UK City of Culture 2025: Bradford to bid for title

Bradford will be in the running to become UK City of Culture in 2025, it has been announced.

The council-backed bid will be led by a team including the University of Bradford, Bradford College and live arts company the Brick Box.

Detailed plans will be unveiled when the official bid is launched in late September, according to the group.

Final bids will be submitted in 2021, with the winning entry announced in December 2021.

Other entrants expected to enter the contest are Luton, Southampton, Tees Valley, Medway and Lancashire.

The status is awarded by the government every four years. Hull is the current City of Culture, while Coventry will hold the title from 2021.

Susan Hinchcliffe, leader of Bradford Council and chair of the Cultural Place Partnership (CPP), which is behind the bid, said: "If the bid is successful it would be of benefit for every corner of the district; it would be really exciting.

"I'm so pleased that this great group of people is driving the bid forward, I hope everyone gets behind them."

Rosie Freeman, director of the Brick Box, said: "I think it would create greater community engagement and cohesion across the whole district.

"In previous winning cities like Hull we've seen some major social and economic benefits, but even just the process of bidding will bring us together as a district."

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