‘We can be a global leader’: City’s culture sector visits Westminster

BIG EVENT: Humber Street Sesh. Picture by Phil McCoy

By Simon Bristow, Co-Editor

A delegation from Hull has visited Westminster to showcase the city’s cultural sector in front of leading national organisations.

The visit of 30 representatives from the city took the message that Hull is “ready to reignite its culture and heritage ambitions”.

It was hosted in the Jubilee Room in the House of Commons on Tuesday, where more than 40 people from the UK’s cultural industries attended from organisations including Warner Bros, Arts Council England, Sport England and VisitBritain, UK Music, and the LGA Culture, Tourism and Sport Board.

The event included a reveal of the city’s new Culture and Heritage Strategy, ahead of its formal launch at the Cultural Tides conference in Hull this month.

Sponsored by Hull East MP Karl Turner, and attended by fellow city MPs Dame Diana Johnson (Hull North & Cottingham) and Emma Hardy (Hull West & Haltemprice), the event offered a chance for sector leaders to present Hull’s case as one of the world’s most progressive cities in community-led culture and heritage.

Hull Trains sponsored the journey by laying on a dedicated carriage for the party. Speakers included Hull City Council leader Mike Ross; Councillor Rob Pritchard, portfolio holder for culture and leisure; Darren Henley, chief executive, Arts Council England; musician Chiedu Oraka and Hull’s young mayor Eunice Jogunosinmi.

Councillor Ross said: “Heading to Westminster is a fantastic opportunity for us to show what Hull has to offer the rest of the country and indeed the world. Through collaboration, we know our city can be a global leader, recognised as a forward-thinking destination and place to make and experience quality cultural work.

​“The city has already shown what Hull can do during our time as UK City of Culture 2017 and want to build on what was achieved during that time.

 ​“We want to work with national and international organisations and stakeholders to lever investment and partnerships. We want to ensure the city fulfils its potential as a cultural driver for the communities of Hull, for the North and the nation.”

It is hoped this event will act as a springboard to reinvigorate past partnerships, forge new ones and for Hull’s reputation as a cultural leader to be “brought back into the spotlight”.