LIVERPOOL and Glasgow are known for producing world-class bands and singers, but another unexpected city is primed to put itself on the music map.
Hull, a city in the north of England, is bidding to join them in becoming a Unesco City of Music.
While the city has produced some musical talent like The Beautiful South and guitarist Mick Ronson, it isn’t known for its outpouring of household names.
English rock musician, Trevor Bolder, best known as being part of David Bowie‘s backing band, and Ted Key from the The Housemartins were also born in Hull.
The city has several music venues from Connexin Live, where world-famous bands and artists like Bob Dylan and The vamps have performed, to Hull City Hall where The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and David Bowie have all had gigs.
There also also plenty of bars where grassroots bands play, like the Adelphi Club, which describes itself as the city’s music capital.
Hull’s Unesco bid, which is part of a five-year plan, hopes to boost music in the city.
Despite its title, Unesco’s Creative City of Music isn’t all about bands and artists, with a description on its website reading: “The UNESCO Creative Cities Network strives to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development.”
On a visit to Hull last year, I got a taste of its creative and cultural spaces – and I can see why the city is bidding for Unesco music status.
It’s been used as a backdrop for so many Hollywood blockbusters and TV shows, a walking trail called It Must Be Hullywood has been created.
The Old Town’s cobbled high street features in Enola Holmes 2, starring Millie Bobby Brown and ITV’s Victoria, starring Jenna Coleman.
The city also boasts an impress number of free museums in its Museums Quarter.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”Discover the Best of British in Hull” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6352589989112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]There were too many to visit on my short city break butI can recommend the Streetlife Museum, the William Wilberforce House Museum and the Hull & East Riding Museum of Archaeology.
And for art lovers, there’s also the Ferens Art Gallery, which is considered one of the best regional art galleries in the country, with its giant inflatable artwork of Jason and the Argonauts by Jason Wilsher-Mills.
Hull’s cultural offering is set to expand when two of its much-loved attractions reopen.
The Spurn Lightship is slated to reopen later this year, following a £30million restoration.
[authenticated-scripts src=”%3Cscript%20class%3D%22palin-poll%22%20src%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thesun.co.uk%2Fpollingwidgets%2Fv3%2Fwidget.js%3Fquestion_id%3D102989%26game%3Dpolling%22%3E%3C%2Fscript%3E” type=”embedded” width=”100″ /]And Hull’s Maritime Museum will be reopen in 2026.
Hull City Council will be publishing its first music plan later this month before submitting its bid to UK Unesco.
And if it’s successful, the northern English city will file an international submission in March.
Councillor Rob Pritchard, the council’s portfolio holder for culture and leisure has said: “I’m pleased the culture and heritage strategy has been approved by the council’s cabinet.
“The plan is far-reaching and offers the city a real direction in which to move our cultural scene forward, taking the community with us.”
If its application is successful, Hull would join the likes of Kansas City and Havana, both of which already have the Unesco status.
Other UK cities like Glasgow, Liverpool and Belfast have already been awarded Unesco’s City of Music Status too.
With an Unesco status, Hull will be able to develop new music-related activities, have its music promoted on a global stage and work with other cities to produce more music.
The news comes after Hull was named one of the best places to visit in the UK by Time Out last year.
Hull is a 70-minute drive from York and is a 90-minute drive from Sheffield.
[boxout headline=”MY CULTURAL WEEKEND BREAK IN UNDERRATED HULL” featured-image=”27796586″]LOCATED in East Yorkshire, it takes just two hours and 45 minutes to reach Hull on a direct train from London Kings Cross, and it’s even closer to Sheffield and Birmingham.
In recent years, Hull has enjoyed a taste of the showbiz lifestyle with the Old Town being used as a backdrop for blockbusters and hit Netflix TV shows like The Crown and Bodies.
Day-trippers can follow the It Must Be Hullywood walking trail to walk past the city’s most well-known filming locations.
The route isn’t too long, so it’s still doable in the colder months.
If you want to have something in common with iconic TV star Timmy Mallett, then climb Hull Ministers 170 steps to its roof.
While Timmy Mallett treated locals to a rendition of the hit song, ‘Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini’ on the church bells, I simply enjoyed its panoramic views for just £7.50.
Families will want to make the most of the city’s museums like the Streetlife Museum, the William Wilberforce House Museum and the Hull & East Riding Museum of Archaeology, all of which are free to enter.
I visited the Hull & East Riding Museum of Archaeology, which does a fantastic job of engaging children – and journalists – with the wonders of archaeology.
Spot for a pint and some hearty pub grub at the Lion and Key, an old school-style pub where its walls are lined with old shop signs and maritime memorabilia.
Meanwhile, here are nine of Sun Travel’s top winter day trips that are even great in the rain and snow.
And this northern city in England looks so much like New York, it’s used instead of the Big Apple in films.
