Hull Yes! Hull was this morning named the UK’s next City of Culture. The home of poet Philip Larkin, the successful Truck theatre and the Ferens gallery beat Leicester, Dundee and Swansea Bay to hold the title in 2017.
It follows the 2013 City of Culture, Derry-Londonderry. The honour, announced by Culture Secretary Maria Miller, will boost tourism in Hull in East Yorkshire. The government created the title after Liverpool’s successful year as the European Capital of Culture in 2008.
Olympic boxing champ Luke Campbell has been supporting the bid for his home city and wrote in The Mirror: “People see the good it could do for us, the way it could change the way people think of Hull. The bid has given people a chance to show the things they are so proud of in Hull as well.
“When I travel round the country for competitions, I’m always proud to say that I’m from Hull and to talk about my city. Why? Because when I say “I’m from Hull” I am putting myself in the same category as some of my heroes. A lot of people outside of Hull don’t know that William Wilberforce MP, who led the movement to abolish the slave trade in this country, lived here.
“Poet Philip Larkin called Hull his home for 30 years and even the technology behind LCDs has its roots in the city thanks to researchers from the University of Hull. There are some huge names who have been born, studied or lived in Hull and yes, those of us lucky enough to be from the city know about them, but we rarely shout about what our city has to offer. And unfortunately there are often unjust negative misconceptions held about Hull.”
