All but one Midlands location overlooked in culture bid
Corby in Northamptonshire is the only Midlands town remaining in a government bid to find the UK’s “Town of Culture” for 2028, out of more than 70 that applied across the region.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has announced its shortlist for the £3m prize, which will see three selected towns deliver a year-long programme of cultural activities designed to boost the area.
The remaining 15 towns will receive £60,000 of government cash to develop full bids, with finalists in small, medium and large town categories expected to be announced along with an overall winner in early 2027.
In the Midlands, Chesterfield, Mansfield, Telford, Stourbridge and Newcastle-under-Lyme were among those who had thrown their hat in the ring, which saw 76 entries from across the region in all three categories.
The UK Town of Culture was launched this year, in a bid to enable smaller communities to compete for the culture-crown similar to the UK City of Culture, which was won by Coventry in 2021. The scheme is designed to boost local pride an attract investment, alongside the government’s hopes of “open doors to the arts and culture for everyone”.
The government says previous UK City of Culture holders have attracted more than £1bn in additional investment and welcomed an estimated 2 million visitors as a result of the prize, while recent audience research from Bradford 2025 shows more than 80 per cent of attendees felt events increased their pride in the place they live, according to a statement by DCMS.
“The fact that we received so many applications just goes to show how proud people are of their towns. When I launched this competition, I wanted to shine a light on our amazing towns all across the UK and the huge contribution they make to our national life,” said culture secretary, Lisa Nandy.
“I am so glad that so many towns have applied and I hope each and every town, whether they have been shortlisted or not, is incredibly proud of the work they have done to champion their local community.”
The shortlisted towns are:
- Small towns: Ilfracombe, Isle of Bute, Lerwick, Sandown, Strabane, and Stockton Town Centre Ward
- Medium towns: Corby, Great Yarmouth, Leith, Pontypridd, and Port Talbot
- Large towns: Basildon, Birkenhead, Grimsby and Rotherham
