New Ipswich City of Culture BID Director says town is ready to "move the dial" for the East of England
They believe winning the bid would boost the whole region
Ipswich's newly appointed City of Culture BID Director believes the town has reached a turning point, saying growing local pride and a thriving grassroots creative scene have put it in a strong position to bid for the national title.
Amy Vaughan, a freelance cultural consultant who has worked on Ipswich's long-term Culture and Heritage Strategy since last year, has been appointed to help lead the town's bid to become UK City of Culture 2029.
She said her experience working with Ipswich, alongside projects across the country, made the role a natural fit.
"I've been working with Ipswich for quite some time," she said.
"When it got to the need to shape up the bid and get it ready to go in, it felt like my skill set, the team I'd been working with and the brilliant cultural sector all came together.
"We're pulling in all of that strategy work and that long-term vision work and making it part of the same conversation, which makes the bid stronger."
"A tangible difference"
Vaughan, who has worked with Ipswich over the past two decades, said she had seen a noticeable shift in how people viewed the town.
While Ipswich has long been recognised for major cultural organisations including its theatres, museums and dance venues, she believes greater recognition is now being given to the town's grassroots creative scene.
"What I've seen over recent years is a real acknowledgement and celebration of what's emerging from Ipswich," she said.
"There are so many hidden stories around the music scene, rave culture and drum and bass that started here and don't always get talked about.
"If you've got brilliant cultural assets and a well-supported grassroots infrastructure, you've got a real recipe for success.
"That helps people feel really proud about the place they live because they can see it on their doorstep. That's the magic ingredient."
She added that conversations about culture in Ipswich had changed significantly.
"I think there is a tangible difference now.
"People know what they want and they're really open and vocal about it.
"It's a really exciting place to be working at the moment."
Bringing experience from across the country
As BID Director, Vaughan said she hopes to combine Ipswich's local knowledge with lessons learned from successful projects elsewhere.
"It takes a village," she said.
"It takes local knowledge and understanding, but it also takes people who've seen other places, seen what's worked and what hasn't worked.
"My role is helping shape the thinking, bringing people together and making the bid the best version of itself it can possibly be."
She said her background in policy, funding and investment would also help ensure the bid met the expectations of decision-makers.
"The East gets overlooked"
Vaughan believes winning UK City of Culture would have benefits beyond Ipswich itself.
She said the East of England had never hosted the title and deserved greater national recognition.
"This is so much more than Ipswich," she said.
"If we had a City of Culture in the East of England, it really moves the dial for everyone.
"I think the East gets overlooked.
"It's got an amazing tourist offer and a brilliant cultural offer, but because we don't have a Manchester, Birmingham or Bristol, it's easy for us to be overlooked by those bigger metropolitan places."
Ipswich is one of the places longlisted to become UK City of Culture 2029. The successful location will be announced later this year.