Plymouth MP Alison Seabeck invites Minister to visit "City of Culture"
THE Culture Minister has agreed to visit Plymouth as the city gears up to bid for UK City of Culture status.
MP Alison Seabeck invited Ed Vaizey during Commons questions yesterday. She said she reacted after two Essex MPs started talking about their own bids for UK City of Culture 2017.
"I couldn't let them have a free rein," Ms Seabeck said. "So I invited Ed Vaizey to come and visit Plymouth and he said he would."
Ms Seabeck said the bid reinforced the idea that Plymouth is a destination.
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She said that local opponents of the bid were "simply wrong". The Olympic Torch relay had proved the value of cultural and sporting events, bringing an extra £1.5million into the city.
And she said that the bid alone, even if Plymouth does not win, would draw attention to the city.
"Plymouth has only recently begun to understand that cultural and sporting events do have the capacity to boost the local economy.
"Manchester, Glasgow and Liverpool, which were incredibly rundown, have picked themselves up, and at the heart of that was a cultural offer. We have been rather slower than the rest of the country to understand that."
Mr Vaizey launched the nationwide contest to find the 2017 City of Culture last month.
The competition is designed to use culture and creativity as a catalyst to transform communities and showcase artistic talent.
The city council and Plymouth University have each pledged £20,000 for the Culture Board to put together a bid. The money will have to be matched by the private sector.
Cities have to register an interest with Mr Vaizey's department by the end of February and submit bids by the end of April. A shortlist will be announced in June.
Tracey Guiry, Plymouth's City of Culture bid director, said: "The Plymouth Culture Board is galvanising support from across the city and we're delighted with the responses we've been getting.
"We are working with community groups to get local people involved and linking with schools.
"Through the Chamber of Commerce and Plymouth Area Business Council we are getting huge support from the business community."
She is setting up a Culture Forum and holding a consultation in March. A website is about to go live, and the Culture Board will launch a social media campaign.
"There is so much enthusiasm and a real buzz as lots of people are talking about the bid," she said.
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by Rick_OShay
Saturday, February 16 2013, 6:30PM
“Walter
More ideas for rainy days:
Smeatons Tower
The Life Centre
The South West Image Bank
St.Andrews Church
Saltram House
Crownhill Fort
The Merchants House
Elizabethan House
The Peninsula Arts Gallery
The Indoor Market
Plymouth has got lots of culture but the city is not very good at promoting it.
Rick O'Shay
Zog”
by ThatWoman
Saturday, February 16 2013, 3:26PM
“I agree with Walter, Leeroy and those who see reality here. Culture in Plymouth? Culture here is: Pasties (Ivor's or Ron's?), Plymouth Argyle, the Dockyard (what is left of it) and The Hoe. The Hoe is nice on a summer's day but ..... Forget Plymouth being city of culture. It would be an embarrassment and we have nothing seriously cultural to offer. Note some last minute grubbing around by the Herald to find famous Janner's and old boundary stones. Should someone not have been doing this years ago? Their lateness in this weak effort is a transparent attempt at money grabbing.”
by b_mused
Friday, February 15 2013, 9:56PM
“Is 'cassiebiker' a nom-de-plume for Tudor Evans?
It would also be nice if the Transport Minister came down here or the Environment Minister to reflect on the outmoded, foreign owned incinerator.”
by Waltersmith
Friday, February 15 2013, 7:11PM
“@Rick_O'Shay
Your comment sums it up really”
by tim_bucktoo
Friday, February 15 2013, 3:39PM
“"Manchester has never been a city of culture
Liverpool and Glasgow were "European Cities of Culture"
Correct, Manchester has never held that title. However, there is proberbly more cultural offerings in Manchester on a single weekend, than an entire year in Plymouth!!”
by OutsideView
Friday, February 15 2013, 3:36PM
“It all depends how you measure culture, Plymouth Style perhaps!!”
by Rick_OShay
Friday, February 15 2013, 1:07PM
“Walter
Don't be so negative, when it rains you can also go to the Cinema, Theatre,Jump or Drakes Den.
Plymouth is your oyster!
Rick O'Shay
Zog”
by leeroymeboy
Friday, February 15 2013, 12:53PM
“Agree Walter. I'm an expat now anyway as I got fed up with the rain. Still like to check in on the goings on in Plymouth though. I digress.
The point is, maybe they should spend the money instilling some culture into the city rather than trying to get whatever it is they think we have recognised.
The amount of time I've heard "Plymouth" and 'Cultural wasteland' in the same sentence is in the high double digits.”
by Waltersmith
Friday, February 15 2013, 12:21PM
“@leeroymeboy
Plymouth is just an outdoor attraction - when it rains where on earth can you go? The Aquarium, a minute museum and Drakes Circus”
by leeroymeboy
Friday, February 15 2013, 11:05AM
“Has anyone from Plymouth ever been to Bristol? Take a walk down Stokes Croft in the independent quarter. Now there's a city of / with culture. I say this as a Plymouthian, but we just can't compare.
What a waste of money in these times of supposed austerity.”