York St John University celebrates cultural partnership between UNESCO Media Arts Cities

York St John University hosted a special international gathering in May as part of a major cultural partnership project between the UNESCO Creative Cities of Media Arts in York and Viborg, Denmark. Supported by an Arts Council England grant and match funding from the Danish Embassy in London, the project is focused on expanding opportunities in arts education, creative practice, and the shared promotion of culture and heritage.  

The funding has enabled exchange visits between York and Viborg, as part of a year-long creative project. It is co-led by Professor Helen Julia Minors, Head of School of the Arts at York St John University and Chris Edwards, Chair of REACH (Local Cultural Education Partnership for York), working closely with Henrik Holmskov, Senior Advisor, Viborg Municipality. The partnership will directly benefit a range of students, first with a takeover of the winter issue of York’s City Folk Magazine by York St John Animation students and the Animation Workshop in Viborg, with a paired screening of that work in both cities. 

The dinner marked a key moment in the project, which welcomed representatives from Viborg to York for a series of activities and exchanges over the week. During the evening, Henrik Sako, Head of Culture for Viborg, shared words of thanks and reflected on the strong partnership and creative connections between the two cities. Guests were welcomed by a performance from the Communitas Choir (part of Converge, the University’s pioneering mental health and arts partnership), who opened the evening with a selection of songs. 

The event brought together around 40 guests, among them 18 delegates from Viborg, including council officers, headteachers, cultural leaders and representatives from leading arts venues. They were joined by senior figures from Arts Council England, alongside the Cultural Attaché and Head of Culture at the Danish Embassy in London, Lone Britt Christensen. Guests from across York’s cultural and education sectors were also present, with representation from York Minster, schools, colleges and major arts institutions, reflecting the strength and breadth of the city’s creative community. 

Professor Helen Julia Minors, Head of School of the Arts, said: 

“Welcoming 21 colleagues, artists, educators and creatives from Viborg to York has been an inspiring and rewarding experience. The visit has fostered meaningful collaboration through engaging discussions, educational exchange and the sharing of screenings, including student artwork, animation and games showreels. Combined with tours of our facilities and collaborative conversation, the programme has created valuable opportunities for creative and academic connection between our communities.” 

A number of follow-on projects are already in development at York St John University as a result of the collaboration, including in Performance, animation screenings within Design, and joint research exploring arts education across different areas in the School of the Arts. Students will continue to play an active role in the partnership through animation coursework and public-facing creative projects. This includes the development of a newly written live animated opera called ‘Songs of Envy’, by Dr Sarah O'Brien, Associate Head: Performance. The initial phase will focus on research and development, including the recording of a demo track sung by York St John students, to support future plans for a large-scale public animated opera in York. 

The York St John UNESCO Media Arts Cities team, led by Professor Minors and Chris Edwards, will return to Viborg in December 2026 with 8 core collaborators to celebrate ongoing creative activities and explore future partnership opportunities and will be taking copies of City Folk with them to share as part of their city's winter festival.  

About the UNESCO Creative Cities Network 

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is a global initiative that brings together cities committed to placing creativity at the heart of sustainable development. Within this network, York and Viborg have built a strong partnership as designated UNESCO Cities of Media Arts. Their collaboration reflects the network’s wider mission, supporting joint work on new artworks, research initiatives and placement opportunities, while sharing ideas on how creativity can enhance lives across a range of sectors, from health and urban planning to tourism and social care.