Making cash from culture

Top British Telecom executive James Devlin said the firm’s planned investment in the City of Culture was win-win and it was confident of making a commercial gain as a result.

Entitled “City of Culture: Corporate Engagement Update,” the event was sponsored by BT and provided businesses with the opportunity to engage with the 2013 team and learn more about the opportunities for involvement in the City’s year of Culture.

Culture Company 2013’s Chairperson, Martin Bradley and Chief Executive, Shona McCarthy both took to the stage giving the audience an overview of the progress of the company and the developing programme for the year.

Ms McCarthy said: “Culture Company is committed to delivering a programme that will enable everyone in the City to own and be a part of a programme that has the people and the City at its heart. Our focus must be on a lasting legacy for both the City and the community.”

She continued: “The more support we can leverage from the corporate sector, the richer the programme will become.”

Philip Gilliland, Vice President of Londonderry Chamber of Commerce said: “We are all ambassadors for the City and we, the business community need to think about how we will play our part to make this year a success.”

James Devlin, Head of Business NI for BT said: “Our investment in the North West is complimentary to all the hard work that we know is going on from everyone who has been involved with City of Culture and making the City a digital City.

“This vision aligns with our business growth strategy; therefore it was a pretty easy decision. In making Derry-Londonderry the first city in Ireland and one of the first in the UK to be 100 per cent enabled with the fastest broadband available, we can work together to make a commercial gain and make the City more marketable for inward investment.”

For anyone who missed the event, it is available for viewing online at www.cityofculture2013.com and www.londonderrychamber.co.uk