Glasgow is a magnificent city,” said McAlpin. “Why do we hardly ever notice that?” “Because nobody imagines living here,” said Thaw… “Think of Florence, Paris, London, New York. Nobody visiting them for the first time is a stranger because he’s already visited them in paintings, novels, history books and films. But if a city hasn’t been used by an artist, not even the inhabitants live there imaginatively.
I thought of this quote again – from Alasdair Gray’s Lanark, published a decade before Glasgow was named European City of Culture – yesterday at a meeting in the Town Hall to discuss whether Leeds should bid for the same honour.
The Town hall was full to bursting and the feeling was unanimous that Leeds ought to give it a go. And I say “feeling” deliberately – one old chap on the way out collared me and wanted to know why we weren’t given a vote, “to express the general will of the people, so we could SEE!” He stuck his hand in the air and waved enthusiastically, as if he wanted to demonstrate democracy in action. I said I didn’t really know, it seemed fairly obvious to me which way things would go, but if I bumped into any of the organisers I’d pass on his concerns (so Cluny, Tom and Lucinda, maybe a show of hands next time? Seems some folk appreciate that – reminds them of union meetings or something.)
It was inevitable I think that dissent was non-existent given the self-selected crowd who turned up, many from organisations that directly deliver cultural stuff, so the affirmative response was about as predictable as asking most of my mates if another bottle is a good idea. Which doesn’t make it a bad idea. Both are brilliant ideas.
What does confuse me a little are the two reasons that seemed to be circulating in the meeting about why Leeds would want or need to bid for European City of Culture.
The first reason was economic. We heard a lot about the success of Liverpool. I can’t remember the actual figures mentioned but there was a strong suggestion that culture helps a city to cash in, big time. Probably something to do with tourism. I’ve always been a bit skeptical about the economic role of the arts since I read Richard Hoggart’s last great book, The Tyranny of Relativism, which effectively demolished the argument for me (and Hoggart is one of the Leeds literary heroes mentioned by Anthony Clavane on the Town Hall stage yesterday, well worth reading.) But you don’t have to pore over obscure academic tomes to be a bit wary about the financial fallout of Culture – there’s this news from the BBC today about Derry, a recent European City of Culture. If Leeds does bid I hope we do it without any illusions of pound signs dancing before our eyes.
The other reason was even trickier. I have been to so many meetings over the last few years that have ended up mithering about Leeds’ lack of a “story”, as if the city’s supposed narrative deficiency were to blame for us not snapping up our fair share of the inward investment pie. Apparently we need to “tell the city’s story better” and revitalise “brand Leeds” if we are to have any hope of competing in the digitally savvy, data driven, can-do future. It might even be true, I wouldn’t know. But I do hope we aren’t going to use the City of Culture bid to invent another Just-So story.
Anthony Clavane identified a kind of division in the city’s soul – between the part that’s confident and proud and assertive, and the part that doesn’t want anyone to get too big for their boots, because “we are only Leeds, so what!” I see something to celebrate in both sides of the Leeds spirit. The first side doesn’t need anyone to cheer for it, it’ll get sponsored and supported and spoken up by all the people at the Town Hall yesterday who are employed to do that. But the shadow side is important too. It keeps us real and gritty and Northern. And it doesn’t always have to be negative and bitter. It’s often said with a knowing smile.
Another of the Leeds literary heroes mentioned by Anthony Clavane was my personal favourite, Keith Waterhouse. I’ve been reading through a couple of his books this afternoon. He could be a complete sod about anything he saw that corrupted his vision of the way the world should be (basically the ideal was South Leeds in the ‘30’s and ‘40’s before everything was spoiled by planners, developers, do-gooders and meddling councils.) He has a great piece on local councils regulating sexual entertainment venues, and if any councillor reading this would like to read it give me a shout. And he wrote a wonderful satire on a letter he read in The Brighton Post about a woman who had “a terrifying dream … I dreamt I was in Leeds!”, where he offers the lady a detailed method of curing her Leedsophobia. But one of his best things was a piece called The Magic City where he gives a recipe for building a great city – and a very good recipe it is too, well worth looking up. He ends it with this paragraph:
There were such places once … Manchester, Bradford, Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, were all such magic cities before they had the guts ripped out of them. They had their faults, God knows, but if they had soot in their lungs they also had red blood in their veins, and there was such a thing as provincial pride.
I hope Leeds manages to keep some soot in its veins if we go for the bid. I can’t imagine having any civic pride if we go all shiny, happy and thrustingly corporate.
