Sheffield Theatres boss celebrates City of Culture shortlist and says winning "would be the icing on the cake"
“We already are a City of Culture and this really would be the icing on the cake, if we were given the title”
Sheffield Theatres’ artistic director has said being named City of Culture would create a moment for the city to “celebrate all that we are and all that we want to be”.
The city will receive at least £125,000 to take forward its bid after being selected as one of four finalists. It is competing against Blackpool, Milton Keynes and Wrexham, with £10 million set to go to the eventual winner.
Elizabeth Newman said being named on the shortlist was a ‘brilliant day for Sheffield’: “We are so proud of our cultural offer in Sheffield and as the Artistic Director of our theatres, it's a really amazing moment and it's great to be alongside such fantastic company as well.
“Sheffield's a great city to experience culture as well as, obviously I'm biased, our brilliant theatres. We also have amazing museums, galleries, we have loads of different companies making amazing work all over the city and that's why we already are a City of Culture and this really would be the icing on the cake, if we were given the title.”
Sheffield's bid draws on a cultural scene spanning theatres, museums, galleries, music, visual art, circus and participation events, with organisations across the city involved in developing ideas for the programme.
Ms Newman added: “We've had such fun coming up with all of the brilliant ideas that we would do to celebrate if we were named City of Culture and that's been a huge collaborative effort across the city.
“It is not just with the cultural venues but lots of different organisations who really believe in culture and see it as an amazing way to engage the people that live and visit Sheffield. We just want everyone to be part of our city, and culture is an amazing way to unite people and to help us remember what it means to be a human being.
“There are all the joys that come with coming together and having a brilliant time, whether that be singing, dancing, visual art, theatre, circus, amazing visual events, participation activities, - things that happen all year round and things that might only happen for a single moment. That is what makes Sheffield really special, that we offer all of these things already.
“Being named City of Culture would just mean that we could take a moment to really celebrate all that we are and all that we want to be for the amazing people that live here and all the people that visit.”
The City of Culture title is awarded every four years and is currently held by Bradford.