CHILDREN at Cwmllynfell Primary School have been learning all about Swansea Bay’s bid to become the UK City of Culture in 2017.

Organisers of the bid want to get everyone in Swansea Bay ‘cwtching the bid’ and backing the campaign, including the region’s youngest residents.

“We have been going into schools and getting a great response from the children. They are really cwtching the bid,” said Cwtch The Bid’s education adviser Carolyn Davies.

“They were so enthusiastic and inspired by the bid and thought it would be very important to Swansea, Carmarthenshire and Neath Port Talbot.

“They all had their own ideas about what culture means to them, whether it’s the culture of their own schools, their own locality or the entire region.

Swansea Bay has already been shortlisted to be UK City of Culture in 2017 and now faces competition from Hull, Leicester and Dundee to clear the final hurdle. Final bids go in at the end of September and the winner will be announced in November 2013.

Swansea Bay is putting together an exciting programme of events as part of its bid for the year that will reach every age group and every part of the region, as well as attracting spectators from all across the UK.

Programme proposals include something for everyone, including an episode of Dr Who set in Swansea Bay, an unsigned songwriters’ festival, and development of a performing arts centre in Swansea city centre.

Swansea Council is bidding for City of Culture status with support from Neath Port Talbot Council and Carmarthenshire Council.

You can follow the bid on Twitter @SwanseaBay_2017, on Facebook and on the Swansea Bay City of Culture 2017 website: www.swanseabay2017.co.uk.