UK Launches First-Ever ‘Town of Culture’ Competition to Celebrate Local Stories and Boost Communities
Small and medium-sized towns across the United Kingdom invited to compete for £3.5 million to deliver a cultural programme in 2028
The United Kingdom has inaugurated its first-ever national Town of Culture competition, a programme designed to spotlight the creativity, history and identity of smaller communities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy announced the competition as part of a broader effort to recognise contributions to Britain’s cultural life beyond major cities, enabling towns to tell their unique stories and drive local economic and social benefits.
The winning town will receive £3.5 million to fund a cultural programme during the summer of 2028, while shortlisted towns will be awarded £60,000 each to support the development of their full bids.
Applications for the Town of Culture competition will be assessed against three core criteria: the distinct narrative of each town’s history and character; the inclusivity and reach of proposed cultural programmes; and the deliverability of these plans.
Organisers say the multi-stage process begins with an expression of interest, followed by selection of longlisted and shortlisted towns before a final winner is chosen.
The initiative runs alongside the UK City of Culture programme, which awards £10 million to the winning city for a year of major cultural activities and remains a cornerstone of the government’s Plan for Change strategy to promote opportunity, community pride and economic growth through cultural investment.
Officials have emphasised that expanding the cultural competition framework to include towns is intended to foster inclusive cultural engagement and provide tangible benefits for communities often excluded from national narratives.
Past recipients of the City of Culture title, including Bradford, Hull, Coventry and Derry/Londonderry, have demonstrated the potential for such designations to stimulate tourism, investment and civic participation, with more than £1 billion in additional investment reported across winning cities.
The Town of Culture competition aims to bring similar transformational impact to smaller places, strengthening community cohesion and enhancing local cultural infrastructure.
Authorities expect applications to open in the coming weeks, with the winner announced in early 2027 ahead of the cultural programme year.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy announced the competition as part of a broader effort to recognise contributions to Britain’s cultural life beyond major cities, enabling towns to tell their unique stories and drive local economic and social benefits.
The winning town will receive £3.5 million to fund a cultural programme during the summer of 2028, while shortlisted towns will be awarded £60,000 each to support the development of their full bids.
Applications for the Town of Culture competition will be assessed against three core criteria: the distinct narrative of each town’s history and character; the inclusivity and reach of proposed cultural programmes; and the deliverability of these plans.
Organisers say the multi-stage process begins with an expression of interest, followed by selection of longlisted and shortlisted towns before a final winner is chosen.
The initiative runs alongside the UK City of Culture programme, which awards £10 million to the winning city for a year of major cultural activities and remains a cornerstone of the government’s Plan for Change strategy to promote opportunity, community pride and economic growth through cultural investment.
Officials have emphasised that expanding the cultural competition framework to include towns is intended to foster inclusive cultural engagement and provide tangible benefits for communities often excluded from national narratives.
Past recipients of the City of Culture title, including Bradford, Hull, Coventry and Derry/Londonderry, have demonstrated the potential for such designations to stimulate tourism, investment and civic participation, with more than £1 billion in additional investment reported across winning cities.
The Town of Culture competition aims to bring similar transformational impact to smaller places, strengthening community cohesion and enhancing local cultural infrastructure.
Authorities expect applications to open in the coming weeks, with the winner announced in early 2027 ahead of the cultural programme year.
