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| Derry hopes for transformative year as first UK city of culture | Derry hopes for transformative year as first UK city of culture |
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| Derry's city of culture team have a magnificent view of the river Foyle's west bank and the historic walled city as well as what could be a grand and popular public square – but one that most residents have despised with passion for decades. | Derry's city of culture team have a magnificent view of the river Foyle's west bank and the historic walled city as well as what could be a grand and popular public square – but one that most residents have despised with passion for decades. |
| The enormous square was a British army parade ground. If you lived locally and did see the inside of Ebrington barracks, which were shielded by ugly corrugated iron and barbed wire, then it was probably for the wrong reasons. The base, used as the army's main barracks during 30 years of the Troubles, closed in 2004. | The enormous square was a British army parade ground. If you lived locally and did see the inside of Ebrington barracks, which were shielded by ugly corrugated iron and barbed wire, then it was probably for the wrong reasons. The base, used as the army's main barracks during 30 years of the Troubles, closed in 2004. |
| This week there was more of a party feel in the square, the venue for the launch of the £16m programme of events that will make up Derry's year as the first UK city of culture – a dizzying list that will include performances by the Royal Ballet, the London Symphony Orchestra and the first staging of the Turner prize outside England. There will also be lots of community arts events. "We want to take culture out on to the streets, to make it accessible to as many people as possible," said the executive programmer Graeme Farrow. "People will have moments that they will never, ever forget." | This week there was more of a party feel in the square, the venue for the launch of the £16m programme of events that will make up Derry's year as the first UK city of culture – a dizzying list that will include performances by the Royal Ballet, the London Symphony Orchestra and the first staging of the Turner prize outside England. There will also be lots of community arts events. "We want to take culture out on to the streets, to make it accessible to as many people as possible," said the executive programmer Graeme Farrow. "People will have moments that they will never, ever forget." |
| The area is already reaping benefits, although people in the city are taking one bit of news with a large pinch of salt. Lonely Planet this week named Derry as the fourth best city to visit next year after San Francisco, Amsterdam and Hyderabad. "I don't think we're more interesting than Beijing [fifth], to be fair," said Michael Bradley, who was – and still is – bass player with the city's best-known musical sons, the Undertones. | The area is already reaping benefits, although people in the city are taking one bit of news with a large pinch of salt. Lonely Planet this week named Derry as the fourth best city to visit next year after San Francisco, Amsterdam and Hyderabad. "I don't think we're more interesting than Beijing [fifth], to be fair," said Michael Bradley, who was – and still is – bass player with the city's best-known musical sons, the Undertones. |
| There must be something about Derry though. When the Undertones started achieving success in the late 1970s there was no question of moving. "It was always important to us to base ourselves in Derry. It was homesickness and the punk ethic as well. Our manager always used to say: 'You can't go home again,' but I don't think we were ever away from Derry for more than four weeks." | There must be something about Derry though. When the Undertones started achieving success in the late 1970s there was no question of moving. "It was always important to us to base ourselves in Derry. It was homesickness and the punk ethic as well. Our manager always used to say: 'You can't go home again,' but I don't think we were ever away from Derry for more than four weeks." |
| There was every reason not to go back. "Anyone who knows about Northern Ireland will say that the 70s were bleak," said Bradley. "And they kind of were." Apart from a very big pub quiz scene, "entertainment had kind of dried up in Derry". | There was every reason not to go back. "Anyone who knows about Northern Ireland will say that the 70s were bleak," said Bradley. "And they kind of were." Apart from a very big pub quiz scene, "entertainment had kind of dried up in Derry". |
| The twice-Turner-prize-nominated artist Willie Doherty is part of the same generation as Bradley and he remembers Derry being a modern art desert until the Orchard Gallery came along in the early 80s. | The twice-Turner-prize-nominated artist Willie Doherty is part of the same generation as Bradley and he remembers Derry being a modern art desert until the Orchard Gallery came along in the early 80s. |
| Things have moved on a long way since then and the company behind the city of culture year expect it to be transformative for what is a small and young city – around 108,000 people, nearly half under the age of 25. | Things have moved on a long way since then and the company behind the city of culture year expect it to be transformative for what is a small and young city – around 108,000 people, nearly half under the age of 25. |
