Six cities vie for culture capital title

Six British cities were today unveiled as the shortlisted hopefuls to be crowned European Capital of Culture 2008.

Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Liverpool, Newcastle/Gateshead and Oxford were announced as the front-runners for the coveted title by Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell.

Twelve cities entered the race but were whittled down by an advisory panel chaired by Sir Jeremy Isaacs, former director general of the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden.

The panel visited all the cities which put themselves forward and examined the bids in detail and will now go on to do more detailed work on their entries.

The shortlisted cities will be designated centres of culture, with the eventual winner named by Prime Minister Tony Blair next May.

Ms Jowell said the competition had "brought out the very best" in the 12 cities which had entered.

"All the bidding cities recognised the power of culture and creativity as an engine for regeneration, and a rich seam for boosting civic pride and firing imaginations.

"So now we have six centres of excellence; six showcases for the very best that Britain, the most creative country in Europe, has to offer."

Ms Jowell said she was indebted to Sir Jeremy and his panel for their "tireless work" so far and in the future as they worked to pick the final winner.

"Whoever comes first next year, I hope that all the bidding cities will build on the work they have done so far.

"For everyone who bid, I am sure that this will be the beginning, not the end, of a journey to put culture at the heart of their city."

Sir Jeremy said choosing the shortlist had been a "rewarding experience" for the whole panel.

"We have been knocked out by the determination, imagination and sheer hard work that all the bidding cities have shown.

"It is to the cities' great credit - and to my panel's great frustration - that there was so little to choose between all 12 bids. It was very hard indeed to make a final decision.

"So now there really is everything to play for - may the best city win," he said.

In order to win, the cities, which submitted their bids in April, must show that they can stage a year-long programme, covering all forms of culture and involving both local people and visitors.

The cities which did not make the shortlist were Belfast, Bradford, Brighton and Hove, Canterbury and East Kent, Inverness and the Highlands and Norwich.

Glasgow was the last British city to win in 1990.

Each member state of the EU takes turns to nominate a city to hold the title, which is this year held by Brugge and Salamanca.