Durham City in Capital of Culture bid

Jan 8 2009 by David Whetstone, The Journal

Reasons to be cheerful Why Durham could be Capital of Culture:

It has a Unesco World Heritage Site comprising its Norman cathedral, housing the relics of St Cuthbert and the Venerable Bede, and a castle which was once home to the prince-bishops of Durham.

It has a famous and ancient university and also has a proud mining tradition, recalled annually with the Durham Miners’ Gala.

One of Britain’s famous old regiments, the Durham Light Infantry, is celebrated in a well-stocked museum.

The visual arts are served by the same venue, the DLI Museum & Durham Art Gallery, which has a challenging programme of contemporary exhibitions.

A dramatic outdoor artwork, Sky Bowl, by Swedish sculptor Pal Svensson, could get the go-ahead.

The Gala Theatre is building a reputation for new plays.

Through Durham City Vision, a partnership organisation established to promote the city, a series of successful street festivals take place.

Durham has a rich literary tradition. It hosts a literature festival and is home to established poets and novelists, including Booker Prize-winning author Pat Barker.

The compact nature of the city centre, contained within a loop of the River Wear, makes it one of the most attractive in Britain.

Also in County Durham are the Riverside home of first-class cricket, at Chester-le-Street, the art treasures of the Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, and the award-winning North of England Open Air Museum, at Beamish.