Richmond Bids for Town of Culture 2028
Following the announcement in October by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy of a new competition to pick the first ever UK Town of Culture, Richmond Yorkshire Community Interest Company (CIC) is putting together an ambitious plan to bid for the new title.
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The competition is based on the long-established City of Culture competition and is aimed at small and medium-sized towns. In her announcement, Lisa Nandy said, “… I am delighted to launch our plans for the UK Town of Culture competition in recognition of the fact that all parts of the UK have made a significant contribution to our cultural life and continue to do so, helping to shape and define our national story. This new competition will see multiple towns competing to win the title and the winning town delivering a cultural programme in 2028.”​
Full details for putting together the bid are still to be confirmed by the Government, but it has been announced that the entries will be judged based on the unique story of the town, how the town plans to design a cultural programme and how they plan to deliver the Plan.
They have indicated that this could include theatre, music and dance performances, heritage and arts events taking place and community based activities such as festivals, public art and workshops.
Follow this link to watch a video from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and hear in their words what this competition is all about.
The CIC Directors realise that competition will be stiff, but feel the effort is worth it with the winning UK Town of Culture being awarded £3.5m to help it deliver a cultural programme during the summer of 2028, harnessing what
makes the town special. Shortlisted towns would receive £60,000 to help deliver full bids for the competition.
As well as putting together a compelling programme of events for 2028, the bid team will be focussed on ensuring a long-lasting legacy of benefits for the town. It is important that it is not thought of as a one-off and that the bid,
successful or not, helps to involve more people in the cultural life of the town for many years to come.
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The CIC Directors think that Richmond fulfills the three main criteria which they believe will be used for the competition. The town has a place in our national story; it has a strong cultural presence and a proven track record for staging community cultural initiatives.​
Mr Sunak, MP for Richmond and Northallerton has given the necessary support to the application, as has Cllr Stuart Parsons, the local councillor for Richmond. Mr. Sunak said: “I commend the bid team’s ambition for the town. It will be very competitive, of course, but few towns have Richmond’s historic and cultural assets and, just as importantly, the people with the commitment and skills to put together a programme of events we can all be part of and proud of.”
Cllr Parsons, the local councillor for Richmond, added: “We already have a strong cultural presence in the area and this bid, if successful, will enable Richmond and Richmondshire to celebrate all aspects of culture within our incredible assets and landscapes.”
If you would like to be kept informed of how the Town of Culture bid is progressing or wish to share your own ideas about aspect of Richmond you think that should be included in our submission, please email :