| Doherty agrees: "It has the potential to be hugely significant for Derry, if it can be successful in delivering some kind of legacy. There's always the kind of fear with things like this that it brings a lot of excitement and a lot of energy for a year and then it kind of stops – it's like turning the tap on and quickly turning it off. Hopefully that won't be the case." | Doherty agrees: "It has the potential to be hugely significant for Derry, if it can be successful in delivering some kind of legacy. There's always the kind of fear with things like this that it brings a lot of excitement and a lot of energy for a year and then it kind of stops – it's like turning the tap on and quickly turning it off. Hopefully that won't be the case." |
| The city has many issues to contend with, not least its violent past. But locals like to assure visitors that the violence is in the past. American tourists wander happily in search of their "roots"; the man at the Bloody Sunday museum cheerfully tells a Norwegian tourist that "Derry is now one of the safest cities in Europe" over the disturbing soundtrack of the events in 1972 played on a loop. | The city has many issues to contend with, not least its violent past. But locals like to assure visitors that the violence is in the past. American tourists wander happily in search of their "roots"; the man at the Bloody Sunday museum cheerfully tells a Norwegian tourist that "Derry is now one of the safest cities in Europe" over the disturbing soundtrack of the events in 1972 played on a loop. |
| According to Bradley, Derry now has the same problems as any other city – lack of money, job insecurity and so on. "It does not have its unique problems." | According to Bradley, Derry now has the same problems as any other city – lack of money, job insecurity and so on. "It does not have its unique problems." |
| The city of culture's former offices have twice been targeted by dissident republicans, first with a pipe bomb in January 2011 and last October with a bomb left outside late at night. No one was injured and 250 people were moved to protest against the attacks. | The city of culture's former offices have twice been targeted by dissident republicans, first with a pipe bomb in January 2011 and last October with a bomb left outside late at night. No one was injured and 250 people were moved to protest against the attacks. |
| One of the most positive events has been the opening last year of the 312-metre-long pedestrian bridge over the Foyle, the "Peace Bridge" between the mainly Catholic cityside and the waterside where most Protestants live. | One of the most positive events has been the opening last year of the 312-metre-long pedestrian bridge over the Foyle, the "Peace Bridge" between the mainly Catholic cityside and the waterside where most Protestants live. |
| "I still get excited going across it," said Bradley. "There's a really beautiful park over there and people this side said they hadn't been over in 30 years." | "I still get excited going across it," said Bradley. "There's a really beautiful park over there and people this side said they hadn't been over in 30 years." |
| Shona McCarthy, chief executive of the city of culture company, can easily see the bridge from her office in Building 71 of what was Ebrington barracks. She said it had been "transformative" and it is part of her job to take things even further. "We are all a bit tired of the one-dimensional story. Even at this advanced stage of the peace process journalists still descend on this city if there's a dissident pipe bomb somewhere. There could be five shootings in Dublin in a night and Derry will still get more coverage. We are keen to take this moment over the next year to make a different statement about this place." | Shona McCarthy, chief executive of the city of culture company, can easily see the bridge from her office in Building 71 of what was Ebrington barracks. She said it had been "transformative" and it is part of her job to take things even further. "We are all a bit tired of the one-dimensional story. Even at this advanced stage of the peace process journalists still descend on this city if there's a dissident pipe bomb somewhere. There could be five shootings in Dublin in a night and Derry will still get more coverage. We are keen to take this moment over the next year to make a different statement about this place." |
| The UK city of culture initiative was born out of the huge success of Liverpool as European city of culture in 2008. It was the embers of the Labour government and the then culture secretary Andy Burnham thought: "Why not do it ourselves?" He opened an application process for a UK city of culture which ended with a shortlist of Derry, Birmingham, Norwich and Sheffield. | The UK city of culture initiative was born out of the huge success of Liverpool as European city of culture in 2008. It was the embers of the Labour government and the then culture secretary Andy Burnham thought: "Why not do it ourselves?" He opened an application process for a UK city of culture which ended with a shortlist of Derry, Birmingham, Norwich and Sheffield. |
| By the time Derry was announced as winner in 2010 the government had changed, but given that there was no money on offer from Westminster – it's all about leverage – there was no reason to put a brake on things. | By the time Derry was announced as winner in 2010 the government had changed, but given that there was no money on offer from Westminster – it's all about leverage – there was no reason to put a brake on things. |
| The overall cost is in the region of £25m, with £16m for programming. The lion's share, £12.6m, is from the Northern Ireland Executive. "It is the biggest single investment on this island ever made for cultural programming," said McCarthy. "A total vote of confidence." | The overall cost is in the region of £25m, with £16m for programming. The lion's share, £12.6m, is from the Northern Ireland Executive. "It is the biggest single investment on this island ever made for cultural programming," said McCarthy. "A total vote of confidence." |
