CULTURE SECRETARY Lisa Nandy has launched a new UK Town of Culture competition, inviting towns across the country to celebrate their creativity and local heritage.
The new competition, announced on Thursday (30), will run alongside the ongoing UK City of Culture programme and is aimed at recognising smaller towns that have helped shape the nation’s cultural story but have not received the attention they deserve, a statement said.
The winning town will receive £3.5 million to deliver a cultural programme during the summer of 2028, while shortlisted towns will each get £60,000 to help complete their bids. The government said the initiative will target small and medium-sized towns, helping them tell their stories through culture and community engagement.
"For far too long, too many people have felt left out of our national story. These competitions are our chance to change that by shining a light on the places that have shaped our cultural life, but haven’t always had the recognition they deserve," said the British Indian minister.
"We already know from UK City of Culture that winning, and even bidding for, these titles brings real benefits - jobs, investment, and opportunities for people to get creative and learn new skills. Now I want towns to be able to get these benefits too and that is why I am proud to launch the UK Town of Culture competition.
"Every place has a story worth telling so I want to encourage towns across the UK to step forward and show us what makes them special."
According to the statement, applications will be judged on three main criteria - the unique story of the town, how it plans to design a cultural programme for everyone, and how it will deliver it successfully.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) confirmed that the UK City of Culture 2029 competition has also opened for entries, with a £10m cash prize for the winner — the first time such a figure has been guaranteed.
The City of Culture programme, launched in 2009 and inspired by the European Capital of Culture model, has previously celebrated cities such as Derry-Londonderry, Hull, Coventry, and most recently Bradford. Officials say the initiative has added over £1 billion to local economies, boosted tourism, and created jobs.
Nandy, who visited Bradford this week, praised the city’s ongoing cultural projects, including the Turner Prize exhibition and community arts events. “Great culture is everywhere, but the opportunity to showcase it and weave it into our national story is not,” she said.
She added that the competitions will support the government’s Plan for Change, aimed at driving local economic growth and creating new opportunities across the UK.
“People are proud of where they come from,” Nandy added. “This is about giving the whole nation the chance to see how proud people are of the contribution they make.”
(with inputs from PTI)
