City of Culture

Read: Hull chosen as UK City of Culture 2017

This video accompanied Hull's winning submission to be named UK City of Culture 2017.

The actor Sir Tom Courtenay starred in the short film shown to the competition's judges.

Read: Hull is UK's City of Culture 2017

Former Deputy Prime Minister and Hull MP John Prescott has tweeted:

Hull has been chosen as UK City of Culture 2017, the Culture Secretary Maria Miller has announced.

It had been competing against Leicester and Swansea Bay and Dundee for the title.

Ms Miller praised the three losing cities for the "time, effort and determination" they put into their bids.

She said: "I hope they will still take forward many of the fantastic ideas and events they had planned so that their communities can enjoy these innovative cultural plans."

The location of the UK's next City of Culture will be announced this morning with Dundee, Hull, Leicester and Swansea Bay all in the running.

The winner can expect an economic boost from the accolade which is handed out every four years.

The current holder - Londonderry - has reported a 30% increase in hotel occupancy and has hosted events including the Radio 1 Big Weekend, The Turner Prize and the all-Ireland Fleadh which saw 400,000 people descend on the city over a week.

Actor Sir Tom Courtenay has backed Hull's bid to become the UK's City of Culture 2017 by starring in a short film to be shown to the competition's judges.

Featuring the poetry of Philip Larkin, Sir Tom and the people of Hull explain why "this city belongs to everyone".

He narrates, "A place cannot produce poems, it can only not prevent them and Hull is good at that, for Hull has its own sudden elegancies".

Russell T Davies, the television producer and screenwriter who famously revived 'Dr Who' is hoping Swansea Bay will win the City of Culture 2017 title and thinks it will be a great opportunity for those living in the area:

"There are so many people in this region who have songs in their hearts, or plays or stories. Give them a platform and all the ideas will come tumbling out.

"We need to walk taller and feel proud of our city and our region. If I had a billion pounds to spend on Swansea I’d revitalise the seafront and get the Mumbles train working again."

Port Talbot-born actor, Michael Sheen, is just one of the many celebrities who have been backing Swansea's City of Culture 2017 bid and says that it is the people of Swansea Bay 'who make the region what it is'.

The actor who has starred in films such as 'The Queen' and 'Frost/Nixon' has been blogging about his support for the region:

"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."

The winner of the UK City of Culture 2017 will be announced tomorrow.