DERRY City and Strabane District Council is joining forces with Belfast City Council today to launch their joint bid to become European Capital of Culture in 2023.
Earlier this year, it was revealed that preparations for a joint bid were being made by the two councils, but there was a chorus of people across Derry who said the city didn’t to join up with Belfast to make a bid.
Previous UK cities have been European Capital of Culture twice – Glasgow in 1990 and Liverpool in 2008.
Belfast previously failed in a bid for the 2008 title.
Council officials from Derry City and Strabane District and Belfast have said a joint attempt would be a “stronger proposition” and “help share resources”.
Leeds, Dundee and Milton Keynes have already declared their interest in the 2023 Capital of Culture title, which is shared by two European cities each year.
Cities have to submit initial bids to Westminster’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport by October 2017, with the UK winner announced in 2018.’
As well as prestige the title has given an economic boost to previous UK holders, which hosted a year-long programme of cultural events.
Derry City and Strabane District Council Mayor Maolíosa McHugh and Belfast’s Lord Mayor Nuala McAllister will attend an event in Derry’s Guildhall to mark the launch of the bid.
The chosen UK city will share the title with a city in Hungary in 2023.
In 2017 the position is being held by Aarhus in Denmark and Paphos in Cyprus, while Galway in the Republic of Ireland will hold the title in 2020.
It is understood that the Brexit vote to leave the EU should not affect a UK city becoming European Capital of Culture.
Three non-EU cities have held the title in the past – Istanbul in 2010, Stavanger in Norway in 2008 and Reykjavik in Iceland in 2000.
The European Capital of Culture scheme is separate from the UK City of Culture, a title which was held by LoDerry in 2013 and is held this year by Hull.
