WITH St Helens approaching its 150th anniversary, the town is setting out its vision to host the Great Exhibition of the North in the summer of 2018.

The two-month long event - which celebrates the best of art, culture and design and helps to boost the northern region's economy - would link into plans to place arts, culture and innovation at the forefront of the St Helens' wider regeneration.

Describing St Helens as the "first Northern Powerhouse", council leader Barrie Grunewald says the town needs to rediscover the aspirations and ambitions that led to it "giving the world the modern railway, canals" and powering "the industrial revolution with our coal".

Cllr Grunewald said: "With 2018 marking the borough's 150th anniversary, I believe it is about time people were reminded about the debt owed by the world to local industrial pioneers.

"We were a centre for industry, for innovation and for art and culture. We were at the forefront of modern technologies and our people aimed high. We were a place people wanted to be and where things got done.

"I want to recapture that ambition again.

"St Helens gave the world the modern railway, canals, and powered the industrial revolution with our coal. We were the first Northern Powerhouse. In short, this town led the way in new industries and technological change - and we need to have the ambition to do so again."

Culture Minister Ed Vaizey said: "St Helens has a proud artistic and industrial history and boasts some wonderful cultural institutions, and I am sure it will enter a strong bid."

With a rich culture on its doorstep thanks to a number of venues including the World of Glass museum, The Citadel arts centre, Theatre Royal and Langtree Park, St Helens is also gaining a reputation for excellence in the arts, with a thriving arts faculty at St Helens College, the iconic 20-metre high Dream sculpture, Heart of Glass and The Cultural Hubs.

St Helens Council's portfolio holder for arts and culture, Councillor Jeanie Bell, said: "St Helens want to use the arts, culture and sport as tools to change the way people think about their place and about how they live their lives.

"St Helens would proudly shout about what is so great about the north in this Great Exhibition delivered in the heart of the North West."

On a recent visit to the town, Arts Council England's chief executive, Darren Henley, said: "It was great to meet the cultural leaders in St Helens and I really got a sense of how they are creating opportunities for local people to get involved in the arts.

"As part of my job as chief executive of the Arts Council I have been meeting people around the country who make arts and culture great - I have met some inspirational teams and have seen first-hand the fantastic work they are doing, and St Helens is no exception.

"Heart of Glass project is doing some remarkable work changing the lives of people through arts and culture and I was really interested to hear of the partnership behind this and its connection to tradition such as Rugby League.

"I also visited St Helens Library and heard about the Cultural Hubs programme which is transforming library spaces into hubs for arts activities.

"At the Arts Council we want to continue to invest in developing St Helens as a place where people can enjoy great arts and culture."

The Cultural Hubs and Heart of Glass have been made possible through Arts Council investment.