SWANSEA UK CITY OF CULTURE 2021 - Initial Bid "A Pretty Shitty City "
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“A Pretty Shitty City……” SWANSEA [Twin Town] UK CITY OF CULTURE 2021 Initial Bid
CONTENTS
CROESO / WELCOME
Page 1
OUR AREA
Pages 2 - 3
OUR VISION
Pages 4 - 8
CULTURAL AND ARTISTIC STRENGTHS
Pages 9 - 13
OUR SOCIAL IMPACT
Pages 14 - 15
OUR ECONOMIC IMPACT
Pages 16 - 17
OUR TOURISM IMPACT
Pages 18 - 19
LEADERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCE
Pages 20 - 21
OUR TRACK RECORD
Page 22
FUNDING AND BUDGET
Page 22 - 23
PARTNERSHIPS
Page 23
RISK ASSESSMENT
Pages 24 - 25
LEGACY “... an ugly, lovely town ... crawling, sprawling ... by
Pages 25 - 26
the side of a long and splendid curving shore. This
LEARNING AND EVALUATION
Pages 26 - 27
sea-town was my world.”
CLOSING WORDS
Pages 28
[Dylan Thomas]
APPENDICES
Pages 29 - 62
SWANSEA - UK CITY OF CULTURE sense of Place to create opportunities
that may otherwise be unreachable.
Our bid to be UK City of Culture 2021 From urban deprivation, poverty and
stems from an enduring commitment low aspiration in the east, to rural
to place culture at the heart of our isolation, ageing populations and lack
regeneration and growth. Ours is a tale of of infrastructure in the west, we believe
a city of contrasts, continuously grappling that culture is our bridge to greater
with the lovely/ugly, rural/urban, people/ equality, engagement and connectivity.
place, past/future, east/west balance, Our partnerships are growing stronger,
but being one Place and one People, for programming and delivery and we will
with pride and ambitions to shine on build on our existing infrastructure, with
the world’s stage. We are a city of ‘world sustainability and growth of our cultural
firsts’, not a ‘Second City’ – returning and natural assets at the forefront of our
to our rightful place as the cultural link programming and legacy planning.
between post-industrial and rural Wales.
We have a pragmatic approach to
Our time to shine has arrived. Our city is leadership, programme development
changing rapidly, with urban regeneration and delivery. In our bid, we describe how
and population growth creating a UK City of Culture 2021 will frame and
landscape ripe for investment, innovation, accelerate our investment in our cultural
diversity and connectivity; the likes of and community infrastructure, strategic
which we have not experienced since partnerships, community engagement
we were at the heart of the industrial and creative and tourism economies. This
revolution. This has led us to securing will deliver a number of Step Changes
a once in a generation investment for with long term impact and legacy.
the city, including a new City Deal which
will create a new cultural infrastructure Our evaluation framework will provide
for Swansea by 2021. The City Deal will the evidence and tools for us, our
bring with it new digital infrastructure partners and other cities, to ensure that
which will create thousands of much culture is recognised as an architectural
needed jobs; growing creative and tech component of a healthy, sustainable
industries and driving innovation, with an city, supporting the long term prospects
international connectivity that we want to for growth and community wellbeing.
see benefit all our People, in our ‘Lovely, Our legacy will also be intertwined with
Ugly’ Place. From a period of looking our long-term sustainability planning
back to the heyday of the traditional for regional partnerships, with a new
industries, we are looking forward with governance model established, which will
a new confidence, tackling head on the genuinely place culture and our People
challenges and opportunities facing us. and Place at the heart of the regeneration
of the Swansea Bay City Region.
We need Culture to connect us more
deeply with this new Swansea, drawing
on our rich heritage, stories, culture, and
Page 1
OUR AREA
Swansea is the economic centre of the rural hinterland, which makes up two Our culture, pride and ambition chemicals in the Industrial Revolution.
wider Swansea Bay City Region, which thirds of the 378km sq. area. Our They are now characterised as high-
has a resident population of 685,000. rural area’s components are broadly Dylan Thomas’ blunt assessment of density communities, with row upon
With a contained population of 240,000, defined as Gower, the UK’s first Area of Swansea in 1941 contrasts starkly with row of stone-built terraced housing,
Swansea is the second largest city in Outstanding Natural Beauty and the hilly the Swansea now entering the 21st interspersed with post-war council
Wales. Residential patterns remain Lliw uplands, including reservoirs, former Century, seeking to reinvent itself with housing estates. The pressure on
shaped by our industrial past, with the collieries and Swansea’s highest point at culture and heritage at the forefront of these communities and local services
majority of people living and working in Penlle’r Castell. Two major universities, the city’s plans. The breadth and diversity is high and life expectancy, social and
the urban heartlands. Our waterfront with student populations of around of Swansea’s history presents a rich economic mobility, skills and employment
city centre is flanked to the north and 30,000 add to the vibrancy, diversity and source of cultural inspiration – named are low. Conversely, Swansea West,
west by a stunning mix of coastal and innovation emerging in the area, with by the Vikings, and home to a series of including the rural hinterland as
upland rural landscapes, enveloped by major campus developments anchoring ‘world firsts’ such as the Mumbles Railway described above, is characterised by
a sweeping sandy coastline that defines the north and south of the city. - the first passenger railway in the world. higher socio and economic indicators
Swansea Bay, curving around the coast Swansea’s history as a Place also defines of wellbeing. However it has a lack of
to the Mumbles headland. The historic the challenges now facing our People. digital connectivity, transport and cultural
Docklands, now being reborn as the
Dylan Thomas walked through infrastructure, with higher levels of rural
SA1 Waterfront area, marks the eastern the bombed-out shell of the Our unique geography and industrial isolation, and disconnection from city-
boundary. Forging its way north-east, town centre with his friend legacy has created a city of contrasts, centre lifestyle, culture, recreation and
through a series of urban settlements, Bert Trick. Upset at the sight, with inequality between the populations core services.
