York City of Media Arts https://unesco.org.uk/our-sites/creative-cities/york
York is 1 of only 12 UNESCO Creative Cities in the UK. York is unique in being the UK’s first and only UNESCO Creative City of Media Arts. On 1 December 2014, the Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, designated York as a UNESCO City of Media Arts.
To date there are 25 UNESCO Creative Cities of Media Arts in the world. These cities are part of a larger network of over 350 cities in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, which spans 7 creative fields.
And it is even more extraordinary when you consider there are 10,000 cities worldwide and York is 1 of 25! And the only City of Media Arts in the UK
‘Time does not stand still in York. 2000 years of history offer a glorious backdrop to the best in contemporary culture. Excellent universities and colleges support world-leading media arts companies and grassroots cultural venues thrive alongside renowned theatres and museums to inspire visitors and residents. York’s UNESCO status as a City of Media Arts is unique in the UK. International exchange shapes the city’s festivals, helping to secure creativity in the heart of York, now and in the future’.
‘Cities of Media Arts combine new media and cutting-edge technologies with culture and the arts to drive societal, economic and individual well-being. Digital storytelling, innovative museum interpretations, immersive digital playgrounds and interactive technologies unlock creative potential, build connections, promote education, and foster diversity and inclusivity’.
(thank you to UNESCO for the wordings above)