The UK City of Culture judges visited Bradford today to decide whether the Yorkshire city should win the bid in 2025.
The panel of ten judges will give their recommendation at the end of this week and the Government will choose a winner by the end of the month.
Bradford is up against three other areas – County Durham, Southampton and Wrexham County Borough.
James Mason, CEO of West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, has been heavily involved in Bradford’s bid.
He told Yorkshire Voice: “The whole purpose of the Bradford City of Culture Bid 2025 is to shine a light on Bradford as a city of real diversity and real cross-cultures that come together for this wonderful blend.
“This is a really joined up effort from everyone who care’s about the city.
“We’re all pulling together and we’ll really deliver a magnificent bid, but more importantly we’ll deliver on the actual city of culture project as well.”
Sir Phil Redmond, head of the judging panel, said the city of Bradford was “very vibrant” and impressed the judges.
Phil, who created TV show Hollyoaks, told the Yorkshire Post: “There’s this aspiration to take the youngest city, with a multi-ethnic, multi-faith population, and see how they can use culture to shape the strategic future of that city with a very exciting and vibrant bid.”
Across Twitter people have been sharing what they love about the city.
The judging panel took a guided tour of the city, including a visit to Salts Mill in Saltaire where Bradford-born David Hockney’s exhibition has just launched.
They took tours of current cultural developments, including the former Bradford Odeon which is being transformed into a venue called Bradford Live with a 4,000 seat capacity.
The judges also visited the Hindu Cultural Society and Bradford Central Mosque.