YORK is to host a new 20-day international festival involving 100,000 people to celebrate the city's status as a Unesco City of Media Arts.

Plans for the Mediale festival were revealed tonight as part of the first anniversary celebration of York's Unesco status allocation.

The festival will bring together digital artists, schools and performers to create 25 new commissions including major light displays, interactive pavilions and exhibits that use the backdrop of York as a canvas for new technological displays.

Also planned is a new internationally-recognised set of awards highlighting the world’s top digital artists as part of the biennial festival, set to run in 2017/18.

More than a third of the festival’s budget has already been pledged by local organisations and companies, with a fundraising programme now in place to source match funding and sponsorship.

The festival is part of a project by Marcus Romer and Stuart Goulden, who were commissioned by Make it York to investigate how tangible benefits can be created from York's designation as the UK's first City of Media Arts.

Jane Lady Gibson, chairwoman of Make It York, which was launched this year as a new destination management company, said: "York is a city with a high quality of life, where culture and heritage draw millions of visitors per year, yet it is also one of the best connected cities, with technology like the CityFibre ultrafast network providing gigabit internet connectivity speeds across the city.

"This combination makes it ideal for those working in the digital creative sectors who look to their environment for creativity, and do not want to be stifled by a large city mentality – York is probably the most attractive and inspirational city in the country."

The festival announcement has already received support locally and nationally. Minister of State for Culture, Media & Sport, and Business, Innovation & Skills (Digital Industries), Ed Vaizey said: "York is leading the way in its support for innovation and creativity in the digital arts and it's great to see how they are showcasing this growing industry through its status as the first UK Unesco City of Media Arts.

"A new international biennial is a hugely exciting prospect that will champion the next generation of talent and cement York’s place on the artistic map.”

Tim Williams, chairman of the UK National Commission for Unesco, said: "The UK National Commission for Unesco welcomes this excellent initiative from York Unesco City of Media Arts to establish a new international festival."

Alongside the announcement of the festival, and a set of awards, which organisers hope will become internationally recognised, Mr Romer and Mr Goulden revealed the Unesco City of Media Arts team has also secured funding for a UK Trade & Investment mission to Austin, Texas, for the South by South West (SXSW) Festival.

There representatives of York will meet with key global players in the media arts sector, and offer advice and guidance to the US city’s team who are also hoping to secure the prestigious Unesco designation.

The funding has come from Government as part of its support for the Northern Powerhouse. Mr Romer and Mr Goulden believe that by embracing its Unesco City of Media Arts status, York will sit alongside Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Hull and Leeds in the Northern Powerhouse.

Local businesses and artists have also pledged their support by signing up for the new Guild of Media Arts, York’s first new and original trade guild for 700 years.

This group of professionals from across the arts, culture and education sectors will be responsible for managing projects coming under the York Unesco City of Media Arts banner.

Chris Bailey, acting master of York’s new Guild of Media Arts, said: "York has a vibrant media arts sector, with many individuals and companies across the city applying technology to a wide range of art forms, from computer gaming to digital imaging, film making or creating stunning projections.

"Our Unesco designation helps us to bring those people together under a common banner to better promote the skills that we have within York to a global audience – and this means not only taking our expertise out to the wider world, but also bringing the global focus onto our historic city."

Through its Unesco City of Media Arts status York is part of a network of 69 connected cities in 32 countries across the world.