Towns encouraged to apply for new UK Town of Culture competition opening in the coming weeks
The contribution of towns across the country will be celebrated through a new UK Town of Culture competition launched by the Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy today.
The UK Town of Culture competition will be targeted at small and medium sized towns, enabling them to tell their unique story and shining a spotlight on the important role that towns play in our national life.
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It has been confirmed today that the winning town will be awarded £3.5 million to help them deliver a cultural programme during the summer of 2028, harnessing what makes their town special. Shortlisted towns will receive £60,000 to help deliver their full bids for the competition.
Applications for the competition will be judged on three main criteria:
Separately, the UK City of Culture 2029 competition has gone live today with expressions of interest able to be submitted, from cities, large towns, regions and groupings of places across the UK invited to apply.
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For the first time ever, there will be a confirmed cash prize of £10 million for the UK City of Culture winner to help them deliver a show-stopping year of rich cultural activity rooted in their unique identities and drawing on local strengths and stories.
To encourage as many places as possible across the country to bid and to benefit from the UK City of Culture process, all longlisted places will receive £60,000 each to help them to develop their full bids for the competition. The three most impressive bids from places that reach the shortlist but are not selected as the winner will receive £125,000 each to help them to take forward elements of their bid and deliver real change for their local area.
The criteria for UK City of Culture has also been updated to make the competition more accessible to large towns, focusing on creating transformational opportunities and richer lives for people across the UK, delivering local impact and empowering communities to shape their bids.
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Both competitions support the government’s Plan for Change mission to break down barriers to opportunity, driving local economic growth and creating jobs across the UK as we head towards a decade of national renewal.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:
The competitions will build on the success of the UK City of Culture programme, which has seen significant lasting and transformative impacts across the winning places, Derry-Londonderry, Hull, Coventry and Bradford, extending well beyond the title year. This includes over £1 billion of additional investment added to local economies of past host cities, increased jobs, tourism and local pride.
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Bradford is already delivering significant benefits during its year as UK City of Culture. Within the first six months of the programme:
Expressions of Interest for UK City of Culture 2029 are now open. Applications for Town of Culture 2028 will open shortly.
Chair of the UK City of Culture independent expert advisory panel, Sir Phil Redmond said:
Dan Bates, Executive Director and Shanaz Gulzar, Creative Director of Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture:
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford Council said:
Notes to Editors