Birmingham City of Culture bid before judging panel in Liverpool

Jun 17 2010 by Kat Keogh, Birmingham Mail

THE cream of Birmingham’s creative community have submitted their final bid to become the UK’s first City of Culture.

Dhol drummers, folk musicians, dancers and singers all boarded an open-top bus in Liverpool yesterdayto showcase why Brum is a deserving winner of the cultural crown.

Winning the title could see the West Midlands’ economy be boosted by up to £800 million as an extra four million visitors flock to the city for a year-long programme of cultural events in 2013.

A delegation headed up by Birmingham City Council leader, Coun Mike Whitby, travelled to the North West to make their pitch to the competition’s judging panel.

Coun Whitby said: “There is no doubt that the panel were very impressed with our bid. We showed that Birmingham is a city that celebrates its cultural diversity. This is the first year of the competition and we want to put on a show that will make that the people of Birmingham will be proud of.”

Rival cities Norwich, Sheffield and Derry/Londonderry also made the journey to Liverpool to submit their bids, which was chosen to host the final deliberations in recognition of its role as European City of Culture in 2008.

The judging panel heard pitches from the final four behind closed doors at Liverpool’s Convention Centre, and the winner is expected to be announced next month.