local economy.”
Judges arrived in Durham in early May, with the area prepared to showcase its creativity, drive and planned growth. An exciting and immersive timetable of activities were arranged for the judges’ eagerly anticipated visit, which followed the shortlisting of Durham’s countywide bid in March.
Historic Durham, wild Durham and industrial Durham were all represented during the visit, with the judges splitting into groups to allow as much of the county as possible to be showcased.
Judges travelled to the county’s east coast town of Dawdon, immersing themselves in an outdoor installation featuring handmade flags. One group of judges travelled to Bishop Auckland, learning about the work of The Auckland Project, and a visit to the Spanish Art Gallery. A third group found themselves in Durham City, visiting the county’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which included Durham Cathedral and Durham Castle.
The judges were able to experience first hand, the breadth of creativity and culture that county had to offer.
Although not chosen as the winner, County Durham has shown its sense of community, creativity and drive throughout its UK City of Culture 2025 bid.
South West Durham News covering news across County Durham.
