'WE CANNOT AFFORD TO IGNORE CULTURE'

10 APRIL 2002

I am not artistic in any way. I cannot play a musical instrument, my school acting career did not get rave reviews, and I cannot draw or paint. But I married a musician, and since then my eyes have been opened to the power of music and art.

I will never forget hearing about the Birmingham councillor who had always voted against money for the arts, but then saw what music could do when the symphony orchestra came to play for children in her community, and promised my wife with tears streaming down her face that she would never vote against money for music again.

'Culture' can be off-putting and designed to exclude people. But it provides immense happiness and satisfaction to millions, and too often politicians have been guilty of looking at it as something of an 'optional extra'? Broadcasting can take international performance into people's drawing rooms. Public art like the Angel of the North can become a great statement about a great region, then we ignore it at our peril. The arts and design, plus fashion, engage young people. And of course the arts are fun.

The biggest priorities are rightfully jobs, health, education, crime and transport. But when we ask ourselves how can our young people meet their potential, how can we ignore art, music, and drama? When we think about jobs of the future how can we ignore the fastest growing part of the economy - creative industries? When we think about tourism we have to think about culture.

We need to look no further than Newcastle and Gateshead to see this. Their joint bid to be the European City of Culture in 2008 - with the decision in the next year - is an important statement about our ambition as a region, and about ourselves. The bid is good for all of us in the region, and success against Bradford, Cardiff and half a dozen other cities in Britain hoping for the prize would be a huge boost for us all.

The economic benefits of culture are staggering. To be European City of Culture would deliver jobs - so many that they simply could not be confined to Newcastle and Gateshead. The people behind the bid have conducted research that shows the North East would stand to gain17,000 jobs if the bid is successful.

Not only could our Borough stand to reap some of these benefits, but we will be provided with a greater stage on which to sell ourselves. Our own arts organisations can get involved - from venues like the Customs House to historic monuments like Arbeia and participants like the Westovians. Schools will be able to link their arts programmes to stunning talent of national and international renown.

Think about Bede's World on our own doorstep. The venerable Bede, in his time, represented a gateway to European civilisation and learning. As part of the City of Culture bid it could represent a new gateway for visitors from the Continent to the cities that will be the flagship of European culture.

The regional papers have all been full of detail about the aims and ambitions of the project. We should get behind them. The bids are shortlisted in September and my fingers are certainly crossed. If there was ever any doubt, we certainly cannot afford to ignore culture - even if we are not good at it, we can enjoy it!