the River Tawe winds through the he concluded: “Our Swansea is of east and west, and disconnect of the
formerly heavily industrialised Swansea urban and rural. ‘Swansea East’ was
Valley. With spectacular visual effect,
dead”
formed as dormitories for the once
the drama of the dense urban setting, booming industries of copper, tin and
boldly meets the sparsely populated
Page 2
OUR AREA
Having once been at the heart of Wales’ ethnic group, higher than the Welsh is reflected in higher proportions of wellbeing, educational attainment,
and Britain’s trade links, the decline in average of 4% and the third highest employment in the service industries. aspiration and tackling poverty. It unifies
Swansea’s position as chief exporter, at percentage of the 22 local authorities Commuting patterns point to significant People and contributes to our economy
the forefront of the Industrial Revolution, in Wales. Key groups include Eastern estimated daily inflows to Swansea of through tourism, creative and cultural
hit us hard. During WWII, Swansea’s Europeans (rising since 2003); a doubling 27,700 (net inflow +8,300), with the industries, vibrancy and sense of Place.
Dock was the link to the world’s first of the Bangladeshi ethnic group between majority coming from Neath Port Talbot These are the key outcomes we want
full-scale submarine pipeline, but due 2001 and 2011; and a considerable (13,200) and Carmarthenshire (8,600)1. from our strategic investment in the
to its logistic significance, became the increase in the Chinese ethnic group. Road arteries and traffic management city, so to move forward without culture
target for a ‘three night blitz’ in February The largest ethnic minority populations dominate the landscape and reduce led regeneration would be unthinkable
1941, which saw the city centre and were recorded in the urban Wards of connectivity by creating physical barriers to us. By 2021 we will see a new digital
surrounding residential areas flattened. Uplands, Castle and Sketty, the latter two between our historic and suburban infrastructure, new creative workspace,
Post-war planning saw the city centre recording ethnic minority populations communities, key assets, infrastructure a new Arena, Aquatics Research Centre
shift its axis away from the waterfront, above 10%. Overall, the latest census and natural resources. and the world’s first Tidal Lagoon in-situ;
and by the 1960s, the Valley’s industries information revealed some 5,415 all connected by unparalleled digital
were in steep decline - leaving behind a residents as Muslim, making this the Health: According to the 2011 Census, capability and infrastructure, via the
polluted, scarred and barren landscape. most common religion after Christianity. 78% of Swansea residents assessed installation of 5G and broadband via ‘the
The Lower Swansea Valley project their health as good or very good, almost Jupiter Pipe’. With this platform we can
was a pioneering attempt to reclaim Education: Swansea is both a city of in tandem with the Wales average. connect and mobilise our businesses
this land and reintroduce a green academic excellence with world-class However, just over 23% said their day- and communities, in ways previously
lung, along with new enterprise zones universities and a city of educational to-day activities are limited a lot, or a unimaginable. Augmenting this
and leisure facilities. Swansea Marina inequality. Published statistics for little, by a long-term health problem or commitment through Culture is a natural
was another pioneering regeneration Swansea in 2013-14, record over 16,500 disability, which is slightly higher than step forward for the city’s authorities and
scheme to transform derelict industrial full-time university students and over the Wales average and considerably partners, helping us achieve our vision.
dockland to residential and retail uses. 4,500 full-time students in Further higher than the UK at 18%. The Census Our themes and Programme reflect the
Nonetheless, the impact of the decline Education. Both Swansea University data also reveals considerable variations use of assets - current and planned, as
of our industries is still starkly felt and and University of Wales Trinity St. David within Swansea, ranging from a little over well as building on our cultural heritage
visible. Major investments are beginning forecast growth in student numbers 4% in Killay North (west) to nearly 17% and changing population.
to turn this around, but more can be by some 10,000 in the next few years. in Townhill (east), reinforcing this picture
1 (source: APS, 2015).
done to ensure the cultural and physical Possibly due to the presence of these of Swansea as a city of contrasts. The
wellbeing of all our People, so that they Institutions, 34% of Swansea’s residents national context underlines this as we
can connect with, and benefit from (aged 16-64) are qualified to NVQ Level 4 have an above average share of Wales’
Swansea’s forthcoming regeneration of (degree level) and above, slightly higher Lower Super Output Areas (LSOAs), with
Place. than the Wales figure. However, 13% of 18 out of 148, or 12%, featuring in the
Swansea’s working age population have most deprived 10 per cent in Wales. In
Population Growth: Swansea is no qualifications, compared to Wales’ contrast, 25 (17%) are within the 10%
changing constantly and rapidly. Between 10% and the UK’s 9%, revealing a gap least deprived.
2005 and 2015, the average rate of within our communities that we can
population growth was approximately narrow, if not fully close, as UK City of Why Culture Matters
+1,300 people (+0.6%) per year. This Culture 2021.
growth is set to continue. Official Our ‘Lovely, Ugly’ Place and friendly,
estimates suggest that the main driver Employment: Our position as the happy People make us a natural City
of this has been migration, with 6.0% of regional centre for services, education, of Culture. We believe that culture
the total population from a non-white commercial, leisure, tourism and culture, is a significant contributor to health,
Page 3
OUR VISION and which adds genuine value and industries and cultural practice working
Our vision has two core principles of meaning for legacy. We believe in a polarised way, and businesses
People and Place. People are central to real transformation is iterative and generally being disconnected from their
our core identity and vision, and we need evolutionary. Therefore we describe our communities. Providing new forums for
more ways to increase participation, Step Changes in qualitative terms. This is collaboration and production is a key part
providing opportunity for all. Our Place described within the context of a strong of our Programme. Creating new artist
is where we live and work; where we learning and evaluation framework, as residencies, new digital art projects and
grew up, or migrated to; where we described in Part C, which will capture business partnerships is also a feature.
