City of Culture: Plenty of positives to take for Wrexham

Joanna Swash, is the group CEO of Moneypenny and chair of the Wrexham City of Culture steering group. 

Alongside Wrexham Council, the steering group have helped shape the bid as the city made it down to the final four. 

It wasn't to be though, as Bradford were crowned winners live on The One Show. 

READ MORE: Wrexham misses out on becoming the next City of Culture

Culture Secetary Nadine Dorries thanked Wrexham, Southampton and County Durham for their bids.

Wrexham did however come away with £125,000 for being runners up. 

Despite the disappointment of not winning, Joanna insists that there is plenty of positives to take from the bid. 

She said: "We are extremely proud to have made it to the final four, and we have certainly witnessed an outpouring of community and business support for Wrexham. The bid process has done so much for the community, and we have come so far.

READ MORE: RECAP: Bradford is announced as the next City of Culture 2025

"What is great about this bid is that so many Wrexham organisations, companies, and indeed the whole community  of Wrexham, have come together with a central aim of promoting the county borough and city as the great place it is to live and work in, with a really bright future.  

"You can almost feel the energy that has been generated through everyone’s combined effort.  

Ty Pawb hosted a City of Culture announcement event on Tuesday evening.

"We’ve shown just how much drive and potential that Wrexham has to offer and we have a strong platform to build on this further in terms of culture, skills and innovation in our county.       

"The bid has already been, and will continue, to ensure culture can act as a catalyst to help all those in Wrexham to achieve their potential."