One UK town to win £3.5 million in new government competition
A UK town will take on the “grand prize” of £3.5 million to deliver a cultural program in summer 2028 through a new competition launched by the Culture Secretary.
The Culture Town initiative is designed for small and medium-sized towns; Shortlisted communities receive £60,000 to help them submit their full proposal for the competition.
This new competition follows in the footsteps of the UK City of Culture competition won by the Yorkshire city of Bradford in 2025.
“For too long, too many people have felt left out of our national story,” Lisa Nandy said.
“These competitions are our chance to change that by shining a light on the places that shape our cultural life but don’t always get the recognition they deserve.
“We already know from the UK City of Culture that winning and even bidding for these titles brings real benefits: jobs, investment and opportunities for people to be creative and learn new skills.
“I now want towns to be able to benefit from these benefits too and that’s why I’m proud to launch the UK City 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.”
Applications for the City of Culture competition will be evaluated according to the story of the city, the design of its cultural program and the plans to realize it.
Sir Phil Redmond, chair of the UK City of Culture independent expert advisory panel, said: “The UK City of Culture competition is a huge prize and one worth bidding for, as evidenced by the positive impact the year has had in Derry-Londonderry, Hull, Coventry and now Bradford.
“So it’s great that the new City of Culture competition will allow more places to experience the catalytic impact that culture can provide, while also raising awareness both internally and externally across the UK.
“This brings more visitors, a greater sense of local pride and a deeper understanding of what connects our four nations.”
Dan Bates, managing director of Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, and Shanaz Gulzar, creative director, said: “Bradford 2025 is the first UK City of Culture, settling into the surrounding area and extending well beyond the city centre, into villages, towns and countryside.
“From artists bringing creativity to care home residents, vibrant murals bringing color to the streets, performances in parks instilling community pride and investment in cultural buildings that will provide access to the arts for years to come, it celebrates Bradford and makes it an even better place to live.
“It has been a great privilege to be awarded this title and we are delighted to support the launch of the new City of Culture competition as we prepare to pass the baton to the next holder of the UK City of Culture title.”
A nationwide drawing project backed by David Hockney and an outdoor theater event created by magician Steven Frayne, formerly Dynamo, are among the events taking place during Bradford’s tenure as UK City of Culture 2025.
Expressions of interest for UK City of Culture 2029 are now open and applications for City of Culture 2028 will open shortly.
