THE sweeping Cleveland Hills, the River Tees and the industrial heritage of the region will play a pivotal part in the Tees Valley's bid to be crowned UK City of Culture in 2025.

27 reasons why Tees Valley should be named UK City of Culture 2025

All aboard for Tees Valley - COMMENT

This morning (Tuesday, July 28), the plan was announced at the Tees Valley Culture summit.

And with 2025 marking the bicentenary of the birth of the railways and the 150th anniversary of the founding of Dorman Long, the world renowned Middlesbrough based steel maker who built many famous bridges including Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Tyne Bridge, the industrial revolution will be at the heart of the bid.

Professor Graham Henderson CBE DL, the former Vice-Chancellor of Teesside University, made the recommendation as part of a broader Culture report.

The report features a number of recommendations endorsed by Tees Valley Unlimited to be taken forward through a partnership of the five local authorities working with the wider public and private sectors.

As part of this work the group has proposed that TVU and its partners should declare an intent to bid for UK City of Culture 2025.

Professor Henderson said: “2025 is already set to be a huge year as the region will be marking the bicentenary of the birth of passenger rail travel and it will also be the 150th anniversary of the creation of Dorman Long, the world renowned Middlesbrough based steel maker who built many famous bridges including Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Tyne Bridge.

“In concluding our work, the Group believes that over the next 10 years the Tees Valley can achieve a step change by working towards city-scale cultural programmes and the run up to 2025 will be a catalyst to drive greater collaboration and exciting new developments.”

Margi Stewart-Piercy, cultural partnership and strategy co-ordinator who works across the five Tees Valley boroughs, said:

“With Hartlepool’s Historic Quay to become the National Museum of the Royal Navy, nationally significant contemporary arts institutions such as mima in Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland’s vertical pier and funicular railway, internationally acclaimed festivals and events like Stockton International Riverside Festival and Darlington’s Festival of Thrift, and nationally distinctive theatre including Arc at Stockton and the emergence of the national centre of excellence for children’s theatre with Theatre Hullabaloo in Darlington - all set alongside the stunning land and sea scape with the River Tees at its heart – there is an abundance to see, do and enjoy right across the Tees Valley.”

Paul Booth, chairman of Tees Valley Unlimited added: “A successful UK City of Culture bid would create a long term legacy which could generate massive social and economic benefits for many years to come.

“The bid will be developed in consultation with communities and organisations across the Tees Valley. Over the coming months and years we will be inviting everyone to join this exciting journey. We urge everyone to get involved in this marvellous opportunity to tell the world all about our contemporary strengths as well as our historic achievements.”

The final bidding process is not expected to take place until 2020.