A SOUTHAMPTON bid for City of Culture 2025 took a step forward with a sold-out two day conference. The Culture City event at Solent University's Spark building saw education and culture chiefs pledge to support a bid - which if successful could bring billions of pounds of investment, hundreds of new jobs and events for all residents to enjoy.

In a keynote speech Rosie Millard OBE - the woman responsible for Hull's winning 2017 City of Culture bid - spoke about the need to make sure any bid focuses on the people of Southampton. She said: "I really wish the Southampton team all the best for the bid, it is a prize really worth having.

"It's been transformative – since 2014 Hull has had £2 billion in investment, 800 jobs have been created and the city has been visited by 5 million people.

"The perception of Hull has completely changed, it been transformative for the nation, put particularly for the young people in Hull."

Speaking to the Daily Echo at the end of the first day of the conference, head of Solent University Professor Graham Baldwin said: "A City of Culture would increase regeneration of the city. It would make sure we are all working towards the same goal."

Southampton University's chief operating office Ian Dunn added: "Building on our pioneering history of cultural patronage over many decades, the University of Southampton wholeheartedly supports exploration of an ambitious City of Culture bid.

"A successful bid has the potential to provide significant social, cultural and economic benefits not only for the city, but for all of us who live, work or study here.

"With the opening of Studio 144 and the John Hansard Gallery in the city centre, the dynamism of the organisations that support the city’s growing cultural infrastructure and a wealth of creative talent in the region, now is the ideal time to promote Southampton’s potential as a City of Culture.”

Also present at the two day event were city artists, who made placards at the end of day one with slogans including "keep Soton weird,"support independents," and "get people together."