Derry could get new arts festival in European Capital Culture bid

Belfast City Council in association with Derry City and Strabane District Council submitted their bid to become the European capital of culture in 2023 at the end of October.

A draft version of the bid was leaked to the BBC who revealed some of the projects put forward by the two councils.

One of which is a new arts festival in Derry called New Norths.

Other projects include:

- A new Anthony Gormley sculpture on the Glenshane Pass.

- An urban forest of trees in Belfast.

- A concert to comemmorate the outdoor relief strike in Belfast in 1932.

- Portraits of people dancing projected on to landmark buildings in Belfast and Derry for the entire 2023 year.

- A national #loveto day in 2023 when businesses will give their staff a day off to go to a cultural event.

- A series of "bothies on the border" where artists will work.

- A project called 'homebots' that will train teachers to help pupils build domestic robots.

Belfast City Council critiscised the BBC for publishing details of the bid.

""We are disappointed that the BBC would choose to publish details of a confidential competitive document and potentially put at risk the chances of securing this important accolade that could bring significant and once in a lifetime opportunities."

Derry and Belfast are competing against Leeds, Dundee, Milton Keynes and Nottingham for the 2023 ECoC title.

A shortlist is expected to be announced by the end of next month with the winner being announced in 2018.