Sunderland - City of Light
Should that be the strap line for the City?
AN INFLUENTIAL Sunderland business network is switched on to the new tagline that celebrates the city’s long connection with light.
Sunderland Business Partnership, a collective made up of more than 50 businesses from across the city and beyond, has thrown its weight behind a suggestion from Sunderland 2021 City of Culture team that Sunderland could be known as a City of Light, a reference to the area’s longstanding association with it.
The strapline, which will bring together the history of the city with its bright future, was floated by Sunderland 2021 chief Rebecca Ball, and the momentum is building to develop this theme further, and adopt it as a city-wide strapline.
Gary Hutchinson, commercial director at Sunderland AFC and chair of the Sunderland Business Partnership, said:
“Sunderland has historic connections to light – the city was the birthplace of the founding father of the electric lightbulb, Sir Joseph Swan; it was here Dr William Reid Clanny, who lived and worked in Sunderland, invented the Clanny Safety Lamp, and we were home to Bede and Biscop, two of history’s most learned scholars who enlightened millions across the world through their studies, works and teachings.
Nowadays, there are countless references to light in the city – not least at our very own Stadium of Light – and with the Illuminations now a regular fixture in the city calendar, the links are only becoming more and more entrenched. With Tall Ships on the horizon, and a huge amount of positive momentum behind the city in terms of the vast array of infrastructure projects underway, Sunderland is a city that is beginning to fall under a national spotlight, as a place that is culturally vibrant and one to watch for the future.”
Themes developed as part of the City of Culture bid will help inspire the kind of activity that is commissioned as part of Sunderland’s 2021 programme if it is successful in scooping the title. Earlier this week, Rebecca Ball hinted that light could feature heavily in Sunderland’s bid.
Mr Hutchinson continued:
“Sunderland is a changing city – and we are seeing that play out physically, with a fast changing cityscape, and culturally, with a positivity and confidence around the city that I think is beginning to filter through to people nationally.
We are attracting the eyes of cultural leaders who are hugely impressed by the level of innovation and positive collaboration in the city to bring culture to the fore, and I think that is something we can build upon by growing our reputation more widely as a City of Light, and attracting visitors to see all of the great things we have to offer.”