Norwich to celebrate runner-up-manship

2013 to be marked in Norwich as a year to celebrate close call.

Friday 16th July 2010

The title of UK City of Culture 2013 has gone to Derry/Londonderry, yet, in spite of this, Norwich will be celebrating. Plans are in place to mark the achievement of coming a 'close second' in the bid.

As the first-ever winner of the prestigious title was unveiled on the BBC's 'The One Show', many local hearts mourned what could have been - the climax of the competition aired live from Liverpool, where the impact of European Capital of Culture success is still tangible.

Even so, the new 'Norwich will celebrate anyway' press release, revealed on Thursday, aims to put new wind into the sails of cultural aspirations in our area. It proposes a programme of events to underline the efforts of the city in its 'positive experience of the competition'.

The director of the Norfolk & Norwich Festival, Jonathan Holloway, said:

"... we can celebrate what the bidding process has already delivered - a newly unlocked appetite for year-round culture, proof of the value of cultural activity to the local economy, and a new collective energy, passion and confidence in our unique identity and potential that has permeated right across the city."

The press release states:

"...the city can announce that some of the creative ideas that were included in the bid and helped get us into the ‘fantastic four’ cultural cities will still happen in the run-up to and during 2013."

Further Reading:

City of Culture bid website - contains press release