The 'Troubles' swayed City of Culture judges

THE Troubles were a key influence in Londonderry's UK City of Culture victory.

Documents released to the Sentinel reveal the conflict influenced members of the judging panel as it considered four rival bids just hours after the publication of the Bloody Sunday report.

Debating Londonderry's bid in the immediate aftermath of Saville’s publication the Independent Advisory Panel (IAP) considered the city's willingness to "address past conflicts as a source of inspiration."

The panel - headed by Hollyoaks, Grange Hill and Brookside creator Phil Redmond - believed the willingness of civic leaders in Londonderry to confront the legacy of its recent history was one of the most positive aspects of its bid.

According to a summary document of the panel's deliberations produced by Regeneris Consulting and released to the Sentinel the panel was singularly impressed by the Londonderry bid's capacity to transform the city and transcend the legacy of the Troubles.

The document relates to IAP deliberations over June 16 and June 17, immediately following the publication of the Saville Report on June 15, into the events of Bloody Sunday, January 30, 1972 when 14 civil rights marchers were shot dead by the Army in the Bogside.

It shows the judges recognised the bid's potential to "heal past wounds" as a strong argument in Londonderry's favour.

The document notes: "The potential step changes that the awarding of UK City of Culture 2013 would achieve in the city are very substantial, by helping create a new narrative about the city and its past, and beyond; the IAP recognised the potential of the community benefits including helping heal past wounds, the social benefits and the economic benefits."

It also indicates the panel regarded favourably "a very strong cultural programme that not only drew strength from the city’s past and place in history, but also did not seek to avoid but address its past conflicts as a source of inspiration."

And it shows the panel were swayed by "the role the bid could play nationally and internationally in the role of culture in addressing conflict and community division issues in the UK and internationally."

Furthermore, records of correspondence obtained by the Sentinel show that late on June 17 after receiving presentations from rival bid teams panel member Robert Palmer sent a memo to colleagues highlighting a Birmingham blogger's view that Londonderry's "strife-torn history could be its trump card."

Mr Palmer, Chair of Visiting Arts, sent a message to fellow judges suggesting they may be interested in seeing the article by "The Stirrer."

The article reads: "The Stirrer’s sources suggest that Derry/Londonderry’s strife-torn history might just be its trump card; just as Liverpool’s scope for regeneration helped it scoop the European Capital of Culture title in 2008 with - arguably - an inferior offer.

"This Irish town is stressing the scope for reconciliation offered by a winning bid – and that could be crucial in a week that sees the publication of the Saville Inquiry into the Bloody Sunday killings in 1972, when 13 civil rights campaigners died at the hands of British troops."

Notwithstanding clear evidence the win was influenced by Londonderry's willingness to draw inspiration from past political division, the panel was also unanimous the city's bid was streets ahead of any of its rivals.

The Regeneris document shows the panel thought Londonderry's bid and presentation "extremely strong."

It reads: "There was a unanimous decision by the IAP to select Derry/Londonderry as UK City of Culture 2013. The IAP members were in agreement that this was an extremely strong bid that was fully deserving of the accolade and opportunity offered by becoming UK City of Culture 2013.

"The IAP was very impressed by the bid document, the presentation and the answers to the questions they raised."

The panel members were also led to believe that everyone in the city was 100 per cent behind the initiative.

It recognised: "The strength of the passion and commitment of the city and its supporters, including evidence of engagement of the private sector and all political parties and communities in supporting the bid."

It also noted Londonderry was already advancing many of its proposals for 2013 at a practical level not matched by rival cities and applauded an exceptionally detailed bid document.

"The impressive level of detail that the city has already gone into in planning for 2013 including; getting funding commitments in place (in both public and private sectors); their consideration of key risks; advanced progress in addressing the recruitment of key personnel; and clear thinking about how decisions would be made going forward especially the critical role of the Director of the new Culture Company; and the fact that they were already at ‘contract stage’ with the proposed Cultural Broker."

Related topics: