VIDEO: 'Why we're backing Plymouth's City of Culture bid'- Jon Blyth and Matthew Pontin
Plymouth is bidding to be named UK City of Culture 2017. We are asking the people of the city to speak up to support the move. Today Jon Blyth and Matthew Pontin, directors of Fotonow, lend their support to the campaign.
Jon: It's an opportunity for Plymouth to look at the long-term infrastructure. It's about the creative arts and creative disciplines forming some kind of prospective employment, prospective infrastructure by which Plymouth is associated nationally.
It's an opportunity to look at what already exists, it's an opportunity to get behind, nurture, nourish people who have worked here for a long time and have developed practices in sculpture, fine art, painting, photography, and to help them realise some of their aspirations and support Plymouth to become synonymous with something more than the armed forces.
Matthew: It's a chance for people who have lived here, people who have moved here to study or moved a business here to remember why we have come here. There are good things going on here and it's maybe a chance to market and promote what is good already and invest in those things to make sure they grow to their potential. So Plymouth becomes that "fantastic ocean city".






4 Comments
by Simon688
Friday, March 15 2013, 11:27AM
“Foto now are great advocates for the bid of "City of Culutre" they have worked extensively over the past four years in the South West with varous community based photographic projects. All of which have a great learning experience for the communites that they have worked with, these opportunites may well have been inaccesable, without these projects.
They also provide opportunities for photographic students at undergraduate and post graduate level. Yes they are "worth it" Both Pontin and Blyth are very credible photographic practitioners and academics.
We as a city would be well to grasp orgainistions such as Foto now and their ideas and vIsion.
I'm supporting Plymouths bid for City of Culture and creatives such as FOTONOW!”
by Plympops
Friday, March 15 2013, 10:34AM
“Check out the 'Because im worth it' hair moment at: 0:29 secs. Fotonow are not great advocates for the city of culture bid! Plymouth deserves it but surely make it representative of more creative and less business orientating companies. More videos please!!!!!!!”
by boriscalling
Thursday, March 14 2013, 12:13PM
“Why do people have to moan so much I am surprised they get out of bed in the morning let alone Whinge on this site
OK Britannia no longer rules the waves we don't have an Airport etc etc but we do have a lot going for us that other Cities even Southend don't have so why can't we tell the positive story that is Plymouth
Ok Britannia no longer rules the Waves we don't have an Airport etc etc but there are great things going for Plymouth and whingeing only short sells the City”
by plympaul
Thursday, March 14 2013, 11:35AM
“so plymouth becomes fantastic ocean city now does it!!!!! well firstly like i have been saying the amount of potholes that are around in the city , shops closing down in the city centre !!! how are people gonna come down to plymouth when we have a bad railway link and plus we have no airport!!!! so figure that one out gents!!!”