City of Culture creates extra £1bn investment in local economies of winners

The UK City of Culture (UK CoC) initiative has resulted in more than £1bn of additional investment in the local economies of winning cities, research has found.

A study carried out by Warwick Business School on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, found that the combined investment of Derry/Londonderry 2013, Hull 2017, and Coventry 2021 “compared favourably” with the programme delivery costs of £103.1m.

A report on the findings said the three iterations of the programme generated a cumulative media value of £596m, “showcasing the unique cultural identities of the titleholders and enhancing the UK’s soft power”.

Tourism in host cities was also found to have improved, with an average 22% increase in visitor numbers across cities from the bidding period to the delivery period.

“This influx of tourists has led to higher visitor spending and increased the overall value of tourism in these areas,” the report states.

“The cultural impact of the UK CoC is evident in the strengthened cultural ecosystems of the titleholder cities. Artists and practitioners have benefited from mentoring and training opportunities, while organisations have enjoyed increased funding and partnerships.

“Additionally, volunteer programmes have boosted civic pride, with volunteers expressing higher levels of pride and belonging in their respective cities than the general population.

“In terms of cultural participation, the UK CoC has provided opportunities for communities with limited access to publicly funded culture to engage and participate at a new scale, particularly among citizens from deprived areas.”

The report adds that while the study focused on the impact and evidence relating to cities that have hosted the title, there is also anecdotal evidence that other shortlisted places have benefited from the process.

Strengthening the evidence base

It goes on to make several recommendations aimed at strengthening the overall evaluation and evidence base of UK CoCs in the future, which it says should be incorporated into the bidding guidance and requirements for host cities.

This includes the establishment of a standardised common evaluation framework, which includes a comprehensive range of metrics and indicators to assess the impact of the UK CoC programme.

The report also says delivery bodies and partners should invest in sophisticated data collection methods to gather accurate and comprehensive data on various aspects of the UK CoC programme across the full lifecycle, including during the bidding period.

It also calls for increased stakeholder engagement in evaluation, pointing out that evaluation is currently focused on the activities and outputs of the delivery organisation and not on those of the wider city partnerships, which contribute to the UK CoC.