Basildon, Birkenhead and Grimsby among places shortlisted to be named UK’s first Town of Culture
Basildon, Birkenhead and Grimsby are among the final candidates vying to become England’s first City of Culture; This award includes a grant of £3 million.
These towns are part of a shortlist of 15 selected from around 400 applicants. They will each receive £60,000 to develop comprehensive proposals for the 2028 award, aligned with the 2029 City of Culture award.
The winning town will be designated a “UK City of Culture 2028” and will secure a government grant and host a cultural season that year.
Shortlisted towns are split into three categories, with the final runners-up receiving a grant of £250,000 each.
The full list of shortlisted cities is as follows:
Small towns: Ilfracombe, Isle of Bute, Lerwick, Sandown, Strabane and Stockton Town Center District;
Medium-sized towns: Corby, Great Yarmouth, Leith, Pontypridd and Port Talbot;
Large towns: Basildon, Birkenhead, Grimsby and Rotherham.
Culture Minister Lisa Nandy said: “I would like to give a big congratulations to the 15 shortlisted towns and wish them luck in the next round of the competition.
“The fact that we received so many entries shows how proud people are of their towns. When I launched this competition I wanted to shine a light on our wonderful towns across the UK and the huge contribution they make to our national life.
“I’m delighted that so many towns have applied and I hope every town, whether shortlisted or not, is incredibly proud of the work they do to support their local community.”
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport also presents the fifth UK City of Culture award; previous winners were Derry-Londonderry in 2013, Hull in 2017, Coventry in 2021 and Bradford in 2025.
The winner of this competition will receive a prize of £10 million with similar intent, which will be spent on delivering cultural activities, restoring pride in local areas and securing growth.
The Town of Culture shortlist was determined by an independent panel chaired by Sir Phil Redmond, creator of Brookside, Grange Hill and Hollyoaks.
Sir Phil said: “Response to the competition from across the UK has been overwhelming, in every sense of the word, to say the least.
“It was fantastic to see nearly 400 towns come forward and share their sense of pride, ambition and ambition, showing how much they have contributed and continue to contribute to our national story.
“This, of course, made it much more difficult to make the decision on the shortlist, let alone the real winners.
“I’m looking forward to visiting the towns on the list and I’m sure, like the City of Culture, those who can’t manage it will find it an experience worth taking part in to strengthen partnerships, raise awareness and remind us of the depth and breadth of the UK’s cultural landscape. I’d like to thank them all for that.”
