Jonny Noble, CEO of the Bradford Business Improvement District (BID), advises his Sheffield counterparts to “start engaging with businesses and key stakeholders” as early as possible.
“The key is maximising your engagement with the cultural organisations and their networks.
“They need to show that they’re working alongside partners to deliver cultural activities in Sheffield that will obviously continue and strengthen if they win the bid.”
Shaw says the consultation period must be used wisely for “authentic representation”.
“We took the decision very early on that it had to be really representative of what is an enormous district.
“You have to listen very carefully and then you have to reflect the views of the people.
“The judges are very clever in being able to tell the difference between what is local authority speak, professional bidders speak, and a genuine community voice.”
The Bradford bid’s programme and community co-ordinator, May McQuaid, adds that the team did not want to be seen to be “begging” for the prize rather than deserving of it.
“It was obvious what the story was for Bradford. We felt overlooked and underfunded.
“We were at the sharp end of austerity. This was a way to use arts and culture as a step change for a city rather than just having a nice time.”