[3] Nine bids were received, including Halifax, Harrogate, Scunthorpe, St Helens and Whitehaven with Blackpool, Bradford, Newcastle and Gateshead and Sheffield selected as the shortlist.

Their ambitious plans will showcase fantastic venues across the city and highlight their unique heritage, culture and design.

[5] On 1 March 2018, prior to the exhibition's launch, the organisers announced that the arms manufacturer BAE Systems would be one of the three key sponsors; this led to a widespread outcry by the artistic community.

[6] Following a high-profile campaign under the banner "Art not Arms",[7] led by artists such as Jill Gibbon and Emily Hesse – who withdrew her work from the exhibition in protest – BAE Systems announced the withdrawal of its financial support on 7 March 2018.

[8] The exhibition was distributed over the city with over thirty venues[9] and three hub sites including Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art.