The invention of ‘Coventry Inspires’ as the city slogan in May 1999 was all the more powerful because the description of the city arose exclusively from the people. In a campaign that captured the imagination and aspirations of ‘Coventrians’ worldwide, the Coventry Evening Telegraph and Image Working Group received thousands of responses to how best to define Coventry. The result, ‘Coventry Inspires,’ today adorns the spectrum of materials locally, nationally and internationally that market Coventry.

By 2003, defining a global role and profile for Coventry increasingly took central stage in the collective thinking of its people about which direction the city should take, and it was deemed time to give a voice to the ‘new Coventry’ with lessons learned from marketing cities worldwide. The result was the formation of the city of Coventry Ambassadors Group, UK, a world first for Coventry and a model of uniting business with local and central government, the arts and sciences that is expected to be replicated not only across the UK, but internationally. With 260 Ambassadors representing board level expertise across the spectrum of industries and professions, work began in July to develop a plan for the city, based on seeing the ‘bigger picture’, to drive forward Coventry’s evolution as a major business hub, tourist destination and one of Britain’s best-loved cities in which to live. The results of that work are beginning to take shape in the first steps towards creating a grand plan for Coventry inscribed in the 100 ideas section of this website.

The 100 ideas section is designed to stimulate thinking about what more could contribute to the existing regeneration programmes and events within Coventry. It is a compilation of proposals which have come from many sources and many sectors. It neither advocates nor ridicules any of the ideas which appear. It is designed to be used as a sounding board for the Ambassadors organisation, a group of highly influential and experienced individuals united by a powerful collective interest in the success of Coventry, to give their initial indication of those ideas which promise to best deliver on that success and which they personally might be able to support.

The 100 ideas section includes ideas for a strategic framework, capital projects, events, initiatives, sculpture and products, each of which is directed at finding a coherent and inspirational way to secure Coventry’s place on the regional, national and international map for tourism and inward investment.

Where will this lead? How will ideas transform in reality? The first draft is presented here in its final form at Jaguar’s headquarters in Coventry. Ambassadors will thereafter vote on the 6 core ideas they feel should be taken forward as part of Coventry’s overall marketing and regeneration strategies. It is vital that those ideas, and any developments which follow, are linked to the ever changing developments within the city with which many organisations are already involved.

These 6 ideas, once selected, are expected to shape debate across all sections of Coventry as the city moves forward through a period of regeneration that is recognised both for its radicalism and potential to transform.

This will require close working between the Ambassador Group, Coventry City Council, CV One, The Coventry Partnership and the people of Coventry. A small focused steering group will help to do this work.

With the momentous decision on the Coventry Arena behind us, with radicalism, and the ‘bigger picture’ shining through developments as diverse as the Whittle Arch, CityNet, Electric Wharf, The Belgrade and the Phoenix Initiative – and more importantly, with the wider leadership given a role in city development for the first time – the future for Coventry, and its people, has never looked more promising.