Today (14 January) the UK government has announced that it will launch a competition to find the first ever UK Town of Culture.
The purpose of this competition is to find towns that will drive the Government’s Plan for Change.
Towns across the UK, can submit their Expressions of Interest now.
Sir Phil Redmond will lead an expert panel, judging towns on the way they’ll tell their unique story, how they’ll bring everyone in a community together, and how towns will deliver on their vision. The strongest bids will progress to a shortlist, with each shortlisted town receiving £60,000 to help deliver their full bids for the competition.
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, from refreshed community infrastructure to electric music festivals.
The deadline for Expressions of Interest for UK Town of Culture 2028 is 31 March 2026, with the shortlist of towns expected to be announced this Spring.
With this in mind, we thought we’d recommend some of our favourite West Midlands towns that should definitely be up for consideration.
1. Stratford-Upon-Avon
Consistently ranked as one of the most visited towns in the West Midlands. Stratford-upon-Avon is known worldwide as the birthplace of William Shakespeare. With more than, 2.5 million visitors a year, this is a strong contender for the UK Town of Culture competition, due to its rich literary heritage. | Emma Walker
2. Leek
Known as the 'Queen of the Staffordshire Moorlands', Leek is a former textile town with a long and fascinating history. Leek is a market town in the county of Staffordshire, not the West Midlands. Staffordshire is part of the larger West Midlands region. | Charlesdrakew, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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3. Warwick
Full of historical architecture, chief among them is Warwick Castle which was built in the 12th century. According to the most recent census, the town has a population of 37,267. | Warwick Castle
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4. Ludlow
This medieval town, which was established in the late 11th century following the Norman conquest of England. It is situated on the eastern bank of a bend in the River Teme and is located on a tiny hill. It is a 1 hour 44 minutes drive away from Birmingham. | Fabian Musto, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons