Wasps and Ricoh Arena announce a Coventry City of Culture partnership

Wasps and Ricoh Arena have struck an agreement with the Coventry City of Culture Trust that will see both become major strategic partners ahead of next year’s event.

Ricoh Arena and Wasps will work with the Trust and other city-wide stakeholders to host a series of events during a 12-month programme of activities that are being held across Coventry from May 2021.

The Ricoh Arena hosts hundreds of events per year, including live sport, music and conferences. The venue, which holds in the 32,609 spectators, is also home to the Vodafone Business Lounge, “an innovation space” which offers digital expertise to businesses across the West Midlands.

We are delighted to be partnering with Wasps and Ricoh Arena

– Martin Sutherland

Martin Sutherland, CEO of the Coventry 2021, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Wasps and Ricoh Arena – a venue that is well versed in attracting visitors from all over the UK – and further afield – to the city.

“The venue has supported us from the very beginning, when we were bidding to become UK City of Culture. Their ongoing support for our vision, means we can deliver our promise to present a programme with appeal for everyone in the city and region as we utilise their top-class facilities to host a variety of events.”

Wasps Group CEO Stephen Vaughn added: “Being UK City of Culture presents a fabulous opportunity for the city to build a legacy on so many levels.

“We will be promoting Coventry’s City of Culture status so that by the time May 2021 comes around, all of our supporters and visiting fans will know that Coventry is the UK City of Culture.

“This is Coventry’s time to shine and show just how great the city is as it continues to transform and reinvent itself, and everyone at Ricoh Arena and Wasps is looking forward to playing their part.”

Coventry City of Culture was delayed earlier this year due to Covid-19, and is set to begin in May 2021. The universities of Coventry and Warwick are among a growing class of strategic partners to the City of Culture Trust.