Cornwall is to bid for the city of Truro to be European Capital of Culture in 2023 as part of an ambitious plan which will showcase Cornwall’s cultural and artistic talent to the globe, provide world class culture for the people of Cornwall and boost the Cornish economy by £100m.

The Council’s Cabinet today agreed to support the bid for the prestigious award following the Government’s decision to formally open bidding last month.

The creative and cultural sector is one of the fastest growing parts of the economy and is already worth £9bn to Cornwall.

Cllr Julian German said: ’Last summer’s Man Engine spectacle proved what we can achieve when we combine the story of our past with our ability to imagine, engineer and engage.’

The Truro-Cornwall bid for European Capital of Culture will be formally launched on March 3.