Organisers of Leicester's bid to become the next UK City of Culture have revealed more details of what to expect in 2017 if they clinch the title.
Up to now the team heading the city's campaign to succeed Londonderry, the inaugural winner, have been tight-lipped about the cultural programme they would offer if Leicester won.
However, having discovered the city had made a four-strong shortlist of contenders, the bid team have outlined ideas they are exploring as well as some of the well-known figures from the cultural scene they hope to recruit.
Curve chief executive Fiona Allan, who is a member of the consortium pushing Leicester's bid, said they included rock stars Kasabian and award-winning dancer Akram Khan.
She said: "Kasabian have expressed an interest in being involved and we really hope we can make that happen.
"Londonderry has had some big music concerts and we would hope Kasabian would like to be part of something that doesn't necessarily replace Summer Sundae, but fills the hole it left."
She said that De Montfort University graduate Akram, who has a strong association with Curve, could be asked to play a part in a key part of the bid – the commissioning of a Bollywood musical based on Leicester stories. She said: "What we are looking at is something that could premiere in Leicester and then have a future touring around the country."
Ms Allan said a further idea was to turn the works of Leicester authors into stage dramas. She was keen to speak with city writer Bali Rai to see if his works could be adapted.
She thinks his book (Un) Arranged Marriage, set in Leicester, about the gaps between young Asian people and their parents would work on stage.
She said: "We are looking at a visual arts trail around Leicester which would involve sculpture, traditional wood and stone, as well as more modern digital features, which people could interact with."
Previously announced plans include a mass participation drama of Richard III's story and a giant portable light show.
Swansea Bay, Dundee and Hull are Leicester's rivals for the title. All the cities are working on detailed plans for what they would do in 2017 and the Government will choose a winner in November. They have been told to expect to spend £10 million of public money on a programme of events should they win.
City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby has agreed for the council to underwrite the sum but other organisations are expected to make contributions.
Consortium member and founder of Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival Geoff Rowe said the team would now be asking residents in Leicester what they would like to see in 2017.
