YORK’S plans to become a UNESCO city of Media Arts have been put on hold after the United States withdrew its financial support.

The US pulled its funding from UNESCO, the cultural arm of the United Nations, after the body accepted the Palestinian Authority as a full member, becoming the first UN body to recognise the statehood of Palestine. The funding accounts for about 22 per cent of UNESCO’s overall funding.

Marcus Romer, artistic director and chief executive of Pilot Theatre, who pitched York’s case to be recognised as a City of Media Arts alongside Kersten England, chief executive of City of York Council, in Seoul, South Korea, last November, confirmed they were awaiting further news from the organisation about the situation.

“While the geo-political ramifications are something we can’t control from this end, we’re completing the bid. If it does come back on stream again, the bid will be submitted in that phase.”

He said they were still in touch with the Creative Cities Network and all the people they had met in Seoul. He said they hoped to find out more about the situation, and suggestions by the Creative Cities Network that they were looking to change some of the criteria, by the end of the financial year in April.

Mr Romer also said that UNESCO had shown great interest in York’s bid and given them very positive feedback.

But he said the effects of York’s decision to position itself as a City of Media Arts were already apparent and the UNESCO bid, if it gets back on stream, will be the kitemark.

Following the trip to Seoul, York has been visited by contacts including Samsung, and the profile of the media arts was being recognised by the local authority and the industry, he said.

There has also been an announcement of a feasibility study for a media arts centre, potentially to be located in York’s Bonding Warehouse, and the new Green Screen Productions studios at Bubwith.