Hull, Leicester and Swansea Bay are the other three cities vying with Dundee for the City of Culture 2017 title.
Hull says it wants to capitalise on its rich heritage and culture to regenerate the city centre, boost visitor numbers and grow the local economy.
It claims to have always been a creative city, highlighting poets Andrew Motion and Philip Larkin, taught at its university, which also included Roger McGough and Anthony Minghella among its students.
Centres such as the Hull Truck Theatre, Ferens Art Gallery and Trinity House, which houses one of the largest silver collections in Europe, are examples of its cultural landmarks.
Leicester’s main celebrity backer is film director Richard Attenborough.
A life-long supporter of the city’s arts scene, his collection of ceramics by Pablo Picasso are on long-term loan to Leicester’s New Walk Museum and Art Gallery.
The 89-year-old grew up in Leicester and he made his stage debut as a boy at the city’s Little Theatre.
He said the city had “evolved into a huge multi-cultural centre”.
If Leicester wins, it aims to stage a Festival of Light, based on the annual Diwali celebrations, as well as a re-enactment of the Richard III story.
Swansea Bay is the favourite for the title. The sole Welsh entry, it has the backing of former Dr Who writer Russell T Davies.
It plans to play on its industrial past, art galleries and top sports teams.
Some of the programme ideas include a Pete Ham Festival for unsigned musicians named after the Swansea born co-founder of seventies rock band Badfinger a high-tech history laboratory based on the historic Hafod Copperworks site and
a children’s pageant of drama, song, dance and design.
The region’s leaders could also work with the British Lions to announce the 2017 squad at Swansea Bay.