How will the new Mayor for Hull & East Yorkshire support and develop the region’s cultural sector and visitor economy?

On 1st May 2025, voters in Hull & East Yorkshire will elect a brand new Mayor.

The successful candidate will have significant powers and funding, and will champion our region on the national and international stage.

Culture and the visitor economy play a significant role in the economy of Hull & East Yorkshire – and in the lives of the people who live, work and visit the region.

The visitor economy supports over 21,000 jobs across Hull & East Yorkshire and is aiming to contribute over £1bn a year to the economy by 2028. Arts, culture and heritage bring people together in over 250 venues across the region, and improves residents’ health and wellbeing to the value of at least £30m annually.

Hull & East Yorkshire’s arts, culture and heritage, and its visitor economy, help make our region distinctive and attractive to visitors and investors alike. Closer to home, they help us to understand who we are and give us pride in where we’re from.

This important event gives attendees the opportunity to pose questions to and hear from candidates on a range of issues across culture and the visitor economy, as well as their broader vision for the region.

The following candidates have confirmed their participation:

• Anne Handley – Conservatives

• Kerry Harrison – Green

• Margaret Pinder – Labour & Co-operative

• Mike Ross – Liberal Democrats

• Rowan Halstead – Yorkshire

Luke Campbell (Reform UK) have been invited to participate but at the time of writing has not confirmed his attendance.

To submit a question for the hustings, please click here.

The hustings will last from 5.00 – 7.00pm, with the café bar open from 4.30pm until 8pm to enable networking and further discussion with candidates and amongst the sector.

If booking on behalf of an organisation/group, we ask you to limit your order to two spaces to ensure a broad range of people can attend and interests be represented.

We also ask that you share any access requirements you have with us at the point of booking so we can try our best to meet your needs. Please email info@hey-creative.co.uk at the earliest convenience so we can try our best to meet your needs.

Organised by HEY Creative and the Advisory Board of Visit Hull & East Yorkshire.