| The programme of events next year came out on Thursday. They include a new Sam Shepard play from Field Day, the theatre company set up in Derry 30 years ago by Brian Friel and Stephen Rea; a three-day participatory spectacle devised by Frank Cottrell Boyce called The Return of Colmcille; a "punk musical" called Teenage Kicks; and a concert by another Derry boy, the songwriter and performer Phil Coulter. | The programme of events next year came out on Thursday. They include a new Sam Shepard play from Field Day, the theatre company set up in Derry 30 years ago by Brian Friel and Stephen Rea; a three-day participatory spectacle devised by Frank Cottrell Boyce called The Return of Colmcille; a "punk musical" called Teenage Kicks; and a concert by another Derry boy, the songwriter and performer Phil Coulter. |
| The Turner prize will take place in a smart redbrick barracks building that used to house soldiers. | The Turner prize will take place in a smart redbrick barracks building that used to house soldiers. |
| Farrow said it was a huge deal. "When you are talking about a city of 115,000 people I don't think you can overestimate the effect it will have. One of our aims is to get every schoolchild studying art in Northern Ireland to the Turner prize, getting them there for free and in for free." | Farrow said it was a huge deal. "When you are talking about a city of 115,000 people I don't think you can overestimate the effect it will have. One of our aims is to get every schoolchild studying art in Northern Ireland to the Turner prize, getting them there for free and in for free." |
| Inspiring a new generation and involving communities is a big part of the year. There is a "music promise" to involve more than 7,000 schoolchildren in events with thousands of free tickets. | Inspiring a new generation and involving communities is a big part of the year. There is a "music promise" to involve more than 7,000 schoolchildren in events with thousands of free tickets. |
| "This is not the culture company's programme. It's not the city council's programme," said McCarthy. "It is the programme of the neighbourhoods, the community, the education sector and cultural practitioners of this city. | "This is not the culture company's programme. It's not the city council's programme," said McCarthy. "It is the programme of the neighbourhoods, the community, the education sector and cultural practitioners of this city. |
| "We've accumulated and curated a programme that creates a balance between genuine authentic cultural representation of this city and major national and international collaborations that lift us out of ourselves." | "We've accumulated and curated a programme that creates a balance between genuine authentic cultural representation of this city and major national and international collaborations that lift us out of ourselves." |
| What Derry wants to happen is what happened in Liverpool. Some of the rigorously compiled statistics are striking: 66% of residents took part in at least one city of culture event, visitor figures to Merseyside's biggest attractions rose 50%, and tourists flocked in their millions, having an economic impact of £754m. | What Derry wants to happen is what happened in Liverpool. Some of the rigorously compiled statistics are striking: 66% of residents took part in at least one city of culture event, visitor figures to Merseyside's biggest attractions rose 50%, and tourists flocked in their millions, having an economic impact of £754m. |
| All the evidence shows that the "city of culture" idea works, but only if it is done properly – something McCarthy is well aware of. | All the evidence shows that the "city of culture" idea works, but only if it is done properly – something McCarthy is well aware of. |
| She thinks only Glasgow and Liverpool have made "a radical strategic difference". She added: "Some have used it as a moment for absolutely exclusive high-end art." | She thinks only Glasgow and Liverpool have made "a radical strategic difference". She added: "Some have used it as a moment for absolutely exclusive high-end art." |
| Derry is resolutely following the Glasgow and Liverpool model with its ambitions set just as high. | Derry is resolutely following the Glasgow and Liverpool model with its ambitions set just as high. |
| Things so far have not been all plain sailing. Earlier this month the project hit the local headlines when the city council took control of the marketing department. McCarthy dismissed it as a "non-story … it was just nonsense, just operational stuff, all of us were agreed it was about combining resources and efforts." | Things so far have not been all plain sailing. Earlier this month the project hit the local headlines when the city council took control of the marketing department. McCarthy dismissed it as a "non-story … it was just nonsense, just operational stuff, all of us were agreed it was about combining resources and efforts." |
| Certainly it does not seem to have dimmed the frantic enthusiasm of the people involved in the company, most of whom are from Derry. | Certainly it does not seem to have dimmed the frantic enthusiasm of the people involved in the company, most of whom are from Derry. |
| There does appear to be a genuine sense of optimism in Derry. Bradley said most people had a wait-and-see mentality. "I think we'll look back on it as a success," he said. "My theory is that all you have to do is maybe go to three events and you'll think: 'Yes, that was good, I really enjoyed that.'" | There does appear to be a genuine sense of optimism in Derry. Bradley said most people had a wait-and-see mentality. "I think we'll look back on it as a success," he said. "My theory is that all you have to do is maybe go to three events and you'll think: 'Yes, that was good, I really enjoyed that.'" |
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