City of Culture: What is County Durham's competition and what would winning mean for the region?

After a long wait, County Durham will find out if it has become the UK City of Culture 2025 this evening (31 May).

The UK City of Culture is awarded every four years, with previous winners including Coventry last year, and Hull in 2017.

If successful, the winning area receives significant investment helping bring a wide range of cultural activities and a boost for local businesses.

Where are the other candidates?

• Wrexham County Borough

It is the only entry from Wales to make the final four, and, if successful, would be the first Welsh region to win the title.

Wrexham has long enjoyed a rivalry with Chester over the border in England.

It achieved fresh attention when Hollywood A-listers Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought Wrexham FC - the oldest football club in Wales.

Wrexham also boasts the World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, Grade-I listed Erddig Hall - which has the second largest collection of items in the whole of the National Trust - and the historic St. Giles Church which is one of the 'Seven Wonders of Wales.'

• Southampton

Southampton's city council surveyed its home population to make sure its residents were behind them - and received a resounding 'yes' at 82%.

Singer Craig David, who was born in the city, has thrown his support behind the bid. 

Southampton is home to Tudor House - one of the port city's oldest buildings - which opened as Southampton's first museum in 1912. It also boasts the Grade-II listed Mayflower Theatre - the biggest theatre on the south coast with more than 2,300 seats in its auditorium. 

• Bradford

Bradford is the 'youngest' city in Europe - with 29% of its population aged under 20 - and one of the most racially diverse in the UK.

The West Yorkshire city has a very strong cultural heritage that includes renowned novelists, the Brontë sisters, and J B Priestley.

The Alhambra Theatre, which hosts large-scale events such as ballet and opera, Salts Mill, a former textile mill, which is home to one of the largest collections of David Hockney's art, and The National Science and Media Museum are among the city's prize assets.

What has winning City of Culture 2021 meant for Coventry?

Coventry was named the City of Culture 2021 in 2017 and received over £15.5 million from the government to directly support its year of cultural programmes.

The city's year-long title was put back by five months from January because of the pandemic.

The launch took place on 15 May 2021 and ended with BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend this month (May 2022).

The world-renowned Turner Prize came to the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum in Coventry in September 2021, attracting creatives from all over the UK to the city. It also hosted the Sterling Prize and The Booker Prizes in 2021.

The City of Culture 2021 team's cultural capital programme has seen improvements in the city's cultural sector, including developments around the Grade-II listed Drapers' Hall - one of the few Regency buildings in the city - Coventry cathedral and the Belgrade theatre.

Coventry City of Culture Trust's chief executive Martin Sutherland said: "Holding the title in Coventry has been a privilege and has made a considerable impact already on the city and its citizens.

"We can’t wait to see what comes next for those who’ve used the bidding process to truly consider the value of culture - all will have inspired the next generation of artists, organisations, funders and supporters."