Bidders behind Swansea Bay’s plan to be crowned Britain’s City of Culture in 2013 are hoping to take a major leap forward.
December 11 is D-Day for submissions to the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) in London and Swansea Bay is the only bid scheduled to go in from Wales.
Swansea Council’s Cabinet is expected to give the bid its official backing when it meets on December 10.
The final shortlist for 2013 is expected be unveiled towards the end of January with the winner announced in the summer
Chris Holley, Leader of Swansea Council, said that if Swansea Bay succeeds, it could attract world-wide interest to the region, create jobs and generate millions of pounds during the year itself as well as long-term economic benefits.
He said: “There’s a long way to go yet. But the feedback from the DCMS to the outline expression of interest made by Swansea Bay Futures in the autumn was very positive and it’s encouraged us to press on.
“Swansea Bay has a fantastic cultural heritage which deserves a world and European stage. UK City of Culture status would help deliver that and we should all be getting behind the bid.”
The report to Cabinet on Thursday says that the cost of delivering the City of Culture programme would be around £10m, with half to come from existing resources and the rest would be generated through support from local, Welsh and UK organisations.
Fiona Rees, Executive Director of Swansea Bay Futures, said: “It is a very exciting time for Swansea Bay.
“Our bid will be building on the cultural strengths we already have in literature, live music, performing arts, visual arts and in architecture and stained glass. As well as the mainstream events and activities, we will be including the creative industries which are already strong in Swansea Bay, such as digital media and animation.
“We have delivered some fantastic events in the past and they prove Swansea Bay has the ambition and the ability to deliver even more in the future.
“It’s the centenary of the birth of Dylan Thomas in 2014, so the designation as UK City of Culture in 2013 couldn’t come at a better time.”
