Next month, our city will launch an ambitious bid to become the European City of Culture.

This title will return to the UK in 2008 and 13 major towns and cities have already announced they will be bidding.

They include Liverpool, Belfast, Bradford, Milton Keynes, Bristol, Canterbury, Inverness and Birmingham.

We are backing Brighton and Hove's bid because more than 15,000 local jobs depend on tourism, arts, sports and the media.

These creative industries are worth £300 million to our local economy. The city needs to do all it can to keep these jobs in an increasingly competitive world. That's why this bid matters.

Winning would mean millions of pounds in government grants and European funding, plus massive sponsorship for community and city projects.

That means more jobs for local people, more investment in the city and a better place to live.

So join the individuals and community groups, the arts organisations and media companies, the businesses and Brighton and Hove City Council in backing this bid.

Look out for the biggest ever programme of free outdoor events Brighton and Hove has ever seen.

Cheer the Albion on to promotion. Enjoy the beautifully-refurbished Dome, the re-opening of Brighton and Hove museums, the start of work on the city-centre library and the new South Downs National Park - everything that makes this place special. Let's celebrate our city. Brighton and Hove, where else.

-Phil Bell, Brighton Racecourse; Daniel Bernstein, Carnival Collective; Caroline Lombardelli, American Express; Dorothy Engmann, Age Concern; Tehmtan Framroze, Black and Minority Ethnic Community Partnership; Colin Granger, Komedia; Kirsty Harris, Brighton Marina; Dick Knight, Brighton and Hove Albion; Ann Smith, City College Brighton & Hove; John Varah, Same Sky