spend time with our friends and family and evidence outcomes from our City The opportunity for a new cultural brand
- growing and learning. We have a deep of Culture Programme, and the long for Swansea will also be an attractor for
seated pride and love of this distinctive term significance of delivering our Step new business to be connected more
city, which reveals inspirational stories Changes. deeply with the sector through our
of innovation and outwardly facing Programme. “I was born in a large Welsh
ambitions every time we scratch its 1) Strong Cultural Planning: with
surface. participation of audiences, artists 3) Increasing Community Participation industrial town at the
and practitioners in City Making; in and Wellbeing: with culture supporting beginning of the Great War:
Our aim is that our cultural strategy particular the next phases of the cohesive, prosperous, resilient, an ugly, lovely town (or so it
will meet head-on our city’s challenges city’s regeneration. We include artist healthy communities, with greater was, and is, to me), crawling,
and embrace its many opportunities residencies, events, creative consultation diversity – reducing poverty and sprawling, slummed,
through the ability of culture to engage and engagement in our Programme to building capacity for sustainable
and inspire - connecting the ordinary engage the whole community in our city’s community leadership. Having unplanned, jerry-villa’d,
and the extraordinary. Culture will regeneration. This will be significant for already acknowledged our weakness in and smug- suburbed by the
play a transformational role, unifying Swansea as previous developments have comprehensive audience data, we have side of a long and splendid-
People and Place, mobilised by stronger, not integrated artists or the community chosen not to add a numerical target to curving shore”
richer and deeper participation. This effectively in ‘place making’, leading to the increasing participation. Instead, we will
collaboration and dialogue will be perceived disconnect, poor navigation set a target that every resident and visitor Dylan Thomas, ‘Reminiscences of Childhood’.
facilitated by digital technology, as well to the sea, low quality public spaces, to Swansea will participate in at least
as place based activity - demonstrating ineffective performance of the city centre one of our Programme components.
how culture is the ‘bridge’ to tackling the and negative perception of Swansea. We don’t want our City of Culture to
inequality in Swansea but whihc is also be about counting the same people
so prevalent in cities and towns in Wales 2) Growing the Creative Economy: coming to similar events many times.
and across the UK. building the capacity, networks The real value for us is in growing and
and infrastructure for a strong and diversifying our audiences and building
Our Step Changes sustainable creative and cultural skills and capacity in our communities
industries sector, particularly within to sustain participation. Our Programme
Our baseline data is fragmented, with the wider innovation ecosystem. This will create cultural connectors across
too much focus on quantitative data is about Culture being a ‘super-connector’ the city - bringing to life open spaces
for usage / attendance at venues or for our local businesses, ensuring they and community buildings, with new
organised activity. We describe this all benefit from the opportunities and opportunities for People to interact and
weakness and how we will overcome the resources that will be available. This participate. UK City of Culture 2021 will
this in future sections. However, it is significant for Swansea as the wider create the environment for community
has presented a challenge for us in creative and cultural sectors do not groups and artists to work together, in a
quantifying a step change that only interact as well as they could; with tech structured and measured way.
UK City of Culture 2021 can deliver
Page 4
OUR VISION
4) Improving Creative Education, Skills us to create new partnerships, build coast - crossing boundaries and looking City of Culture to provide a voice to
and Research: with a coordinated capacity in our cultural sector and new outwards across the UK; exploring our communities who are unheard,
approach to building and retaining ways of collaborating, producing and connectivity and global /local through traditionally not present, or excluded
knowledge, talent and skills for the broadcasting to the world. Elements science, technology, culture and creative for a variety of reasons. In particular,
wider community and city centre. of our Programme demonstrate this industries. hearing and amplifying the voice of
Linked to Step Changes 2 and 3, UK City particularly well, with artists in residence children is a key ambition for us. This will
of Culture 2021 will help us position and the large scale programmes These themes and our outline be harnessed through our Programme.
creative learning as a central component planned for outdoor performances and Programme have emerged from a period We will embed innovation, diversity of
of our curriculum, FE and HE courses. reimagining our city. Our venues, new of dialogue, active engagement and thought and participation, in our planning
This is significant for Swansea as we see a markets, studio space, creative industries, development. We continue to draw in for the city’s spatial, social and economic
leakage of talent out of the city as we lack child and event friendly public places will new participants and partners, to build development, as described in Step
the cultural brand and creative clusters be opened up and connected through and curate a stronger, well defined Change 1.
to retain it. UK City of Culture 2021 will the transformative power of culture. We Programme leading up to 2021. The
mobilise better connections between need UK City of Culture 2021 to help us Programme’s components will reflect This aspect of our ambition is also
education, businesses and community, reframe and rebrand our city as a natural our core principles of People and illustrated by Swansea’s support for the
with a new cultural network that we cultural destination. Place - bridging divides and increasing world’s first Tidal Lagoon (subject to
don’t think we can achieve without it. connectivity. At this stage, we have some Government approval). Whether the
Our Programme will create a new virtual Our Main Themes distinctive ideas for integrating art and Lagoon goes ahead or not, this project
and real infrastructure for talent to artists into the major infrastructure exemplifies everything that we stand
flourish and professionals to develop Pioneers of culture, innovation schemes, such as the Tidal Lagoon for, with innovation, an appetite for risk
their business here in Swansea. We say and change – where People and and the Digital Arena, as indicated in and creativity driving our ambitions for
more about this under the ‘Our Economic Place intertwine in celebration of our outline Programme (Appendix the city. The Tidal Lagoon represents
Impact’ section as it is directly linked to innovators, pathfinders and leaders - A). Our thinking is wide open to new a vital innovation for environmentally
our growth targets for the sector. building platforms for new pathways, opportunities, new ideas, and continuing sustainable energy production, but also
partnerships, experiment and risk. the dialogue with our curators, artists, a transformational cultural intervention.
