Elected Member Briefing Note - Town of Culture 2028

About this Briefing Note

Report by: Julie Barnsley, Economic Development Officer, Business, Place & Investment

Date: 2 February 2026

Subject: UK Town of Culture 2028

Details

Purpose

The purpose of this Briefing Note is to provide information on the new UK Town of Culture competition, which has been launched by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

Briefing Information

The UK Town of Culture complements and builds on the success of the UK City of Culture competition. It aims to drive local economic growth and opportunity, bring local investment, create a lasting sense of pride, and open doors to the arts for everyone.  

The first award will be UK Town of Culture 2028.

The competition is open to small, medium and large towns, with the winner delivering a vibrant cultural programme which showcases the town's story and visions.

Expressions of Interest for UK Town of Culture 2028 can be made now until 31 March 2026.

The strongest bids will progress to a shortlist, with each shortlisted town receiving £60,000 to help deliver their full bids for the competition.

In addition to towns bids from towns, bids can also be made by groups of places where these places share a common story and common geography.

Three finalists - one small, one medium, one large town - will be chosen. The winner will be crowned UK Town of Culture 2028 and receive a £3 million prize. The two runners-up will each receive £250,000 to deliver elements of their bid.

The DCMS is using the Office of National Statistics definitions for towns based on population size towns/urban areas based on population size

The judging panel will decide which category bidding towns fall within.

The judging panel will be led by the television producer, Sir Phil Redmond.  Guidance indicates that towns will be judged on the way they tell their unique story, how they will bring everyone in a community together, and how they will deliver on their vision.   

Making a Bid - Eligible Organisations

Bids must be made by a partnership representing the relevant town and this partnership must include the local authority.  The partnership can be newly formed or well-established.

A single organisation within the partnership must be nominated as 'Lead' and as such must be a formal, constituted and accountable organisation.   This can be the local authority, or it can be another organisation within the partnership.

The partnership should demonstrate a commitment to work collaboratively and could include a range of community and cross-sector partners.  Examples which have been provided in the guidance include: local businesses, industry and civic leaders, cultural bodies, local library services, voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations.

The partnership should demonstrate commitment to actively including local communities in decision-making and supporting them to directly shape what happens in their area. It is highlighted that a commitment to community collaboration should be demonstrated at all stages of the competition.

Bids will be judged on three main criteria:

• Story - the unique story of the town.
• Culture of everyone - how the town will design a cultural programme for all.
• Making it happen - how the town will then deliver a successful programme.

Competition Stages

Funding

Bids which are shortlisted at the Expressions of Interest stage will be awarded £60,000 to develop their full application.   

The final competition winners will be selected from each of the three categories (small, medium and large town). From these three winners, an overall UK Town or Culture will be selected.

The UK Town of Culture 2028 will be awarded £3 million to deliver a vibrant cultural programme during 2028 - the programme will be expected to run for a duration of around a six-months.

The two finalists from the remaining two categories will receive £250,000 each to deliver elements of their bid.

Benefits and Alignment

This competition aligns with the key priorities embedded in Perth & Kinross Council's Corporate Plan 2022 - 2028,where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality. 

Aligns with the Culture Strategy 2023-2028vision "to enable creative communities and outstanding creative work to thrive in Perth and Kinross, through partnership". 

Aligns with The Story of Place- the compelling story of Perth and Kinross which draws on our quality of life, connectivity and rural towns.

Perth's UNESCO City of Craft and Folk Art designation will provide strength to any bids made by towns within Perth and Kinross.

A successful bid will be an attractive addition to our tourism offer and will align with the Perth and Kinross Tourism Strategy and Action Plan 2025-30, particularly around our aim to increase day visitors, length of stay, visitor spend, and the development of new visitor experiences

Next steps

A press release will be issued asking interested places to contact Perth and Kinross Council to indicate their intentions to submit a bid.