Bradford named UK City of Culture 2025

City will receive initial £275,000 to help it prepare to take over title from Coventry

People celebrate in Bradford after it was named the UK City of Culture 2025 by Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries. PA

Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said on Tuesday that Bradford will be the UK City of Culture 2025.

In receiving the honour, Bradford beat out fellow finalists County Durham, Southampton and Wrexham County Borough.

Those behind the bid estimated the UK City of Culture 2025 title could bring an extra £700 million ($882m) into the Bradford district, creating 3,000 jobs and attracting about 1.1 million visitors.

They said Bradford will receive £275,000 ($347,000) in initial seed funding as it develops its plans for 2025, which are set to feature more than 1,000 new performances and events including 365 artist commissions, a series of major arts festivals, and major national and international collaborations.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted his congratulations: “This title builds on the rich history and dynamism of the city, bringing investment and opportunity for everyone who lives and works there.”

The city was described as “beautiful” and “brilliant” by one local MP, who spoke of his delight over the win.

Imran Hussain, Labour MP for Bradford East, tweeted: “Bradford is beautiful, Bradford is brilliant, and Bradford is the now the #UKCityofCulture2025!

“There really is no better place and I’m beyond delighted that the minister agrees with me.”

The Bradford 2025 official bid account on Twitter wrote: “This is our time to celebrate our extraordinary district — and for our young population to become leaders and change-makers to begin an exciting new chapter in our story.”

Bradford Council leader Susan Hinchcliffe said the title “brings with it so many opportunities for people not only in terms of creativity and culture, but also for employment, attracting inward investment, boosting the local economy and opening up opportunities for young people to enhance their skills”.

Artist Shanaz Gulzar, chairwoman of Bradford’s bid, said the area had been “overlooked and underestimated for so long” but now was its “time to shine”.

Ms Dorries said Bradford “thoroughly deserved” the win, tweeting that it had been “a joy” to make the announcement.

She wrote: “Thoroughly deserved and great news for this brilliant city.

“This is your time to show off your rich history, diverse community and extraordinary people.”

The shortlist was compiled from a record group of 20 cities that put in bids to take over the title from Coventry.

The advisory panel, led by Sir Phil Redmond, visited the four shortlisted cities before making their final recommendation in May, which was later approved by Ms Dorries.

An aerial view of Bradford, Yorkshire. PA

Ms Dorries said the standard of entries this year was “phenomenal”, prompting the government to reward the four runners up with £125,000 ($158,000) for the first time.

Mary Kelly Foy, Labour MP for the City of Durham, said it was “disappointing” not to win, but their bid had “highlighted the extraordinary cultural heritage of our county”.

The team behind Wrexham’s bid also congratulated Bradford on the win and said: “As a county, and as a community, this competition has brought us all closer together and helped us realise just how special Wrexham is.”

Also for the first time, this year, the eight longlisted cities of Cornwall, Derby, Stirling and Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon received a £40,000 ($50,000) grant to strengthen their applications.

Since winning the title, Coventry has seen more than £172 million ($217m) invested in music concerts, the establishment of the UK’s first permanent immersive digital art gallery and a further £500m ($630m) put towards the city’s regeneration, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said.