5) Increasing Cultural Tourism: local, regional, and national partners. It presents a new type of cultural
coordinating, expanding and Cultural Production and distribution infrastructure for the next generation,
developing the cultural offer to of ideas, skills, broadcast, trade, markets, Our Programme and its themes with a series of galleries, amphitheatre,
increase positive perceptions, drive tech, digital, traditional and industrial and components, help us to skills academy, visitor and education
tourism and inward investment, pride, crafts and ideas exchange. centre, water-sports and leisure facilities,
ambition and wellbeing and maximise achieve our Step Changes: as well as the reintroduction of oyster
our potential as an urban, coastal Our Voices - making a noise and beds. This is a landmark intervention
and rural destination. The absence Pioneers - Swansea has a rich history which draws on the resources of Place
being heard; through song, language, of pioneers, commissioning or building
of a cultural strategy for the city meant connectivity, expression and for the cultural benefit of its People. This
that previously, the power of culture to ‘world firsts’ (of which Swansea has theme is about demonstrating the impact
collaboration. an extensive list, ranging from the
add vibrancy and connectivity of People of innovation, inspirational people and
and Place, with an impact on economic inspirational to the bizarre)of risk, partnerships in place making.
Digging Deep into our communities, innovation, disruption and dissent
and spatial planning for regeneration, finding and nurturing talent and
was lost. We have addressed this in creativity. Being on the edge of
resources; harvesting, collecting, technological and cultural breakthrough
since the last bid, by co-creating a new rebuilding, regenerating, reseeding and
Cultural Development Framework, but and making a real step change for
distributing culture. Swansea is stimulating our ideas for
we have a long way to go. UK City of
Culture 2021 creates a platform for cultural programming, commissioning
Navigating east to west and coast to and product for 2021. We want our
Page 5
OUR VISION
Cultural production and distribution - beliefs, values and heritage, connecting
The link between culture, production and past, present and future. It is particularly Legend says that King Arthur found a rock in his shoe and
industry has opened up an exploration complementary to us in achieving Step threw it from Carmarthenshire, to Cefn Bryn in Gower
of the mining and traditional industries Change 3. where the stone physically grew and was elevated by the
of our city’s crafts and manufacturing - other stones, who raised it high with admiration.
versus new, digital and tech industries, Digging Deep - Swansea, like many
production and distribution. We will work areas, was mined of its human and
with our cultural sector, traditional print, natural resources during the industrial
design and craft industries and link them revolution. These industries were often
with digital design and tech-industries, to the result of enterprise and innovation
create a new ‘Made in Swansea’ platform. – led by pioneers in their own right,
This will build capacity and confidence who opened up international links.
- clustering and connecting businesses Subsequent travels brought back riches
to develop new collaborations and a and cultural collections, which now
strong and resilient cultural sector. We inform research and innovative schemes
will develop new models of exchange to increase access and participation in
– trading products and ideas through our cultural offer. This offers much to
co-working and collaboration. This will be our exploration of Place, migration and
online and offline, including new pop-up cultural consumption in our Programme,
and ‘virtual markets’, showcasing and as we source and collect local talent
broadcasting innovation. This theme is along the way. We will dig deep into our
about our People and how their skills, communities, harvesting and collecting
ideas and ability to connect will help us audiences, stories, assets and talent -
achieve Step Change 2. stimulating learning and participation. – naming it Wurm’s Head (now known which has a memorial to the once
This theme is about providing new as Worm’s Head), giving rise to the myths booming mining town, after hundreds of
Our Voices - People and Place weave opportunities for creative learning, and legends of a land of Dragons. This Welsh Miners made the trip to America
their way through our cultural narrative mentoring and knowledge exchange, ‘legendary’ status also surrounds Arthur’s and beyond to set up and run mines.
and stories. Our cultural pioneers, retention of skills and much needed new Stone in Gower, a Neolithic burial tomb Equally fascinating is the Y Wladfa (The
including some of our more famous routes into employment in the creative dating back to 2500 BC and one of the Colony) settlement in Argentina, which
alumni such as Catherine Zeta Jones, and cultural sectors, as needed for Step first sites to be protected under the began in 1865 in the southern region
Michael Sheen and Bonnie Tyler are, Changes 2 and 4. Ancient Monuments Act of 1882. This of Patagonia. In the early 21st Century
we believe, drawn back again and aspect of our culture has come through around 50,000 Patagonians were of
again by the compelling contrasts of Navigating - Our Programme ideas for strongly, with stories and storytelling - Welsh descent and the language has
our Place and People. These contrasts understanding, exploring and reimagining song, music, literature and language - all been sustained, with estimates of
have enormous potential to stimulate a our city – past, present and future – are informing our cultural narrative and between 1,500 and 5,000 Welsh speakers
creative response, challenge stereotypes all part of this theme. Our waterways sense of identity and Place. UK City of in the area. This theme is about engaging
and offering new ways of seeing and and Port have been a route to import, Culture 2021 will frame our navigation of everyone in Swansea to participate in
communicating. Our Programme opens export and travel, but also exposed us the city and our children’s understanding our city planning, finding their place in
up new opportunities to communicate, to invasion, as illustrated by our coastal of their place in the world, through our our world and creating a new cultural
with multiple celebrations of language, architecture of castles and fortifications. cultural heritage. For example, exploring landscape, as needed to achieve Step
talent and heritage, as well as conceiving Indeed, the story goes that Swansea was the links with the other twelve places in Changes 1, 3 and 5.
new ways of visualising and narrating our named by the Vikings, who also likened the world called Swansea. In particular, a
stories. This theme is about our identity, part of our coastline to a dragon’s head ghost town in Death Valley, California
Page 6
OUR VISION
Our Main Programming the world to come to us and see our city worst reputation, including Wind Street
Components at its best. UK City of Culture 2021 will – colloquially known as Wine Street, due
provide a springboard for us to achieve to its concentration of bars and clubs,
Our Programme and partnerships this, and we will carefully curate our 365 occupying the ground and first floors
will be distinctive as we weave a new day ‘Festival of Noise’ with artists that of a grand street-scape of Merchant
cultural landscape from stories of People develop new product that is compelling houses / shop fronts, extravagantly
and Place that are familiar, yet new - and innovative. Existing festivals that have embellished with mouldings and
presenting Swansea through a new view- the potential to grow and respond to the ornamental features. Reframing our
finder or lens, literally and metaphorically. opportunity and step change offered by heritage and interpretation of Swansea
Using music, photography, installation UK City of Culture 2021 will be connected through culture will be a key ambition for
art, pop-up events, film-making, digital and supported, ensuring knowledge achieving Step Changes 3 and 5.
