£35m six-year cultural programme announced to replace Capital of Culture bid

Leeds has unveiled a £35m six-year programme, culminating in a year-long celebration in 2023, with businesses urged to support.

The announcement, made in Leeds Town Hall to a packed auditorium of more than 750 people, reiterated the city’s commitment to continuing the momentum created by the Leeds 2023 bid for European Capital of Culture, which the UK’s participation in was cancelled by the European Commission in October due to Brexit.

Leeds City Council will work with partners including Arts Council England and the private sector to build a £35m fund for the programme, showcasing Leeds and creating events across all 33 wards.

Councillor Judith Blake, Leader of Leeds City Council, and Sharon Watson, Chair of the 2023 Independent Steering Group, revealed how the plans outlined in the city’s bid book document will be moved forward.

The projects revealed included a new collaborative sculpture project ‘Yorkshire Sculpture International’ featuring work by  sculptors, public realm commissions and an engagement programme, delivered by Yorkshire Sculpture Triangle; the launch of the Leeds Peoples Theatre, which will create a huge outdoor community performance in 2020, and again in 2023; the Leeds Lighthouse, which has now secured an in-principal agreement with a local business to support its full costs.

Councillor Blake said there had been cross-party support to take the proposals forward and said it was a necessity for the future of the city in such “uncertain times.” She said it was essential culture was strong in Leeds to attract investment and new businesses to the area and thanked the 33 businesses that had so far supported the bid.

As she called for continued support from businesses, Councillor Blake added: “One thing is certain is that the public sector cannot do this on its own.”

“Undoubtedly it was a huge blow when Leeds was denied the chance to bid to become European Capital of Culture in 2023. However, we have been determined not to see the unprecedented enthusiasm and energy which has built behind the bid go to waste and to create a strong and meaningful legacy across the whole city.

“The bid was a tremendous catalyst for a whole new cultural conversation across our city which in turn has sparked some incredibly original and inventive ideas from across our communities, artists, businesses and the public.

“We want to keep that momentum going and this cultural programme, a direct legacy of our bid, will see many of the ideas submitted in the Leeds 2023 bid brought together and channelled into a new and unique celebration of Leeds which will give the best of the city’s culture a chance to shine on a stage it deserves.”

Councillor Blake said that other four cities bidding for the Capital of Culture in the UK for 2023 would also work collaboratively.

Tom Riordan, CEO of Leeds City Council, said: “Economic success in the city, in which I which have worked in over the years, can be soulless and speak of buildings.

“What culture does is to put the soul back into our city through this initiative. Culture is the DNA, distinctiveness, it’s about the people.”

He added that the initiative would bring the “different yet complimentary” big institutions and grass roots organisations  together.