GOVERNMENT minister Ed Vaizey is visiting Hull today in the run-up to a final UK City of Culture 2017 presentation later in the week. Mr Vaizey is due to meet Hull's bid team and find out more about its ambitions. He will be told about the city's planned programme if it wins, which would include 25 celebrations on the same scale as the Freedom Festival, and take a whistle-stop tour of its highlights. Mr Vaizey, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, will visit the arts quarter in Humber Street, Hull Truck Theatre and the Old Town to see the breadth of what is on offer. Councillor Steven Bayes, portfolio holder for the 2017 bid, said: "We are delighted to welcome the minister to Hull and take another high-profile visitor on a tour of our great city, after greeting the chairman of the Arts Council England and representatives from Rotterdam Culture and Festivals at the end of last month. "This is an excellent opportunity to show the very best of Hull and demonstrate how well placed we are to deliver a fantastic programme as the UK's City of Culture." The visit will be followed by a final presentation at current UK culture city Derry-Londonderry on Thursday. Hull's bid team, including ambassadors from the arts and members of Hull City Council, will face off against Dundee, Leicester and Swansea Bay. The other candidates will also present one last pitch in Derry, Northern Ireland, ahead of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport announcing a winner on Wednesday, November 20. Hull's bid includes four themes to celebrate the city â Roots and Routes, Made in Hull, Freedom and Quirky. Inspired by Philip Larkin's poem Days, the ambition is for every 24 hours in 2017 to make a difference to the city, the UK and the world. The programme would include 15 national and international commissions, 12 artists' residencies, 25 festivals and eight major community participation projects. There would also be a programme of conferences and major broadcasting events, plus extra activity every day, with an estimated 1,500 special events. Isabelle Tracy, a member of the 2017 steering committee, said whether or not the city wins, the bid has created a fantastic buzz. She said: "The main thing now is not to let the momentum drop. We've generated so much energy and positivity around Hull, with people believing in the city again. "Whether we win it or not, we've got to use that momentum and keep on keeping on." Read more: http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Gove...tory-20061587-detail/story.html#ixzz2kMhAB3wl Swansea or Leicester, AKCJ ? Or will we got one up on you again?
Time to wheel out the heavyweights. Enough plinky plonky music and enthusiastic wannabe 'artists' from down Humber st. Bring on Cuthbert Broderick, Andrew Marvell, William Wilberforce, John Venn, Ebeneezer Cobb Morley, John Ward, John Bacchus Dykes. When the going gets tough and all that.
A week to look forward to personally: Nov 20th is my birthday, so I'm hoping for a decent present from the government department for culture by announcing Hull as the winner of City of Culture 2017. Second Hunger Games film (Nov 21st), Dr.Who 50th anniversary (Nov 23rd) and a Hull City win against Palace (Nov 23rd) should (hopefully) cap off a good week! *fingers crossed!*
Don't forget the JFK assassination on the 22nd. 50 years as well. Defining moment of US and hence worldwide politics.
Hard to really say whether that should be celebrated as part of a 'good week' or not. I personally stay neutral on the matter. It should hopefully bring up some good documentaries on telly though...
The books are great - the first film was a bit naff, as it's too toned down. Hoping they've learnt from the critics of the first one.