and multimedia, performance, light and transfer, audience development and
visual arts, we will develop real time legacy. Visual and Media Arts, Exhibitions and
digital interaction, virtual and augmented Conferences: Visual arts, media, film and
reality and immersive experiences. We Our city – reimagined: Existing and photography are particular strengths
will create a physical and metaphorical forthcoming architecture and public in Swansea, with our world class Glynn
bridge between communities, past and realm presents significant opportunity Vivian Art Gallery (part of the Plus Tate
present, to co-create a future landscape for us to reimagine the city as a cultural Network), regularly hosting high profile
where culture is visible and permeates landscape. We will draw out and exhibitions. The Gallery works with the
the city. Our components cut across illuminate the past, which speaks of our wide range of independent galleries in
all our themes and will be illuminated, identity, heritage, ambition and growth the area, nationally and internationally.
expanded and broadcast as a result of us - aligning it with a new cultural vision for Hosting the Turner Prize, alongside an
being UK City of Culture 2021. Swansea. We will commission artworks exemplar exhibition programme and
and projects that compel our audiences artist residencies, with open studios, arts,
Amplification – hearing our voices, to ‘look again’, through rethinking, crafts and film festivals, pop-up markets
making a noise: Swansea is a city reframing and communicating this Place, and digital collaborations, will be a strong
of festivals, events and community which is constantly changing - using arts component of our Programme. The city
celebration, with a ‘can do – will do’ and creativity in a structured, playful is also host to a range of conferences
attitude to generating and staging events and collaborative way. The concept and seminars, with a market evolving
and artistic product - with or without of Ports & Forts gives context to our around specialist subjects, research and
permission occasionally. This is a great castles (literally and metaphorically). investigations of culture, regeneration,
tool in our armoury for transformation These, along with housing, artist economics, health and wellbeing. Current
and engagement, displaying talent and studios, landmark buildings, gateways, examples include industry conventions
brave programming in some of the most waterways and coast all feature in our such as Swansea Animation Days, which
unlikely places. We will embrace the Programme commissioning ideas for brings global leaders in animation and
disruptive, discursive and provocative 2021. We will engage with the planning computer game industries to Swansea
potential of events and festivals, process to ensure that the city, in 2021, every year and the Storytelling for Health
positioning artists and creative innovators is as colourful and creative in its new Conference this year. We will actively seek
as the agents of engagement and architecture as possible - respecting out, design and develop new exhibitions
change. Artists from all over the world the iconic buildings that offer insight to and events that bring leading thinkers
visit Swansea to take part in activities and the past ambitions of our People, which and specialists to Swansea, stimulating
similarly, our cultural pioneers take their we will illuminate. For example, some debate and knowledge exchange through
ideas all over the world. Now we want of the most beautiful streets have the creating a new ‘market’ for trading ideas
Page 7
OUR VISION
and experience and broadcasting to the keen to develop these in the lead up to, arts programme. As part of our year, we forum has arisen many times and we will
world through UK City of Culture 2021. delivery and legacy of our City of Culture. will commission artists to redress the develop this as part of our Programme.
Projects are already in commission for practical and conceptual disconnections UK City of Culture 2021 provides a
Literature: With alumni including the opening of Tidal Lagoon in 2021 in the city. Jason deCaires Taylor (who unique frame for this conversation, in
Dylan Thomas and Vernon Watkins, it (and which we will honour if this is created the world’s first underwater terms of what a truly digitally connected
is understandable that literature is one delayed). These include a collaboration sculpture park, Molinere) is one of City of Culture can achieve.
of our components. We regularly work between Welsh poet and playwright the artists commissioned for a year-
with colleagues in Literature Wales, the Owen Sheers, alongside Oscar winning long residency. Working with local We strongly believe that our themes
Dylan Thomas Society and a number of composer Rachel Portman, for a new communities he will create a sea-based and components will provide a firm
local groups, schools and institutions choral piece inspired by our changing installation for Tidal Lagoon and we will foundation for a broad and varied
to develop skills and appreciation of relationship with the sea and its tides. augment this with a series of community programme, in which there will be
the written word. Dylan Thomas’ work The Lagoon’s turbine house will be based works and complementary artist something of interest for everyone. As
is strongly rooted in a sense of place constructed in a coffer dam – a dry residencies. Building on the concept referenced in our ‘Gaps and Weaknesses’
and tells much of the history of the city dock out at sea the size of 39 football of the city as a cultural landscape, we and ‘Learning and Evaluation’ sections
in the 20th Century, including its most pitches – which we will utilise for our will also develop new cultural trails, (pages 13 and 28), more data and
traumatic event: the three night blitz. Programme and legacy. For example, we connecting the buildings, public realm intelligence on participation and audience
He offers inspiration for what can be will commission Welsh National Opera and the people that use them now - connectivity and growth will be gathered
achieved from a young age and from and BBC National Orchestra of Wales creating a new way of seeing the city as part of our Programme development
within Swansea. A 2003 City & County to work with local musicians, bands and through cultural intervention. We will and delivery, in order to ensure we are
of Swansea study estimated that the performers, to create a new musical relay also commission new gateways and really maximising this opportunity.
‘Dylan Thomas effect’ brought £3.6 million and production. This will celebrate the beacons, utilising landmarks and cultural
into the local economy annually. As centenary of the Brangwyn Hall organ touchstones that signpost our audiences
part of our Programme, we will create a (2021) and present a musical story that in new ways, unifying People and Place.
spectacular international event for Dylan relays across the city. We will also bring
Day in 2021 (May 14th). This will build on together our theatre companies, with Creative Swansea – digital by design:
the legacy of one of our more recently contemporary artists and our alumni, to Digital is critical to us. We know there is a
passed cultural pioneers, Michael commission and create a new theatre digital divide, with parts of Swansea not
Bogdanov, who created a remarkable 36 piece in response to our themes, able to receive a mobile phone signal, let
hour long, continuous Dylathon in 2014, resulting in a live theatrical experience. alone access services and information
marking Dylan’s birthday Centenary. We through ‘superfast broadband’. Our
will do this in collaboration with other Public Arts, Heritage and Culture City Deal will see unparalleled digital
major institutions who share the same Trails – a cultural landscape: We have capacity introduced to Swansea, creating
aims - including Literature Wales, Welsh a strong record of public arts and public opportunities for thousands of much
Books Council, National Library of Wales, realm commissions, having implemented needed jobs and supporting new health,
The Southbank Centre and The Poetry one of the first Percentage for Arts technology and cultural attractions.
