Hull, a city with a long maritime heritage, is charting a new course towards cultural prominence. The City Council has unveiled an ambitious Culture & Heritage Strategy for 2025-2030, aiming to position Hull as a global leader in community-driven arts and heritage.

Central to this strategy is Hull’s bid to become a UNESCO Creative City of Music. If successful, Hull would join an illustrious lineup of UK cities—Glasgow, Liverpool, and Belfast—that have spun their cultural landscape into global recognition. The council plans to submit its application in the new year, alongside the city’s inaugural five-year Music Plan.

A new ambitious plan for culture has been approved by Hull City Council.

Find out more here https://t.co/kgEjCwokkt

— Hull City Council (@Hullccnews) December 18, 2024

Kath Wynne-Hague, Head of Culture, expressed enthusiasm for the strategy’s potential, stating, “We can move forward with our plans to make Hull a global leader and a forward-thinking place to make and experience quality music.”

Hull’s musical heritage is as rich and diverse as the city itself. From the trailblazing post-punk sounds of The Housemartins, who famously declared Hull “the fourth most musical city in England,” to the evocative folk-rock stylings of Mick Ronson, David Bowie’s legendary guitarist. The city’s grassroots music scene thrives through events like the Humber Street Sesh, an annual celebration of emerging talent, while venues such as The New Adelphi Club have hosted countless influential artists.

The plan was developed after consulting over 1,200 residents and the strategy is anything but prescriptive. The statement released by Hull City Council noted the following as central to their ambitions: 

• become a leader for community-led culture by working together to activate the city, empower communities, assets and enable citizens to create, contribute to and enjoy their city’s culture and heritage
• become a community-led, globally focused city, using culture and heritage to accelerate competitiveness, amplify our distinctiveness and create the conditions for sustained growth.
• harness national and international partnerships to raise the city’s profile and make great work together
• develop city-wide strategic programming and networks with partners to co-design, co-ordinate and maximise opportunities, delivery and impact
• develop an active leadership across culture, with a structured approach including partnerships, citizen panels, and annual Cultural Tides and Visit Hull and East Yorkshire conferences bringing organisations and networks together

 It bills itself as a “living document,” primed to adapt to Hull’s evolving cultural landscape. 

It’s been an honour and privilege to have worked with some amazing staff to get this produced to it’s final draft. It wouldn’t have been possible if we hadn’t had responses from over 1200 people. Now to deliver on it and bid Successfully for our #UNESCO creative city status. https://t.co/XtajFERrK5 — Robert Pritchard (@rjlpritchard) December 20, 2024

The formal launch of the strategy is scheduled for March 2025, during the Cultural Tides Conference hosted by the Hull Truck Theatre. This event is anticipated to galvanise stakeholders and the community, marking a significant milestone in Hull’s cultural evolution.

Councillor Rob Pritchard, portfolio holder for culture and leisure, remarked, “The plan is far-reaching and offers the city a real direction in which to move our cultural scene forward, taking the community with us.” 

In a world where cities fight for economic dominance, Hull’s approach feels refreshingly radical in its focus on art as an engine for change. It reminds us that music is more than just entertainment. It is identity, collaboration, and, perhaps for Hull, a stairway to a global stage.