2013 bid to make Derry the Culture Capital of the North
In the next two weeks, Derry will learn if it is through to the final five to be named 'UK City of Culture'. The General Manager of one of Ireland's leading arts venues, The Playhouse, Niall McCaughan is excited about what it could mean for Derry and the north.
Niall McCaughan is clearly excited about the possibilities which open up if Derry succeeds in becoming UK City of Culture 2013, not just in terms of the boost it would give the arts here but also its impact on a city with one of the youngest populations in Europe.
Mr. McCaughan said: "It's hard to grasp the cultural, economic, social, educational and tourist opportunities that the City of Culture title presents for the city. A few years ago when I first thought about it for Derry, at a time when Belfast was putting itself forward, I never imagined that in a relatively short time our city would have progressed so far.
"Now as we move forward with our bid, it's with delight at seeing the whole city getting behind it, and as we move into the final selection process, we should consider the obvious benefits for the city."
The title will bring six distinct wide-ranging benefits, according to Niall.
Firstly there is the 'Cultural Dividend': "Derry/Londonderry has a unique cultural offering second to none. What the bid will bring about is not just the showcasing of the best of arts locally and nationally. Success would also bring to the city some of the best talent from across the world - remember The Royal Shakespeare's "Electra" which was performed in Templemore Sports Complex in 1992? Should the bid prove a success the city will host not only the Brit Awards and the BBC Sports Personality of the Year but also the Turner and the RIBA Stirling Prize ceremonies."
Bring money in
In addition to the prestige of the award, Niall, a former Ballymoney Town Centre Manager, said: "There's also the Economic Dividend, which really is a 'no brainer'. We are supposedly coming out of recession and have to look at all new possible ways that the city can help regenerate itself. For a number of years I have urged the city to focus on the economic dividend that culture and particularly the arts can bring.
"In the last few years over 12 million has been spent on arts infrastructure here. If you look to Galway, their festival alone brings in over €20 million a year. In 2008, Liverpool was designated European City of Culture; this brought in 800 million investment to the city. Granted it was the European title, but imagine if we had even 10% of that. It is important to note that when Liverpool put itself forward for the title, they had less of an arts infrastructure than Derry. Also, during 2008, hotel occupancy in Liverpool was 77%, and over 3.5 million new visitors visited the city that year.
"Of course the economic dividend would not just be for the accommodation sector. Being UK City of Culture 2013 would have a positive economic effect right across the city - according to some analysts, the boost is in the region of 120m. "
Niall has worked in the arts sector locally for ten years, and was the first arts sector representative on the council of the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce.
"One thing that the city has been lacking is a cultural strategy. We have an unparalleled arts offering, but really no strategy to bring it all together. This has hindered the development of arts in the city.
"Even if the bid doesn't win the title, at least we will have the framework, a cultural strategy through which we can collectively develop our arts.
"Over 100 million is being ploughed into Belfast as a result of the strategy developed for their bid to become European Capital of Culture in 2008, even though that proved unsuccessful."
Inspirational
He continued: "It's a lot to ask for but our bid should also engage and inspire the man on the ground.
"We all have an opinion on it, and any conversation about art can only be good. For example, we really lack public art in the city, and no doubt everyone has a point of view on that, but visit any European city and you can not only see a lot of public art but see how the local community engages with it and is proud of it. The bid can also help us to feel pride in our city.
"The Playhouse's remit has always been "Making Arts Accessible to All", and in many ways it's what we need to aim for within our bid. Our bid should be about inclusion, not only in relation to the different religious communities, but in relation to all communities. Arts isn't for the few. We shouldn't only aim to bring two communities together but also bring our youth into the cultural sector.
"We have one of the youngest populations in the UK, and we need to engage young people in all levels to get involved in our bid and to see our city in a positive light. The young people need also to be involved in the actual bid itself, and demand that its voice is heard.
"Our bid needs to leave a lasting legacy. It's important that the investment in the arts is not a flash in the pan, but creates something with ongoing benefits for the city. This isn't simply in relation to infrastructure, but also in relation to the branding of our city, and a feeling that Derry is the Culture Capital of the North."
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Weather for Derry
Sunday 12 February 2012
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