Society, as well as Visit Wales who have schemes in Wales. We have undertaken We are committed to ensuring this
supported our literary links with Dylan’s a full audit of these works, many of which works for our communities as much
London and New York. are by internationally notable artists. as for industry. We will work with our
However, we have not fully capitalised TechHub, Universities, Libraries and
Performing Arts and Live Music: A lively on our position as a waterfront city, with Connected Communities to create new
performing arts and music scene has an outstanding landscape and cultural ways to engage the wider community.
nurtured strong national relationships heritage, to commission and curate a The concept of a ‘Made in Swansea’ or
and partnerships and we are especially truly innovative and inspirational public ‘Creative Swansea’ digital platform and
Page 8CULTURAL AND ARTISTIC STRENGTHS
Swansea was unsuccessful in its efforts friendly public realm. Music and literature has several sites, with a strong learning
to be UK City of Culture 2017, but one are particularly strong cultural seams, but programme and extensive Collection.
of the legacies of going through this we also have a notable number of film
process was the adoption of ‘a city of and media companies and impressive West Glamorgan Archives and Family
culture’ as a policy commitment by the alumni. Our Universities are expanding History Centre: is the Archive for the
Council. Over the past three years, this their campuses - further increasing their former County of West Glamorgan. This
has informed the production of a new positive impact on inward investment resource is consolidated by the Richard
Cultural Development Framework for and growth. They are investing heavily in Burton Archives and Miner’s Library
the city. This is very much a partnership research programmes, knowledge and Archive at Swansea University, Health
strategy with the private, voluntary and skills transfer, incubation and partnership Archive of ABMU and the Jazz Heritage
community sectors, creative and cultural programmes, with industry, the Council Wales Archive based at UWTSD.
practitioners, both Universities and and the Health Authority. Swansea
the Health Authority. This Framework University has recently earned the The National Waterfront Museum
sits alongside the Local Planning accolade of Welsh University of the Year Swansea: part of Amgueddfa Cymru
Development Framework and City 2017, and has a growing reputation and (Museums Wales), this state of the art
Centre Strategic Framework, as well commitment to research, in particular for museum tells the story of Welsh industry
as informing our work with Welsh Computational Science and Engineering, and culture in its broadest sense - from
Government to tackle poverty through Marine Biology and Life Sciences. It the Industrial Revolution through to
culture as a ‘Pioneer Area’. This is further has a significant cultural dimension contemporary creative industries.
underscored by the nine commitments with a number of arts venues, cultural
the Council has signed up to for UCLGs programming and archives open to the Dylan Thomas Centre: houses the
Culture 21 programme. Swansea is the public. University of Wales Trinity St David interactive and digitised Dylan Thomas
only UK city to do so, entailing a contract (UWTSD) is a leading light in research Exhibition and the world class Dylan
between Swansea and UCLG to embed for creative industries, talent incubation Thomas Collection.
culture in sustainable city making. This and retention; providing support and
proposition is supported by the national workspace for tech industries, vocational The Brangwyn Hall: is a 1,150 capacity
and UK context - reflecting Welsh and work based learning, arts practice traditional concert hall and event space,
Government’s vision for culture in Wales, and health research. named after Frank Brangwyn and home
the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act to his historic Panels.
(Wales) and the clear objectives of the Our city’s cultural assets include:
DCMS in delivering UK City of Culture. Glynn Vivian Art Gallery: a destination The Grand Theatre Swansea: the
Art Gallery, part of the Plus Tate Network largest presenting house in the region,
This is one of our key strengths as it and arguably a national gallery for Wales, with 1,100 house capacity, and an Arts
illustrates a long-term plan for culture with its own Collection. Wing with studio and exhibition space.
in Swansea and a strategy for getting
the most out of our strong cultural Plantasia: a unique educational and The Taliesin: an Arts Council Wales
infrastructure. Swansea has award visitor attraction for Swansea, housing a funded arts centre of circa 350 seated
winning galleries and museums; a range of tropical rainforest plants, with capacity, based on Swansea University’s
growing community of artists with two climate zones, rare animals and Singleton Campus.
increasing provision of artist studios; beasties.
several theatres and concert venues, Penyrheol Theatre: 850 capacity (550
libraries, community centres, dual use Swansea Museum: the oldest museum seating) theatre based within a school
schools, parks, beaches and event in Wales, founded in 1835. The museum ‘dual-use’ site.
Page 9CULTURAL AND ARTISTIC STRENGTHS
The Great Hall: 700 capacity, Swansea Elysium Artist Studios & Gallery, Gallerie Digital Square: within Phase 1 of the city event managers and promoters - all of
University venue for concerts, events, Simpson, Bloc Gallery, Mission Gallery, centre regeneration. This will create a whom have excellent industry networks.
conferences and seminars. Oriel Science, Cinema & Co. vibrant leisure and lifestyle environment These are supported by a diverse
for events, information, distribution range of arts, cultural and community
The Alex Building – Swansea Art Film and Media Facilities: Bay Studios, and connected businesses, places and organisations, many of whom have been
College: part of the University of Wales Bay TV, Dylan Thomas House (former BBC people. referenced or are detailed in Appendix B.
