Department for Culture, Media and Sport
In the last of our City of Culture 2017 blogs, actor Michael Sheen shows his support for Swansea Bay’s bid and explains why his home town deserves to be the UK’s cultural flag bearer in 2017.
I am very proud to be ‘cwtching the bid’ for Swansea Bay to become the UK City of Culture 2017.
Swansea Bay deserves to win UK City of Culture 2017 in recognition of what a true creative and resourceful region it is. When given the opportunity, the people of this area always inspire and amaze with their creativity, their passion and their ability to work together as a community. They can produce world-class work and with this kind of platform, the world will have the chance to experience that.
Culture for us here in Swansea Bay is the ordinary – it is our way of life, it defines us and we define it. But what is ordinary for us here in Swansea Bay, I believe is extraordinary for others.
Our outstanding scenery, our proud industrial past; our cultural assets; our creative, clever, resourceful people; our premier sporting achievements – all of these things provide a unique culture which I am extremely proud to be a part of.
I hope the judges see past the obvious to see the potential of the creative and resourceful people who make the region what it is – a region with its very own, very special culture. Now is the time that Swansea Bay got its chance to shine and show the world what we already know!