‘A celebration of identity’: New ‘Our City’ cultural event announced
NEW EVENT: Back to Ours CEO Louise Yates and Coun Rob Pritchard above Queen Victoria Square
By Simon Bristow, Co-Editor
A new cultural event will take place in the city centre next year on the same weekend as science and arts festival Colliderfest and the Cultural Tides conference.
‘Our City’ will be delivered by Hull-based cultural organisation Back to Ours, after it was awarded a contract by Hull City Council, and take place in March 2026.
Bringing a host of community groups and organisations together, ‘Our City’ will include two parades across the day and night through the city centre, culminating in Queen Victoria Square.
Councillor Rob Pritchard, council portfolio holder for culture and leisure, said: “‘Our City’ will bring culture from communities across Hull, right into the heart of it.
“Back to Ours are renowned for their gift of engaging communities and offering unique and exciting opportunities to experience art in culture across our neighbourhoods, so I can’t think of anyone better to deliver this new event.
SPECTACULAR: Back to Bransholme, a previous event organised by Back to Ours. Picture credit: Jerome Whittingham
“As part of the council’s culture and heritage strategy 2025-2030 that places community-led culture at the forefront, ‘Our City’ will put those responsible for culture across Hull in the spotlight.”
Louise Yates, Back to Ours CEO and artistic director, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be leading this new, inclusive programme and collaborating with other brilliant local arts organisations.
“Our City is a huge celebration of local identity, made with and for the people of Hull. It celebrates our location by the water, too – the idea of waves of activity moving from neighbourhood to neighbourhood, connecting communities and building into the large-scale city centre event.
“From next week, we will be out in areas across Hull with some of our favourite singers and artists, collecting responses to three prompts that will help shape the look and feel of the event taking place in March. If you see us, come and say hello and get involved!”
More information and how to get involved will be available from Back to Ours.