Coventry City of Culture: Thousands tune in to watch launch film

Coolie is credited with being responsible for the birth of Coventry's current vibrant rap scene

Thousands of people tuned in to watch a film to mark the launch of Coventry's year as the UK's City of Culture.

The video, called Timeless Words Made New, was posted on the festival website at 20:21 BST on Saturday.

It featured the words of novelist George Eliot mixed into a new drill track by local producer Coolie.

Creative director Chenine Bhathena said the City of Culture Trust was "delighted" by the response and looking forward to the rest of the programme.

George Eliot - born Mary Ann Evans - used a pen name to ensure her work was taken seriously

"It's so exciting, we've waited so long for this day," she said.

"We've marked the moment with a wonderful film. We had 55,000 people tuning in and we've had messages of support from all over the nation."

Coolie, known for his work with another city artist, Jay 1, said he was approached by the trust to "breathe new life" into the words of George Eliot, who lived in the area in the 1800s.

"Being born and raised in Coventry and a proud Coventrian, it felt amazing just to be able to be a part of something that puts our city on the map," he said.

Coventry City of Culture's programme will be spread across the next 12 months

Ms Bhathena said combining Coolie's work with the words of George Eliot made the launch "very fresh and contemporary, but it has a real poignancy and resonance".

The festival's signature event, Coventry Moves, was originally due to coincide with the launch but had to be delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

It will instead go ahead on 5 June, and Ms Bhathena said she was "feeling so ready to get going".

"I just can't wait to welcome our audiences," she said.