Hull UK City of Culture is widely considered to be a benchmark for how arts & culture are central to the success and health of a place. It raised £32.8million for its cultural programme and attracted a total audience of 5.3million to over 2,800 cultural events. The programme welcomed over 95% of the residents in the city to at least one cultural event during the year, 1.3million more visitors to the city than before and contributed an additional £300million to the local economy.
Initial plans set a target of commissioning 60 new artworks, the programme commissioned 465 in the end. Over 20,200 pieces of local, national and international media coverage was secured, worth £450million. 75% of those who visited the city in 2017 stated that it changed their perception of the city for the better. Over 2,400 volunteers undertook 337,000 hours of volunteering, or 38.5 years!
It was an unforgettable year, right from the beginning...
