“Leith has persevered for 900 years, now is its time to step into the limelight!”
- Fifteen towns shortlisted for the first UK Town of Culture competition
- Shortlisted towns set to receive £60,000 to work on their full bids with the winner announced early next year
- Shortlist selected from almost 400 applications
Fifteen towns have been shortlisted to become the UK’s first Town of Culture, after nearly 400 places from across the country entered the landmark competition. And one of them is LEITH!
This comes as the government confirmed that it has received an incredible 398 bids from over 400 hopeful towns as part of the competition, demonstrating that culture belongs everywhere and shining a light on the many towns across the UK that are vital to our national story.
Fifteen towns will now compete for the inaugural UK Town of Culture 2028 title. 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
Shortlisted towns will now receive £60,000 each to develop their full bids, which will be assessed by the independent judging panel. One finalist will then be selected from each category with the overall winner being announced early next year.
The UK Town of Culture competition is part of the government’s ambition to restore pride in local areas in every part of Britain and deliver a decade of national renewal, following the announcement of the Pride in Place Programme last year.
Throughout this year, this competition – together with the UK City of Culture 2029 competition – will continue to shine a light on local visions and voices from across the UK to help encourage increased local investment, create a lasting sense of pride, and open doors to the arts and culture for everyone.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: “I want to say a massive congratulations to the fifteen 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.”
Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said: “Congratulations to Port Talbot and Pontypridd on being shortlisted for the UK’s Town of Culture. Both places have a rich heritage that should be celebrated – and I am so pleased to see them get the recognition they deserve.
“Port Talbot is renowned for producing some of the greatest actors in the country, all of whom have been inspired by the industrial heritage of the area. Pontypridd is the home of the composers of the Welsh National Anthem, which has been proudly sung at national events for many decades.
“I would love to see a Welsh town be crowned the UK’s Town of Culture and I wish both of them every success with their bids.”
Kirsty McNeill, UK Government Minister for Scotland said: “Scotland has an extraordinary cultural heritage, and the presence of three Scottish towns on the UK Town of Culture competition shortlist is a testament to the richness and diversity of communities across the country.
“From island life to historic port towns, each of these places has a unique story to tell, and I know that each bid reflects the genuine passion and pride that local people have for where they live.
“The UK Government is committed to ensuring that culture belongs everywhere, and I’m delighted that Scottish towns are so strongly represented.”
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn said: “Congratulations to Strabane, which has secured a place in the final UK Town of Culture shortlist, from among 400 applicants.
“I know that Strabane will take this opportunity to shine, and I wish the town good luck as they finalise their bid.”
The shortlisted towns were recommended by the independent panel chaired by Sir Phil Redmond. The other members of the panel were selected to ensure a broad range of cultural experience and regional diversity. The panel members are:
- Sir Phil Redmond (Chair)
- Ruth Hollis OBE (Deputy Chair)
- Ian Bancroft (Wales Representative)
- Kristel Miller (Northern Ireland Representative)
- Katy Shaw
- Jim Tough (Scotland Representative)
- Adipat Virdi
- Ian Warren (England Representative)
- Paula Williams
Chair of the independent panel, Sir Phil Redmond 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.”
The shortlisted places will now work to finalise their bids, which will explain how they would use culture to celebrate their town, showcase original storytelling, empower their local communities and provide more accessible culture in their local area.
From these fifteen shortlisted towns, the independent panel will recommend the best small, medium and large town from the full applications they receive.
An overall winner from these three towns will be designated the “UK Town of Culture 2028” and receive a £3 million grant from the government. The additional two towns, from the other two categories, will be selected as finalists and receive £250,000 each to carry out part of their programme.
The winner will go on to host a season of culture in 2028, which will help them to deliver a long-lasting legacy of cultural participation and local pride as has been seen in previous winners of the UK City of Culture competition; Derry-Londonderry 2013, Hull 2017, Coventry 2021 and Bradford 2025.
The government’s ambition behind the UK Town of Culture competition is for towns to reap similar benefits from the experience of bidding and encouraging local residents to get involved in cultural events to celebrate their town.
The benefits of cultural investment are clear. Previous UK City of Culture holders – Derry-Londonderry, Hull and Coventry – have attracted more than £1 billion in additional investment and welcomed an estimated 2 million visitors, 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.
Investment in UK City of Culture and UK Town of Culture not only supports the delivery of exciting cultural programmes but brings a legacy of cultural regeneration.
These programmes will help to attract more visitors to places for years to come as well as encouraging creativity and skills development across local areas, growing the local economy and providing more opportunities for local people to engage with arts and culture.
In order to recognise all the towns that have bid in the first-ever UK Town of Culture competition, every bidding town was invited to submit a postcard to celebrate their bid. Last week these postcards were shared across social media and showcased by National Museums Liverpool in a digital display to celebrate each and every town that has participated in the competition. The postcards will remain within the National Museums Liverpool’s national collection.
Further guidance for shortlisted towns to prepare their full bids for the final stage of the competition will be made available shortly.
Susie Gray and Jenny Mungall, Bid Directors for Leith 2028, said: ““To be shortlisted as one of just 15 places from almost 400 applications is a huge moment for Leith and a testament to the passion, creativity and commitment of everyone who has been involved in shaping this bid.
“This has been a genuinely community-led effort from day one, built by people who care deeply about Leith and are ambitious for its future.
“From the very beginning, we felt strongly that this had to be about more than a competition. Whatever the outcome, we wanted this to be the start of something special; new partnerships, fresh ambitions and a shared sense of what we can achieve together.
“We are thrilled that the judges have also seen that potential in Leith.
“One of the most moving moments came when we saw the map of entries from across the UK. It was a reminder that in towns and communities everywhere, people are imagining better futures and recognising the role that culture can play in shaping them. We wish every place that put itself forward the very best in turning those ambitions into reality.
“Leith has a remarkable story to tell as it approaches its 900th anniversary in 2028. We’re excited to take the next step and continue making the case for why this proud, creative and distinctive place should become the UK’s first Town of Culture.
“Leith has persevered for 900 years, now is its time to step into the limelight!”
Welcoming the announcement, Tracy Gilbert MP said: “Leith is a place like no other, with a proud history, a vibrant cultural scene and an incredible community spirit.
“I want to thank every local organisation, community group and individual who has given their time, energy and passion to help bring this bid together. The dedication, creativity and commitment shown by everyone involved has been so remarkable.
“Being shortlisted as one of only 15 towns from almost 400 applications is a fantastic achievement and a testament to the hard work of everyone who has played a part in telling Leith’s story.
“I am incredibly proud of Leith and delighted to see the community’s efforts recognised on a national stage. I look forward to continuing to support the bid as it moves forward to the next stage.”
