20,000 people back Blackpool’s bid to become UK City of Culture 2029 and scoop £10m prize funding

Blackpool’s bid to become UK City of Culture 2029 has won the backing of 20,000 people as the town formally submits its bid to the government.

The bid was submitted this week to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), with Blackpool hoping to secure the prestigious accolade and £10m in government funding towards a year-long programme of arts and culture.

The title would also bring additional funding, sponsorship and investment to support regeneration and events, while the programme would aim to benefit local people and boost the tourism economy. More than 60 organisations have submitted or signed letters supporting the bid.

Backing has also come from artists, performers, businesses, political leaders and celebrities, including Pet Shop Boys’ Chris Lowe, punk musician John Robb, explorer and author Jordan Wylie MBE and Sooty, alongside Stephen Mulhern, Toyah Wilcox, Frank Cottrell-Boyce and Laurence Llewellyn Bowen.

Blackpool Council has worked with cultural organisations including Creative Blackpool, LeftCoast, Aunty Social, House of Wingz, Bootleg Social, The Old Electric, Abingdon Studios and Blackpool and the Fylde College to develop the proposed programme.

Regional and national partners include Factory International, Opera North and Marlborough Productions, while Lancashire County Council, Lancashire Combined County Authority and Business in the Community have also backed the plans.

‘Blown away by the support’

“Being named UK City of Culture 2029 would be a huge vote of confidence in our town,” said Cllr Lynn Williams, Leader of Blackpool Council. “It would remind people across the country that Blackpool is the capital of fun, entertainment, heritage and culture.

"Our bid is strong not only because of our proud past, but because of what it means for our future. It would show our young people that they can build their future here with good jobs, opportunities and reasons to be proud about being from Blackpool.

"While developing the bid, I've met so many people who are genuinely excited about what it could mean for local creatives, businesses and communities. We are ready to show the rest of the country and the world the very best of Blackpool.

“Our bid is shaped by people from every corner of our town. Its benefits would reach beyond Blackpool too, across the Fylde coast, Lancashire and the wider north-west. We've listened to local creative organisations, businesses and residents, from people who know how to put on major spectacles to community leaders who can make sure the benefits reach every street.

"I've been blown away by the support and goodwill behind the bid. It has brought together people who grew up in Blackpool and went on to build internationally recognised careers, alongside local business owners who can see its potential to create real jobs, fresh opportunities and new experiences for our people.

“Blackpool is ready. This is our moment.”

The bid is centred on Blackpool’s history as the original seaside resort and its role as a place where people come to play, with large-scale events alongside community, school and local group projects intended to leave a legacy beyond 2029.

Plans include four public propositions:

• We’ll Show You will present Blackpool’s culture at its most ambitious-from major performance and immersive spectacle to dance, music, broadcasting and artist-led interventions
• The Welcome Inn will build on Blackpool’s traditions of hospitality, exchange and shared enjoyment
• Sea Change will connect culture with care for people, communities and the environment
• It’s Like Blackpool Illuminations in Here! will use the 150th anniversary of the Illuminations to connect local participation with international artistic and technological innovation

With the bid culminating in a major concert at the Opera House called The People’s Stage, the bid comes as the world-famous Blackpool Illuminations gear up to mark their 150th anniversary in 2029, while the town's cultural history also includes the Winter Gardens, which has hosted the Royal Variety Performance three times.

The final four shortlisted places will be announced in autumn, with the winner expected to be selected in the new year.

People can continue to support Blackpool’s bid at www.blackpool2029.co.uk.