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Leeds Liberal DemocratsLiberal Democrat Group on Leeds City Council |
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a letter from Cllr Stewart Golton
July 9, 2012 8:55 PM
Was it just me or was anyone else perplexed by the "OverWorlds and UnderWorlds" event that took place in May across Leeds city centre?
As part of Yorkshire's contribution to the Cultural Olympiad, public funding provided half a million pounds for artists the Quay Brothers to put on a weekend event. However, in an attempt to achieve an aura of 'mystery', the event simply ended up being poorly publicized.
The organisers gave the public minimal information as to what they could expect to see, suggesting only that there would be a series of unexpected happenings in various locations across the city. Such a lack of publicity and information meant that visitors failed to be attracted to the city centre. Given that so much money was spent on this event, it is a disappointing outcome that it couldn't reach more people.
In my mind one has to question if it wasn't the ego of two individuals that got in the way of making the most out of fantastic opportunity for people of all ages to experience culture explored through a variety of mediums. By keeping details away from the public, it seems the event was made elitist. The Olympics in London this summer is a public event, and any events associated with the Olympics should be a reflection of this ethos.
We have long been asking for the fountains in City Square and Mandela Gardens to be fixed. Had half a million pounds been directed here rather than on one frivolous weekend, a long-standing, universal Olympic legacy would have been ensured for the visitors and residents of Leeds.
Yours sincerely,
Cllr Stewart Golton