Glasgow Wins UNESCO City of Music Bid

Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

Glasgow has been awarded the prestigious title of UNESCO ‘City of Music’. The announcement, made in  Glasgow by UNESCO’s Director General Mr Koïchiro Matsuura on 20 August, means the city will join UNESCO’s worldwide Creative Cities Network. The title gives high profile, global recognition to Glasgow’s musical heritage, industry and potential.

At the announcement ceremony in Glasgow City Halls Mr Matsuura was welcomed by Cllr. Robert Winter, Lord Provost of Glasgow. Also in attendance was Linda Fabiani MSP (Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture), Joanne Orr (Chair, Scotland Committee of the UK National Commission for UNESCO), Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale (Chair, Bid Steering Committee) and numerous people from Glasgow’s music world.

On the occasion Mr Matsurra said, “My two day visit to Scotland has allowed me to see at first hand Scotland’s commitment to safeguarding and promoting its traditional and contemporary cultural expressions. Announcing Glasgow’s appointment to the Creative Cities Network is the perfect way to end my visit and the beginning of what I am sure will be a very rich and fruitful partnership.”

The Creative Cities Network was launched by UNESCO in October 2004 as a means to promote the social, economic and cultural development of cities around the world. The cities which apply to the network seek to promote their local creative scene and share in UNESCO’s mission towards cultural diversity.

“We are delighted that Glasgow has been successful in their bid for the prestigious UNESCO City of Music," says Joanne Orr, Chair of the UK National Commission Scotland Committee. It is a wonderful acknowledgement of the city’s diverse musical heritage, from the vibrant traditional scene right through to the many pioneering contemporary artists Glasgow has created and inspired.”

Cities with established creative pedigrees can choose to apply in the field of literature, cinema, music, crafts and folk art, design, media arts, or gastronomy. Glasgow is only the second UK city to join the Network, following Edinburgh’s City of Literature bid in 2004. Scotland becomes the only nation in the world with two UNESCO ‘Creative Cities’.

Click here for more information on UNESCO's Creative Cities Network.