Thank you. Good points.
Not being from Leeds (not being from anywhere really having been born and brought up abroad) sometimes I find civic pride awkward, either trying to express it or listen to it. It just sounds parochial. Where London did so well in 2012 was to emphasise change, diversity and inclusivity.
I think you would have found the meeting excruciating if you find expressions of provincial pride awkward. Interesting point though … Is the whole notion of civic pride parochial?
It’s only a personal feeling, being a Third Culture Kid (obviously not Thai to look at but not really English either!)
Having been in Leeds since 1979, I find the point about the tension between the pride here and the keenness to appear unpretentious a fascinating one. I see something similar in the children I tutor; they want to practise hard and get results but also to give the impression it all came naturally! These are general comments but Leeds is a wonderfully eligible city for the award if we can remember not to make it sound like we are being too inward looking.
Leeds is already a city of culture.
In 2012 Leeds underwent a transformation through the fantastic cultural Olympiad. The Guardian reported here http://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/may/17/leeds-arts-quay-brothers
The Quay Brothers worked in collaboration with eight of the city’s key arts organisations; Northern Ballet, the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Opera North, Yorkshire Dance, Phoenix Dance, Leeds Museums and Galleries, Leeds Met Studio Theatre and Leeds Art Gallery.
I think this would just be recognition of the fantastic Cultural Legacy and Heritage that we already have in the city.
Except that it was rubbish, considered by most to be an expensive white elephant, and excluded most people with disabilities.
Leeds City of Irony!
I really liked this post. My knowledge is basic of these matters, but they do interest me a lot. I feel like I know more now 🙂
I support the idea of Leeds bidding to be ECC. I think just bidding for it – let alone winning it – could provide a focus and inspiration for raising the game of all those involved in Leeds cultural scene and generating exciting new initiatives.
Also, as well as help build the city’s image and name internationally, it could also help physically grow and develop Leeds itself by attracting investment, tourism and, more importantly, long-term residents. Leeds claims to be the third largest city in the UK, but the population of the city is only about 470k, and of the greater-LS area 750k. Leeds should aim to be a city of a million, and more.
And if Leeds wants to be a truly international city, as its Plans state, bidding to be ECC could help achieve that. In particular it would be an added spur to develop L&B Airport as a truly international airport that could begin to rival Manchester.
The meeting in the town hall was obviously a first step in including all and anyone involved in the city’s cultural scene in a conversation. And I know that it can be difficult to know how to best to organise such an event – as Cluny admitted at the start. So the following is meant as only part moan, but mostly constructive criticism:
1. Personally, I don’t like that type of class-room format of putting people into small groups to discuss things and write-up their thoughts on flip-chart paper (or being supplied with children’s sweets). It’s a tactic for managing a large room of people rather than producing good ideas.
2. Too little time was given over to general discussion in which the emphasis was put on asking questions of a 6-person panel – many of whom didn’t appear to have any more expertise or idea than the average attendee of how Leeds could be ECC or what it would mean. Maybe a delegate from Liverpool or Glasgow may have thrown more light and focus on the issue. Also, 6 people on the panel is way too many: never have more than 4.
3. Also, due the lack of time given over to this part of the event, the emphasis was on asking questions rather than inviting more substantial contributions – which could have invited ahead of the meeting and made part of the discussion. And taking only one question at a time before going back to the panel is not conducive to generating a real discussion. For that you need to take several questions and comments at a time.
4. I think too much was made of the self-deprecating side of Leeds; especially in the slightly cringey “rousing” final comments of most the panel. This is a national trait not just a Leeds trait – a recognised part of British sense of humour – and it’s not stopped individuals, groups, and cities doing great things.
The next meeting needs to start looking at what to include in any bid. What are Leeds’ current strengths? What themes, ideas and aspects of Leeds past and present could be built upon or around? And what needs to happen practically in the hear-and-now to promote culture in the city whether we bid or not?
I love the quotes you use in this article Phil. Am adding all the books you mention to my reading list.
I think we need to be careful when we start to talk about ‘those responsible for the city’s cultural scene’. Everyone of our citizens contributes to the cultural scene of this city. Some do it professionally, either as makers of culture or as administrators, others do it because it is an expression of who they are, and where they are from, just doing what they do, and some do it as consumers exercising choices and making markets for culture work, or not. Many of us don’t even see it as ‘culture’. We just see it as ‘life’.
