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Dundee, Hull, Leicester and Swansea all in the running to be named UK City of Culture

 

Tuesday 19 November 2013 17:58 GMT
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The location of the UK's next City of Culture will be announced tomorrow with Dundee, Hull, Leicester and Swansea Bay all in the running.

The winner can expect an economic boost from the accolade which is handed out every four years.

The current holder - Londonderry - has reported a 30% increase in hotel occupancy and has hosted events including the Radio 1 Big Weekend, The Turner Prize and the all-Ireland Fleadh which saw 400,000 people descend on the city over a week.

Around £120 million of capital investment has been pumped into the city since the title was won in 2009, and civic leaders hope it will help generate an additional £500 million for the local economy over the next 10 years.

Swansea Bay's bid, to become the 2017 City of Culture, includes not only Swansea but also Carmarthenshire, Neath and Port Talbot.

Televison producer Phil Redmond, who helped draw up the shortlist, said the four bids “recognised the power of culture to bring about social change”.

He said: “In the end the panel thought the four short-listed cities offered plans that were ambitious, realistic and would not only deliver for their communities, but would also maintain the momentum created around the success of Derry-Londonderry.”

The winner will be announced by Culture Secretary Maria Miller.

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