Glasgow’s bid to join the UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation) worldwide Creative Cities Network as City of Music, launched in February this year with backing from the Scottish Government and Scottish Arts Council (SAC), has proved successful. Koïchiro Matsuura, Director General of UNESCO visited the city to announce the award, which makes Scotland the only country in the world with two ‘Creative Cities’ (Edinburgh is a City of Literature). The network was launched in 2004 to promote the social, economic and cultural development of cities around the world. Matsuura said, “UNESCO has long been a leading advocate of increasing the role of culture in national development strategies. My two-day visit to Scotland has allowed me to see at first hand Scotland’s commitment to safeguarding and promoting its traditional and contemporary cultural expressions.” The original bid was backed by the Lord Provost of Glasgow with arts organisations including the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD). John Wallace, Principal of the RSAMD, said that the city’s rich musical tradition included instrument-making going back to the Middle Ages, one of the finest music collections from the 19th century in the University of Glasgow Library, and a history encompassing dance halls, classical music, contemporary music, Scottish traditional and Gaelic music, the Piping College, and amateur choirs and bands as well as a strong school-based music life. Scotland’s Culture Minister, Linda Fabiani, said, “This is a wonderful opportunity for Glasgow to showcase its musical assets and to develop lasting relationships for the City and for Scotland, celebrating our talents at home and abroad.”
