Poetic spectacular on horizon as city launches bid for Britain's culture title

A light and sound spectacular based on the Roger McGough poem Sheffield, Twinned with Mars is just one of the events on the horizon if Sheffield wins the title of the UK's first City of Culture.

Today the city is handing over its detailed bid to the Government. It will be assessed by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and an independent advisory panel before a winner is announced in July.

In order to make the shortlist, Sheffield saw off challenges from more than 20 other locations around the country and is now up against Derry, Norwich and Birmingham in the bid to be named City of Culture 2013.

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The leader of Sheffield Council, Paul Scriven, said: "We have put together a world class bid which demonstrates the city's extensive and authentic cultural offer, our cultural heritage and pride and, above all, our drive and determination to make the UK proud in 2013 and beyond."

The bid includes pledges to host the BBC Electric Proms and the Turner Prize in 2013, as well as two "world class" music events at Don Valley Stadium or Sheffield Arena.

A year-long programme of music events, entitled Sheffield Music City, is also planned, which would involve Heaven 17 musician Martyn Ware with an experimental "cross over" programme of music and art.

Elements of the cultural programme would be exported to London and Paris via the S2013 "moving art" scheme which would run on trains to St Pancras and Gare Du Nord.

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And Sheffield Theatres would run a special year-long programme dedicated to the City of Culture, including "world class" productions and a "focus on developing and producing new talent".

Meanwhile, Sheffield's existing festivals, such as Galvanize Sheffield, Doc/Fest, Sensoria, Art Sheffield and Lovebytes would be "better and bigger than ever in 2013".

Support for Sheffield's bid has so far come from celebrities such as Michael Palin, the Arctic Monkeys, actor Sean Bean and the first Children's Laureate Michael Rosen, as well as from Manchester City Council, the Peak District National Park, Leeds City Council and tourism agency Welcome to Yorkshire.

Heaven 17 musician Martyn Ware said: "Sheffield has always been a unique place, understood by some and misunderstood and underrated by many.

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"Sheffield allows and encourages creative talent to grow and develop – just look at the musical heritage Sheffield has now."

UK City of Culture 2013 aims to build on the success of Liverpool's year as European Capital of Culture 2008, which realised a total income of 130m over six years while the number of jobs in the city increased by 25,100 between 1998 and 2008.

Last year's U2 concert at Don Valley Stadium is estimated to have contributed 10m towards Sheffield's economy, providing a taster of what could be achieved if the city were to win.

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