Visit Hull & East Yorkshire tells us the why maritime city Hull is in tune with its vibrant visitor offer.
Hull is hitting all the right notes when it comes to hosting large-scale, citywide events. Vibrant and full of character and history, the compact Yorkshire city has a great track record in bringing partners together to create experiences and events to remember.
From the medieval Hull Minster to contemporary conference venues, it’s a city that is in tune with its visitor offer. Now, global organisation INTERKULTUR has announced Hull will be the first English host city for its prestigious International Choir Competition 2023.
Gunter Titsch, President of INTERKULTUR, says: “Choirs from all over Britain have been travelling to our international choir events for many, many years. So it’s our huge pleasure that now we will be finally able to bring the world to them. I’m sure that Hull will be an attractive destination for many choirs from abroad, which gives English choirs the opportunity to get in touch with choral music and traditions from other countries, learn from them, and make new friendships for a lifetime.”
“My huge thanks goes to our fantastic partners in the city of Hull, who have already been highly engaged with the preparations for this event. I am sure that thanks to them, each and every singer will feel warmly welcomed – like a visit at a good friend’s home!”
The announcement is a result of partnership working across the public, private and voluntary sector, led by Hull City Council’s Conference Hull team, which submitted the successful bid for INTERKULTUR’s event. As well as writing and submitting event proposals like this one, the Conference Hull team can provide event organisers with a bespoke accommodation booking service, organise familiarisation visits and social programming, along with arranging local marketing, PR support, and touristic services once event attendees arrive in Hull.
Hull city centre venues including Hull Minster, Albemarle Music Centre, Jubilee Central and Hull City Hall will host competitions through the event, showcasing Hull’s quality destination provision. Pop-up Friendship Concerts will take place in Hull’s beautiful public spaces, including Hull Minster, Queen Victoria Square, Princes Quay shopping centre, and Trinity Market.
Anthony Yates, Head of Visitor Destination at Visit Hull, says: “The Hull International Choir Competition 2023 with INTERKULTUR is the latest in a long line of event successes for Hull. This news follows months of hard work behind the scenes. As well as bringing our streets, squares, and community spaces alive with the sound of music, the five-day multi- venue event will be great for Hull’s hospitality industry.”
Hull has recently benefited from investment of £1 billion, and a multimillion pound transformation of the city centre, including a quality and highly flexible conference zone.
The city’s thriving voluntary sector also plays a huge part. The distinctive, friendly blue- jacketed HEY! volunteers are a legacy from Hull’s year as UK City of Culture and provide a consistent and positive presence at events of all sizes.
Abi Bell, volunteer programme manager at HEY! Volunteering, says: “In Hull, we make sure everyone gets a warm welcome. Our volunteers are a big blue wave of positivity, who have helped to make a success of everything from the Hull UK City of Culture 2017 events to international sporting events. They’ll also be supporting organisers, venues, and visitors at upcoming events such as About Us, a spectacular live show and multimedia installation that is part of the national Unboxed 2022 festival, and at next year’s INTERKULTUR event,”
Together, Hull’s partner organisations have made a name for the city as a creative, cultural destination in perfect harmony – that must be music to any event organiser’s ears.
Visithull.org/conferences
Contact the Conference Hull team at conferencebureau@vhey.co.uk