Basildon, Birkenhead and Grimsby are among the final candidates vying to be the UK’s first Town of Culture, an award carrying a £3 million grant.
These towns are part of a 15-strong shortlist, selected from nearly 400 applicants. Each will receive £60,000 to develop comprehensive bids for the 2028 accolade, which aligns with the 2029 City of Culture award.
The winning town will be designated “UK Town of Culture 2028,” securing the government grant and hosting a season of culture that year.
The shortlisted towns are split into three categories, with runners-up in the final stage each receiving a £250,000 grant.
The full list of 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.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: “I want to say a massive congratulations to the 15 shortlisted towns and I wish them luck in the next round of the competition.
“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.
“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 Department for Culture, Media and Sport is also running its fifth UK City of Culture award, with previous winners being Derry-Londonderry in 2013, Hull in 2017, Coventry in 2021 and Bradford in 2025.
The winner of that competition will receive a £10 million prize with the similar intention of it being spent on delivering cultural activities, restoring pride in local areas and securing growth.
The Town of Culture shortlist was decided by an independent panel chaired by Brookside, Grange Hill and Hollyoaks creator Sir Phil Redmond.
Sir Phil said: “The response to the competition has been, to say the least, overwhelming, quite literally from all four corners of the UK.
“It has been fantastic that nearly 400 towns have come forward, sharing their sense of pride, ambition and desire to demonstrate how much they have and continue to contribute to our national story.
“That, of course, has made making the decision on the shortlist itself much more difficult, never mind the actual winners.
“I look forward to visiting those towns that have made the list and I am sure that, just like City of Culture, those that didn’t manage it will have found the experience of taking part worthwhile in strengthening partnerships, raising awareness and reminding us all of the depth and spread of the UK’s cultural landscape. I’d like to thank them all for that.”