Trinity St David and home to the School broadcasting studios).
of Art & Design as a research centre for Hydro Hub Acquatics Research Centre
creative industries. Planned New Venues/Facilities for and Digital Aquarium: on the seafront,
2020/21: surrounded by new public realm, cafés
The Dylan Thomas Theatre: 150 seater and restaurants.
theatre, run by around 150 volunteer Tidal Lagoon: a pioneering infrastructure
artists and technicians. for renewable energy, harnessing the Cultural Organisations,
power of the tides. The Lagoon is nearly Creatives, Producers and
Castle Square – Swansea Castle and six miles long and at its furthest point,
Oystermouth Castle: outdoor and reaches over 2 miles out to sea. Subject Practitioners:
indoor event spaces regularly hosting to approval, the Lagoon will be a world
screenings, outdoor cinema, festivals and first and on opening in 2021, will shine Many of our larger venues are run by
community events. a light on Swansea with an inspiring Council employed, expert teams of
new infrastructure, offshore visitor curators, programmers, educationalists,
Singleton Park: The city’s waterfront centre, arts programme, sculpture park,
park, with outdoor live music and event amphitheatre and water-sports centre.
space with a 25,000 capacity.
Box Village: 28,000sqft Innovation
Liberty Stadium: home to Swansea City Precinct and 64,600sqft workspace facility
AFC and the Ospreys RFC and major at UWTSD’s SA1 Waterfront Development
conference, event and live music stadium, to provide incubation and co-working
with a capacity up to 30,000. space for start-ups.
A range of dedicated Live Music and Digital Village: 100,000sqft of flexible
Event spaces: The Hyst, The Office, The and affordable accommodation to
Scene and Sin City, Noah’s Bar, Swansea support tech businesses in the city
Jazz Club and The Garage to name but a centre.
few.
Digital Arena: a 3,500 seat Arena with
Seventeen Libraries and 39 Council- state of the art, fully digitised facilities
owned Community Buildings: across for broadcast, streaming, conferencing,
the City and County of Swansea. interactive sports, arts and cultural
events. A new hotel will be part of
Independent Attractions, Workspace the development with direct ‘bridge’
and Galleries: 5 Cwmdonkin Drive - access into Phase 1 of the city centre
Dylan Thomas’ birthplace, Swansea Artist regeneration, offering new restaurants,
Studios, TechHub, Volcano Theatre, retail, cinema and a new Digital Square.
Page 10CULTURAL AND ARTISTIC STRENGTHS
Sports, Recreation and Leisure city centre and beach as a venue – a single cause. This will also address the Changes 3 and 4.
facilities: along with those planned to be open in following gaps and weaknesses:
2021. Outreach and delivery arms will Arts development and coordination:
As well as 10 Leisure Centres and 54 create ‘cultural-connectors’ throughout Data and intelligence on audiences We have a broad network of artists,
parks, we have a significant coastline, the city, utilising smaller spaces, and participation: This is a gap for creatives and organisations, but there
plus the UK’s first Area of Outstanding community based facilities and venues. us. We have data on usage, aligned is a gap around coordination, arts and
Natural Beauty. The city’s waterfront is We will establish new collaborations with formal programmes and venues. cultural development. UK City of Culture
peppered with playgrounds, waterparks, and networks, by ensuring the ‘large’ However, we have no real intelligence 2021 has already created the impetus for
golf courses, pitch and putt, boating infrastructure is actively working to about our audiences and how we can more capacity, as well as a partnership
lakes, historic gardens, visitor centres, enable and support the smaller venues better connect them, through cross approach with the sector, to ensure
boat parks. The Swansea Bay Rider is a and partnerships. These in turn, are fed marketing or engagement in order to we are putting forward a sustainable
passenger land-train which traverses the into by the broad community network set an ambitious target for audience and Programme with a genuine legacy.
Bay to Mumbles during peak seasons of arts, sports and cultural activity, participation growth. UK City of Culture This is linked to the weakness above
and which is regularly themed to cultural practice and provision. This will be 2021 will provide us with the context, and addressing this will support our
events. We have 14 LEA Secondary supported through mentoring, capacity partners and evaluation framework to achievement of Step Change 3.
Schools in Swansea, many of which have building, Programme activity, training redress this and help us achieve Step
theatre, recording and performance and volunteer programmes. A structured
space and five of which have dual use set of contracts and commissions will
facilities, including swimming pools, large also be developed, exploring arts and
sports halls, 3G pitches and outdoor business links, ‘community pacts’, service
sports grounds. These complement the level agreements and memoranda of
main sport and leisure facilities for the understanding.
city, which include the LC Waterpark, the
360 Beach Volleyball and Watersports Gaps and Weaknesses
Centre, Wales National Pool and Athletics Not having a cultural strategy for the
Village, St Helen’s Cricket and Rugby city was a long standing weakness.
Ground. Numerous outdoor sports However, we began work on this, through
pitches, tennis courts, cycle, go-kart, consultation, in the period following our
sailing and water sports facilities are self- bid to be named UK City of Culture 2017.
managed by local clubs or independent A partnership approach to engagement
businesses. This offer will be augmented has helped capture and build on the
in 2021, with the introduction of a new enthusiasm and belief that the previous
bridge across the main highway linking bid process uncovered - establishing a
the city to the sea and to new attractions. solid vision and framework for culture
Our Programme for UK City of Culture in Swansea. Our ambitions for UK City
2021 will exploit these as venues and of Culture 2021 are long-term and
spaces for the exploration of our themes. strategic, with genuine Step Changes that
will have impact for future generations.
