Middlesbrough has submitted its bid to become UK City of Culture 2029, showcasing the town's creativity and cultural strengths.
The town was longlisted in March alongside Blackpool, Inverness-Highland, Ipswich, Milton Keynes, Portsmouth, Sheffield, Swindon and Wrexham. Judges will now cut the list to a final three, with a winner expected to be announced at the end of the year.
What the title brings
The UK City of Culture title comes with millions of pounds of extra investment and hundreds of thousands of visitors. For the first time, the winner will receive a cash prize of £10m to deliver a year of cultural activities.
Local support for the bid
Dr Laura Sillars, director of the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (Mima), described the bid as a "once in a lifetime opportunity" for the area. She said Middlesbrough was "a fascinating place with groundbreaking art projects and an incredible community spirit" and called the title a potential "game-changing moment" for the town.
Middlesbrough Mayor Chris Cooke said the bid was about "celebrating the creativity of our residents, artists and businesses and changing how people view" the town.
Cultural credentials
Middlesbrough has already been chosen to host the Turner Prize, the biggest contemporary art prize in the world, later this year.
Bini Araia, from the town's International Centre, highlighted the town's diversity and cultural festivals. He said one road in Middlesbrough has 20 different nationalities "happily living side by side" and noted that the Middlesbrough Mela has become one of the most spectacular multi-cultural festivals in the North East over more than a quarter of a century.
Those behind the bid believe a win would help drive growth in the town's fast-growing digital sector, create new jobs and encourage talent to stay in the region.
