Research highlights Coventry's growth potential as Culture bid reaches final stages

Coventry has revealed a new innovative research programme as its bid to be UK City of Culture in 2021 enters its final stages.

A series of events, publications and a new online research tool are included in the programme.

The research was revealed at an event at the Village Hotel revealing digital creative jobs are worth more than half a billion pounds to the Coventry economy.

The study shows Coventry has huge growth potential and ripe for hotel investment – but visitor spend is low and there is a lack of awareness nationally of the city’s culture and heritage.

It underpins the city’s ten-year cultural strategy, its bid for UK City of Culture 2021 and plan to grow cultural tourism and creative industries in the region.

Research has centred on tourism, audience analysis, a household survey, a digital and creative industries study and a business survey, building a picture of cultural potential in the city.

Martin Reeves, Chief Executive of Coventry City Council, said: “Coventry’s UK City of Culture bid is built on robust evidence and shows the scale of the step change that winning the title would bring to such a diverse city.”

Andrew Dixon, visiting university professor, said: “‘We now have the potential to reposition Coventry as a successful visitor destination and to help the city to take a national lead in tackling the inequalities of access to the arts.”

John Latham, Vice-Chancellor of Coventry University, said: “The collaboration between Coventry’s two award winning universities combines our collective strengths in research, teaching and engagement. Our work in creative industries has the potential to significantly grow the regional economy.”

Stuart Croft, Vice-Chancellor of University of Warwick, said: “The Warwick Commission, The Future of Cultural Value laid down a challenge to the Government, Arts Councils and others to tackle the inequalities of cultural investment in the UK and has underpinned our research to inform the ten year Cultural Strategy and the Coventry 2021 bid to provide accessible and sustainable cultural activities that reflect the diversity and vibrancy of a modern city like Coventry.”