Unless we are careful in bidding for ECC we will widen the gap between the professional cultural types and those of us that shape culture without accessing arts council funds or european funny money but just by exercising our traditions, playing in new and old ways, and choosing what we do with our time and money, without even thinking about it necessarily in terms of ‘culture’.
It’s at moments like these I’d like to know the real picture with numbers attached. Have 750,000 people been consulted?
What does Leeds want? How many different communities do we have?
I’ve heard concern this week on another round of massive cuts to people services in Leeds, our most vulnerable. I’ve heard that people would like Leeds to be an age friendly and dementia friendly city. I’ve heard that people want Leeds to be a city for digital health innovation. I’ve heard that people want a city of culture. Aspirations for the city abound…
I don’t really think in terms of being a Leeds citizen, but someone who lives here, cares for elderly family, works in the wider area and connects across the UK and of course via the web to pals around the world.
I’d like to hear voices asking… What do the people of Leeds want and need. Have we all been asked? When? Show people that everyone’s opinion counts and they are valued.
If we find out that Leeds based people are finding their needs are much lower on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, then we all need to understand that and hopefully work with it.
I’ve found great joy in seeing various cultural activities, big and small develop in the city. Leeds really wasn’t like that in 1989, when I left to go learn my design trade. I hope we can build things up further, creatively, but I want to know what the puople’s needs are first and make sure they are included in any city wide aspiration.
Hi Kathryn
I think you are absolutely spot on and there were lots of voices in the first event which chimed with yours saying for it to be worth while we have to consider all the communities of Leeds not just concentrate on the big names and the city centre.
I’ve been reflecting on this since, what and where are those diverse communities. I know Together 4 Peace amongst others would be a great signpost to better understanding, but there’s nothing like taking a look at the geographic community you reside in, the places you go to work or the spaces you occupy online to see just how much visibility there is of the creativity and confidence of cultures across the city.
I also think in a time of shrinking budgets across the sectors we owe it our city and neighbours to take advantage of the potential politcal and civic interest in exploring this question to make sure that our conversations and discoveries are open, honest and inclusive. In the prevailing wind of cuts, we’re good at looking at what each other has, or doesn’t rather than talk of collective sharing. What good does it do to be in competition with each other, our pie will shrivel not grow as we keep ourselves apart. If this process is to be meaningful then yours are absolutely the questions we should be seeking to address during this year of cultural conversations and convening across the city. Hopefully the journey itself will give us some answers about ourselves as a city, and give us a shared mission?
Before the event I was on the fence, but I realise we need to raise arts, culture and creativity up the flag pole to those who don’t necessary see its importance, except for purely economic terms, or a touristic offer. If we could achieve anything together it would be to develop a more participatory creative culture, not a consumer culture. A lot of people don’t subscribe to the word culture, or consider themselves creative, but they can understand ‘winning’ or entering a race.
Regarding Maslow’s hierarchy I don’t see creativity as a middle class self actuated luxury. I might say that from a position of relative ease and privilege these days, but that was certainly not the case growing up. I do understand that accessing the arts and culture is not foremost in your mind if you are in pain, hungry, depressed or poorly
Finally I do totally subscribe to being where people are and o their terms, in their language. It’s no good erecting a tent and saying ‘everybody is welcome’ and thinking that’s the job done. I think it’s all of our choice to take advantage of this opportunity, which does seem to have its heart in the right place, to have meaningful discussions with each other, our neighbours and people we have not yet met, to see what would make our lives better. I also think, having experienced this, that we need to do stuff, rather than wait permission. It’s amazing what happens when you create something in your community, those who didn’t know they wanted more fun, colour and conviviality develop a taste for more. In my experience some people don’t know there are other things they could enjoy until they become more visible.
Again this feels a bit earnest, and I too think we have come a long way since I arrived in 1993. We might not be there yet, but the honesty and openness of the debate gives me faith that we might all put aside our fears of winners, losers and start to consider what a mostly compassionate, diverse and creative city (region)we already are and how we build upon that …together
Thanks for commenting, some may prefer a neatly packaged ‘rah rah rah ain’t Leeds great’ type of website. We’d rather acknowledge the good, bad and the other stuff, but hopefully provide a space for honest debate and conversation. Again we’d love to move this offline and play a part in getting out of the city centre to have conversations across the city.
Nice pick bro…
thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. yes, everyone thinks about to visit London, Paris, New york and all centered places. we should consider all the communities of leads. i am the owner of a cultural website from which any people can share your knowledge and experience about the culture worldwide.