Why North Shields Should Apply for UK Town of Culture 2028
Following the success of North Shields 800, our town is already proving what’s possible when culture, community and pride in place come together.
Over the past year, North Shields has delivered large-scale cultural activity rooted in local stories, people and creativity — from heritage and public art to grassroots events, volunteering and collaboration across the town. That momentum matters.
With a new UK Town of Culture competition now announced, this feels like the natural next step.
This is an opportunity for North Shields to build on what’s already been achieved, secure long-term investment, and tell our story on a national stage — with local people at the heart of it.
New UK Town of Culture Competition Announced
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has announced the launch of a new UK Town of Culture competition, designed to shine a spotlight on the contribution of towns to the national story.
The competition, launched by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy MP, is aimed specifically at small and medium-sized towns, recognising the vital role they play in cultural life across the UK.
The winning town will receive £3.5 million to deliver a major cultural programme during summer 2028, focused on what makes that place unique. Towns that are shortlisted will receive £60,000 to help develop their full bids.
Applications will be assessed against three main criteria:
- Your story – the unique story of the town
- Culture for everyone – how culture will be designed for all communities
- Making it happen – how the programme will be delivered successfully
Why This Matters for North Shields
North Shields is already doing the work this competition is asking for.
The North Shields 800 celebrations and I Love North Shields platform shows the town’s ability to:
- bring people together across generations
- work collaboratively across culture, community and business
- deliver ambitious cultural activity rooted in local identity
- engage volunteers, artists, schools and residents at scale
The Town of Culture programme is not about starting from scratch — it is about amplifying what already exists.
For North Shields, a bid would allow the town to build on recent success, strengthen partnerships and create a lasting legacy beyond a single year.
Culture Secretary Encourages Towns to Step Forward
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy MP said the new competition is about ensuring towns are no longer left out of the national cultural conversation.
“For far too long, too many people have felt left out of our national story. These competitions are our chance to change that by shining a light on the places that have shaped our cultural life, but haven’t always had the recognition they deserve.”
She added that bidding itself brings benefits, not just winning:
“We already know from UK City of Culture that winning, and even bidding for these titles brings real benefits – jobs, investment, and opportunities for people to get creative and learn new skills. Now I want towns to be able to get these benefits too.”
Learning From Other Places
The Town of Culture competition builds on the success of the UK City of Culture programme, which has delivered lasting impact in places including Derry-Londonderry, Hull, Coventry and Bradford.
Bradford’s current year as UK City of Culture has already seen:
- over 11,000 pupils benefit from education programmes
- more than 40,000 local people take part in cultural events
- over 2,000 volunteers involved from every ward
- more than 4,000 people benefit from training programmes
Nationally, previous City of Culture programmes have helped unlock over £1 billion in additional investment, alongside increased jobs, tourism and local pride.
The Role of Local Partners
Any successful Town of Culture bid relies on strong local partnerships.
Since May 2024, I Love North Shields has been working to strengthen pride in place by:
- sharing local news and stories
- championing grassroots culture and creativity
- supporting independent businesses
- filling gaps left by the decline of traditional local newspapers
- helping local voices be seen and heard
That kind of community-led storytelling and delivery is exactly what the Town of Culture programme is designed to support — ensuring culture is created with communities, not imposed on them.
What Happens Next?
- Applications for UK Town of Culture 2028 will open shortly
Towns across the UK are being encouraged to step forward.
For North Shields, this is a moment of opportunity — to build on recent success, prepare confidently, and shape the future together.
Our View
North Shields is ready.
After the success of North Shields 800 and I Love North Shields, the foundations are in place.
The partnerships exist.
The energy is there.
A UK Town of Culture bid would not change the town — it would amplify what’s already happening, secure long-term benefits, and ensure North Shields’ story is told on its own terms.
This feels like the right moment.
