The team’s been announced to spearhead Leeds’ bid to become European Capital of Culture 2023. Former radio news editor and journalism lecturer Richard Horsman (@leedsjourno) takes a wry look at the launch…
I’ve been to a fair few news conferences in my time, but never before in these circumstances. For reasons too complicated to explain, I got the job of chauffeuring Culture Vulture editor Phil Kirby to the launch of the Leeds 2023 Capital of Culture Steering Group at East Leeds FM. It was an interesting experience.
European Capital of Culture is something we’re going to hear a lot about for the next -er- seven years. I’ll be applying for my bus pass by the time it happens, if it ever does. That’s a long lead time.
Now Leeds has committed to bidding, it needs to build a team to fend off the likes of Bristol, Dundee and concrete-cow-tastic Milton Keynes for the chance to partner with somewhere probably unpronounceable in Hungary as twin beacons of European artistic excellence. Winning the accolade apparently did wonders for Glasgow and Liverpool, so Leeds wants a bit of that action. In terms of tourism and economic impact it could be like the Tour de France Grand Depart all over again, but lasting longer than 48 hours.
Back to the exciting Steering Group. I’ve always found the term problematic. If you’re steering a bus through traffic, the last thing you’d ever want is a group doing it. I’ve always thought of steering as a more appropriately individual role. But that’s what it’s called, so we’re stuck with it.
The membership reads like a Who’s Who of the arts establishment in Leeds, as you’d expect given the remit. The big institutions are represented by Sharon Watson from Phoenix Dance (who also chairs the group), James Brining from the West Yorkshire Playhouse and Godfrey Worsdale from the Henry Moore Foundation. Performers Selena Thompson and Kenneth Tindall give the view from the stage, whilst Nic Greenan of East Street Arts has the brief of looking after engagement. Two of Leeds’ three universities are represented by Mohammad Dastbaz from Beckett and Professor Frank Finley from the Uni. Legal eagle Karen Sewell adds her expertise, as does marketing guru Anita Morris and management training specialist Anamaria Wills. Political clout and balance comes from Leeds City Council’s Labour leader Judith Blake, LibDem group leader Stewart Golton and Conservative councillor Dan Cohen.
The group posed for team pictures in the fabulous setting of the Chapel FM radio theatre, an amazing space on the top floor of the former Seacroft Methodist Chapel which now hosts regular music and spoken word broadcasts for community radio station East Leeds FM. The front of the building is a blaze of colour on a sunny day, with contemporary stained glass commissioned from Leeds artist Zoe Eady on the theme of radio waves. The theatre is also equipped with discreet remotely-operated cameras for video webcasting, and even has its own fully-functioning organ. Stop sniggering in the back row.
It’s interesting being at a news event without a deadline. Snappers snapped, radio got their soundbites, the guy from Made in Leeds filmed a chat with the Chair with the chapel building in the background. I just got to hang around whilst Phil networked, and to say hello to a few former students now doing their bit for the fourth estate. But it’s interesting what you learn, just listening in.
Many of the group members had never met each other before today’s inaugural meeting (as you’d expect they’d been chatting among themselves for a bit before the media turned up). Everybody knew some of the others, of course – but it took an event like planning for Leeds 2023 to bring the whole lot of them together in one room.
They’re not worried about money. They’ve got a few bob together, a few thousand pounds, not a lot at all in corporate terms, largely from the universities with a modest contribution from the council. They don’t however think success will be all about the bling of the marketing, but more about the strength of each city’s ideas.
They’re quite (or maybe quietly) confident of victory.
Bristol is seen as a serious rival, Dundee could grab the crown on a wave of Scottish cultural self-awareness whipped up by the passion of the referendum debate and Milton Keynes is, let’s face it, quirky, with all those concrete cows. However our team are confident no-one else has the combination of prestige companies, diverse talent, community involvement and that Yorkshire something special that made the Tour de France such a tour de force.
As chauffeur I ended up taking both Phil and Steering Group member Nic Greenan back into the city centre after the event. Nic’s a former driving force (come on, this is extended metaphor) behind the LS14 Trust, a body which aims to put Seacroft on the map.
As we drove through the eponymous estate aiming for the A64 Nic mused that the real challenge for the 2023 Steering Group would be to make the residents of these streets feel involved. The whole Seacroft community, not just the Seacroft arts community beavering away in the shiny space at Chapel FM.
Passing the Irish Centre as we neared the city centre Phil wondered aloud if they were involved in the bid … apparently not, at least not yet. And how do we keep the enthusiasm going for seven long years? Capital of Culture. There’s a Steering Group – but still a long journey ahead.