Gloucester eyes UK City of Culture title for 2033
Council approves plans as part of cultural strategy
Gloucester City Council has approved plans to explore a bid for the UK City of Culture title in 2033. If successful, Gloucester could be awarded £10 million to deliver a year's worth of cultural events.
Councillors approved the plans during a cabinet meeting as part of their 10-year cultural strategy, demonstrating the city's cultural ambition and activity.
Caroline Courtney, Councillor for Tuffley and Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure at Gloucester City Council, expressed confidence in the city's ability to contend for the title:
‘’We have an amazing city with lots of cultural activity already and lots of cultural ambition. So it makes sense that we should be putting ourselves forward for things like this’’.
Courtney highlighted that previous winners had benefitted greatly from the award, as she argues it’s ‘‘really boosted their economy, it’s boosted public and private investment, it’s transformed people's perceptions of their city’’.
‘‘Gloucester really does have a lot to offer culturally and we have every right to be ambitious and to be going for for big awards like this’’, she says.
The UK's City of Culture scheme was established by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport in 2009 to aid in regenerating urban areas.
The title is awarded every four years, with Bradford currently holding the title after winning in 2025.
The potential application for the 2033 title won't occur until 2029, making this strategy more of an aspiration for the future rather than an immediate action.
‘‘it's not something that we’re starting work on today, tomorrow, it's something to work towards in the future. And it won't even be this council that makes that decision when the time comes as to whether we're ready to apply or not’’, Courtney adds.
‘‘We hope that the strategy that we approved last night gives them a blueprint to work on to continue the really good work that we've made-up until now for Gloucester’’.