How these will work for our We need UK City of Culture 2021 in
Programme order to achieve these, as it brings a
Larger events, productions and ‘high transformative power to host cities -
yield’ programming will take place in connecting participants, programmers
our established venues, including the and leaders, as accelerants of change, to
Page 11CULTURAL AND ARTISTIC STRENGTHS
Limited diversity of participation in of local business (some of which have May – June • PR/Comms – #SwanseaISCulture digital/social media;
city-wide planning, consultation and international reach) on sponsorship and • Programme of engagement events
representation in the arts and cultural commissioning of cultural events, artists
sector generally: UK City of Culture and organisations. We will build on this June – Septem- • Community engagement and campaign activation events
2021 will help address this weakness. to develop new business planning skills ber • Detailed programme, evaluation tools and budget
The process has already identified and and arts and business partnerships in the development in place
helped to make the case for the Council lead up to and post 2021. This will help • Governance Models confirmed
appointing new Cultural Partnership us to achieve Step Changes 2, 3, 4 and 5. • Local and National Delivery Partners confirmed
Officers. These officers will work with our September • International Links established
diverse and harder to reach communities • Full Submission
Programme Development • Assessment and clarification period
- developing a collaborative approach
to engagement in the Programme • Campaign and partnership development momentum
Our approach to Programme maintained
development, delivery and legacy development is illustrated as a sequence
for 2021. This will scale up through of key steps leading up to 2021 and
new partnerships and community beyond (right): December Decision Announced
engagement, which will also meet Step Jan 2018 – 19 • Delivery model established
Changes 1, 3 and 4. • Curatorial team appointed
• City Leadership Team confirmed
Transport: is an ongoing issue for • Marketing and Media partnerships confirmed
accessing groups, clubs, audiences and • Monitoring and Evaluation commissioned
vice versa. We will work with our private • Programme briefs, commissions and delivery partners
hire, bus and rail providers in the lead confirmed
up to and during 2021, to ensure that
the networks are increased at times to
suit a range of audiences. We will make Jan 2019 – 20 • Consultation; Fundraising; Partnership devt. Marketing
the case for these arrangements being strategy in place
in place for the long term, by providing Jan 2020 – Dec • Marketing underway
the evidence of demand through our 2020 • Programme content confirmed and contracted
Programme, Learning and Evaluation. • Residencies established to create product for 2021
Similarly with the rail network, ensuring
a late night service is consistent with and
part of the overall economic and social Innovative and Distinctive – and collaboration. Our timing has never
benefits of 2021. UK City of Culture 2021 Delivering Cultural Excellence been better. Unique infrastructure
will bring weight and visibility to these projects combine with our wonderful
negotiations as a key part of us achieving Our ambition is for innovation and People and Place, to create the best
Step Changes 1, 2, 3 and 5. distinctiveness to shine from our possible platform for us to shout out to
Programme as we work with world and welcome the world.
Limited diversity of funding: An class cultural practitioners to test new
over reliance on public sector funding, technologies, new collaborations and
specifically Arts Council Wales and fusions of People and Place. We are a
Swansea Council, is a weakness. The distinct waterfront city, with a distinct
momentum around UK City of Culture language and culture that provides a rich
2021 has already focused the minds source of inspiration for programming
Page 12CULTURAL AND ARTISTIC STRENGTHS
Cultural excellence and quality will be a Our initial City of Culture creative team organisations to develop product as for visitors, students and tourism.
constant touchstone for us - we are too consists of a range of Swansea based well as participate in the outcomes.
proud of our Place not to ensure that this practitioners and producers who are • Building a team of volunteers and
is the case. In securing this, we will; responding to the themes, with the • Programming for diverse venues, city ambassadors who can not only
full knowledge that this will develop, geographical locations and genres. identify extra need e.g. people with
• Appoint a dedicated Artistic as our partnerships and participants dementia but also apply and deploy
Director – with proven experience to increase and diversify. They consist of • A realistic balance of free and locally the skills needed to ensure that all
commission and curate a world class a strong skill-set in creative production based activity with an international our audiences and their carers can
Programme for 2021. and include Swansea based Creative product offer. be reached, and their needs and
Producer Mal Pope, Film Director and expectations fulfilled.
• Facilitate and encourage multiple Producer Kevin Allen, BAFTA Award • A year round offer that works well
strands of collaboration between winning and Emmy nominated Musician with existing organisations, events • Working with our colleagues across
internationally renowned Mark Thomas and several local creative, and celebrations. schools, poverty and prevention,
practitioners and local talent to build theatre and festival producers. This • Working with our network of adult and social care and looked after
knowledge, practice and capacity in includes independent producer Isabel community representatives to build children, to provide the mechanism,
and around Swansea. Griffin, the hard hitting Volcano Theatre participation and engagement in programme and diversity of venues
• Provide a Programme that showcases Director Paul Davies, Artist Marc Rees, our programme development and and product to engage with those
local talent, building from the best Artists and PHD students in arts, health delivery. most at risk of exclusion.
of our curators, producers and arts and wellbeing – Becky and Jason, Tess
Blazey Director of Programmes for • Sharing the positive learning of the • Utilising our new digital infrastructure
practitioners in Swansea, assembling Young Ambassador Schemes in our
the potential for legacy and Tidal Lagoon, Jane Simpson of Gallerie to reach out to, engage and connect
Simpson, Musician and Director of sport sector across arts and cultural with our communities.
sustainability. activity - building new routes to
Swansea International Jazz Festival
Dave Cottle and Artistic Director of the participation.
• Work with our cultural alumni and
a field of international guest artists, Swansea International Festival Lyndon • Working with national agencies
designers and curators, to develop Jones (formerly musical director at the and governing bodies to ensure
new inspirational commissions and BBC). we are putting in place the correct
immersive experiences. facilities, marketing tools, access
They are working side by side with the to information and product for all
• Work closely with our national and Council’s cultural managers, curators, people.
international partners, the Arts theatre directors, educationalists,
Councils of Wales, England Northern youth and community workers, • Working with our venues, hospitality
Ireland and Creative Scotland, British historians, archivists, sports and and trade partners, transport and
Council, British Film Institute (BFI), health professionals, schools, sports accommodation providers to ensure
Tate and National Theatre, to guide and community organisations. We will diversity, inclusivity, signposting and
and develop the commissioning continue to develop this going forward. support is in place for all sectors of
Programme, artist briefs and our society to enjoy our year of UK
selection. City of Culture 2021.
• Develop the partnerships and brand Ensuring Diversity: Diversity will • Working with our Universities and
profile to attract the best talent in the underpin our Cultural Programme. To us, City Region Board, to develop an
world to work in Swansea. this means; international marketing package that
• Commissioning diverse artists and frames Swansea as a welcoming city
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