As part of the UK City of Culture celebrations, Derry~Londonderry tonight celebrated another achievement by becoming the first city outside London to host the prestigious Turner Prize and announce the winner of the 2013 award.
The Rt Hon Theresa Villiers MP, Secretary of Sate for Northern Ireland, was present at The Venue at Ebrington Barracks in Londonderry representing the UK government at the award ceremony which was broadcast live across the UK on Channel 4.
Speaking ahead of the event, Ms Villiers said:
I am delighted to be here this evening to witness this great event. Once again the focus of the creative community from far and wide will be on Derry~Londonderry with a global audience watching the city showcase the four finalists for the 2013 Turner Prize.
Both the Turner Prize exhibition and the hugely successful City of Culture are helping to change perceptions and build a strong economic future for the city through increased tourism, jobs and regeneration. 2013 has been a wonderful year and Derry should be justly proud of what it has achieved.