Blackpool officially lodges major bid to become UK City of Culture 2029 TODAY - what you need to know
Everything you need to know about Blackpool’s City of Culture bid.
Blackpool will today officially lodge its bid to become UK City of Culture 2029.
Blackpool is one of nine places across the UK in the running for the prestigious accolade, with the Government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) also considering Inverness-Highland, Ipswich, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Portsmouth, Sheffield, Swindon and Wrexham.
Despite the name of the competition, the City of Culture bid is open to large towns and regions which meet the new criteria. Blackpool, while not technically a city, is the 45th largest place in the UK, with a population of 141,500. The wider Fylde coast is home to more than 250,000 people, while Blackpool’s visitor economy is valued at £2bn.
If successful, Blackpool would receive £10m from the Government towards a year-long celebration of arts and culture, aimed at benefiting local people while also boosting tourism. The title can also bring additional funding, sponsorship and investment to support regeneration and events.
Blackpool Council Leader Lynn Williams says the financial benefit could be considerably greater than the initial £10m, pointing to Bradford, which secured a total budget of approximately £51m during its tenure as UK City of Culture 2025.
Winning the title does not provide a single lump-sum cash prize, but instead unlocks government grants, public funding packages and private sector investment.
Everyone across the Fylde coast is being urged to support Blackpool’s bid, with Blackpool Council’s Executive being recommended to submit a bold proposal showcasing the area’s eclectic and electric mix of cultural activity and community events.
If successful, Blackpool would receive £10m to host a year-long celebration of arts and culture.
Back the Bid here: https://bit.ly/backourbid
A campaign supporting the bid is already live across the area, with residents and visitors encouraged to visit www.blackpool2029.co.uk to show their support.
Blackpool’s cultural heritage spans generations and genres. Showtown Museum explores the history of the iconic seaside resort, while the contemporary Grundy Art Gallery recently broke visitor records during the visit of a Monet.
The Winter Gardens has hosted the Royal Variety Performance three times, in 1955, 2009 and 2020, and continues to stage events from West End musicals to World Dance Festivals. Blackpool has also welcomed performances from The Beatles and Frank Sinatra and is famously the home of Sooty.
The national competition is held every four years. Bradford was named UK City of Culture for 2025, following Derry/Londonderry in 2013, Hull in 2017 and Coventry in 2021.
Blackpool’s bid must be submitted in August, with the final three shortlisted places expected to be announced in the autumn and the winner selected in the new year.