Eleven UK cities bid to be named 2017 City of Culture

This year’s inaugural City of Culture is Derry, which is currently playing host to a range of cultural events, despite recent reports of a funding shortfall. The prize is handed out every four years.

The cities which have put forward bids for 2017 are:
Aberdeen
Chester
Dundee
East Kent (covering Ashford, Canterbury, Dover, Folkestone and Thanet)
Hastings and Bexhill on Sea
Hull
Leicester
Plymouth
Portsmouth and Southampton
Southend on Sea
Swansea Bay (covering Swansea, Carmarthenshire, Neath, and Port Talbot)

The panel will now consider each entry and the shortlist will be announced in June this year.

Commenting on the competition, Culture Minister Ed Vaizey said: “I’m delighted that we’ve had so many cities put their name forward, from all across the UK. I wish them all good luck and I know the panel is gearing up to study each of the entries carefully before announcing the shortlist in June.”