Written by Coventry UK City of Culture Trust reaffirmed its commitment to present a year long celebration of the city, with several major and ambitious undertakings planned.
An update on preparations, which starts on 15 May 2021 and runs for 12 months was announced recently. While the country continues to face major challenges, Coventry City of Culture Trust and its partners have announced further details of the programme as the UK moves toward a phased road to recovery.
The Trust, and partners involved, reaffirmed their commitment to delivering on their promise. To build and deliver a wide ranging, innovative and entertaining year-long programme and secure a longer term legacy by transforming the city and supporting its diverse cultural sector to thrive. Coventry UK City of Culture will present new perspectives by giving voice to those seldom heard, encouraging action and engaging with new and innovative technologies.
Read about some of the key activities and how you can get involved below.
Coventry has always been a symbol of rebirth. Of movement. Of hope. It is the city that rose from the ashes of the Second World War, a city that rallied through music when others were divided. This year, of all years, it will summon that same spirit and encourage audiences to celebrate the city, its residents and its place on the global stage.
As the first major cultural programme of its scale, breadth and length to commence since the arrival of the pandemic in March 2020, it will start under restricted conditions and phase its events as the loosening of restrictions in the UK takes place.
Activities include:
An opening, epic, city-wide moment, Coventry Moves, heralds the start of the year on 15 May. An audacious day full of extraordinary surprises, it will be experienced in the city and around the UK from home, from dawn to dusk. Coventry Moves will provide a playful and engaging introduction to Coventry, its stories and its people.
Coventry City of Culture Trust reaffirmed its commitment to present several major and ambitious undertakings, previously announced last year. These include Terry Hall presents Home Sessions (July 2021), curated by the lead singer of the iconic Coventry band The Specials, in a weekend of music and arts that blends international legends with contemporary pioneers. Along with CVX, a radical three-day arts activism festival curated by young people in the city with Positive Youth Foundation and the rapper JAY1 (Aug 2021), these will be some of the first music festivals presented in the UK under the government’s roadmap out of lockdown.
In Paint We Trust (from May 2021), a citywide street art festival, will feature local, regional and national street artists, with 20 extraordinary new artworks transforming vertical and horizontal spaces across the city centre.
A year-long season at Warwick Arts Centre opens in May 2021 with a programme of music, visual art, theatre and more supported by Coventry City of Culture Trust.
Sampling Sounds of Coventry’s Future is a participatory project organised by the University of Warwick, with the aim to facilitate exchange between city and university. The project brings together academic researchers with artists, practitioners and the public in Coventry to address a question: what does the future of Coventry sound like? To answer it, we will be working together to create sound compositions and performances, using field recordings of the city.
From June, UK City of Culture will work with The Booker Prize Foundation to bring the world’s leading book prizes to the city.
Turner Prize 2021 – One of the best-known prizes for visual arts in the world is coming to the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum from 29th September 2021 – 12th January 2022
Coventry City of Culture Trust and partners have also updated progress towards transforming the city centre to welcome visitors from across the UK, as the prospect of day trips and city breaks returns.
Become a volunteer
The City Hosts Volunteer Programme is looking for people to provide a friendly and welcoming face for visitors. Guide visitors and event spectators. Provide information about the city and events. Support areas of displays and artwork. From May 2021, our reign as UK City of Culture 2021 begins. Apply to become a city host here
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