Hull and East Yorkshire’s mayoral candidates have pledged to unlock the full potential of its cultural sector and help the region build a £1bn visitor economy.
At a hustings held at Beverley’s East Riding Theatre, candidates to be the region’s first Mayor backed a manifesto launched by HEY Creative which sets out an ambitious agenda to make arts, culture and heritage a driving force of devolution.
The event was co-hosted by HEY Creative and the Advisory Board of Visit Hull and East Yorkshire (VHEY), which has a vision to grow the area’s visitor economy to £1bn by 2029. Crucial to achieving that growth is capitalising on Hull and East Yorkshire’s rich cultural heritage and assets, from arts and theatre to sport and leisure.
Candidates pledge their support
At the event, candidates committed to put arts, culture and tourism at the heart of their plans:
- Cllr Anne Handley, Leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council and the Conservative Party candidate: “Tourism is huge in this region. Our coastal assets are fantastic, rich maritime heritage, and the beauty of the Yorkshire Wolds. The successful Mayor needs to champion and invest in our cultural and tourism sectors and I can assure you I would do exactly that.”
- Cllr Mike Ross, Hull City Council Leader and candidate for the Liberal Democrats: “Devolution gives us the opportunity to move the region forwards in a way that has not happened before. The visitor economy needs to be an important part of that… ensuring the distinctiveness of this region is not lost.”
- Margaret Pinder, candidate for the Labour Party: “I have seen first-hand how transformative arts and culture can be for a region…we saw during the 2017 City of Culture year how the arts can bring people together. I want to work with businesses and communities to integrate the arts and visitor economy.”
- Rowan Halstead, Yorkshire Party candidate: “One thing that is very clear to me is that people may come to the region for a job, but they will stay for the culture. We need to make sure the arts sector has the platform to grow, and people can enjoy everything our region has to offer.”
- Reform UK candidate, Luke Campbell MBE: “Culture is a massive part of this city, and it is why I am standing here today. I’ve been a massive part of culture in this city for over a decade, and have shone a light on the talent coming through in Hull. I’m a massive believer we should stand together and support each other.”
- Kerry Harrison, the Green Party candidate: “Culture and arts makes us human… Arts is universal, and is something I passionately believe everyone should have access to. It’s so important that we put arts, culture and heritage at the forefront of decisions about our region.”
The Manifesto
The Hull & East Yorkshire Arts, Culture and Heritage Devolution Manifesto urges the incoming Mayor to commit support across five key areas: transport, adult education and skills, housing and regeneration, environmental sustainability, and sector-specific issues.
HEY Creative Chief Officer, Max May, said: “The strong turnout we saw at the hustings demonstrates the tremendous support for culture and the visitor economy in our region, and the vital role they play in local life. I was pleased to hear the candidates give their support to the manifesto.”
VHEY Chair, Chris Blacksell, said: “Hull and East Yorkshire has such a rich and diverse cultural and tourism offering… The visitor economy is a £1bn opportunity for our region. Through cross-sector collaboration and a clear strategic direction, we can make something truly special happen.”
The Hull and East Yorkshire mayoral election will take place on Thursday, May 1.
Read the Hull & East Yorkshire Arts, Culture & Heritage Devolution Manifesto, click here.