Sleaford puts in bid for UK Town of Culture
Towns have until the end of March 31 to put forward their initial expression of interest for the government’s new Town of Culture scheme, and Sleaford has thrown its hat into the ring just in time for the deadline.
The competition seeks to highlight the essential role towns play in the national cultural landscape by showcasing their unique identity, history and creativity, while promoting local economic growth, cultural engagement and civic pride.
The Town of Culture competition is being run by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, modelled on the UK City of Culture scheme which was launched in 2009 with Bradford being the latest. In turn this was inspired by the European Capital of Culture contest, which was awarded to Liverpool in 2008.
Shortlisted places will be announced in the coming weeks, with each getting a grant of £60,000 to complete their full application, which will need to be submitted by the autumn of 2026.
There are three categories based on population: small town (less than 20,000 people); medium (20,000 - 75,000 people); large (75,000+). There will be a winner in each category and an overall winner which will receive £3m for a cultural programme in 2028, and the two other finalists will receive £250,000 each to put on part of their bid.
Sleaford joins other Lincolnshire towns who have thrown their hat in the ring for the prize, including Boston, Skegness, Grantham, Spalding and Stamford, with Sleaford drawing upon its rich heritage, creative spirit and distinctive characteristics.
The expression of interest has been drawn up and promoted by the Sleaford Culture & Heritage Forum, bringing together representatives from museums, arts organisations, theatre, heritage sites, community groups and both district and town councils.
The bid is based on Sleaford’s ancient roots as an important centre for Iron Age makers, its Medieval significance, honouring centuries of cultural, agricultural and industrial advancements, and celebrating contemporary creativity around its national centre for craft and design. Success would see a year-long programme of arts, activity and community-enrichment centred on the theme, ‘Blue & Green Threads’, celebrating the town’s rich heritage, its creative spirit and its distinctive ‘blue-green’ corridors along its river.
Consisting of three strands – Made in Sleaford, Blue & Green Town and When in Sleaford – it seeks to highlight local innovation, expand access to nature, and animate everyday places with culture.
The bid prioritises youth leadership, environmental stewardship, skills development and inclusive, low cost cultural experiences, positioning Sleaford as a “Blueprint for a Green Town” and strengthening pride, connection and identity across the community. Sleaford Museum Trust chairman Mark Bamford chairs the forum. He felt that in making such a strong and locally-distinct Town of Culture bid, the partners were expressing a shared confidence in the town and its capacity for bringing forwards further cultural enrichment and celebration of arts and heritage.
“The Forum initially met earlier in the year to discuss a potential application. From that a shared vision was shaped, strengths identified and opportunities for collaboration explored,” he said.
Further engagement with partners has led to a with wider vision that emphasises sustainability, legacy, and building capacity to ensure benefits long after 2028, said Mr Bamford.
Applications must address three core criteria around telling the town’s story, designing an inclusive cultural programme accessible to all residents, and demonstrating strong partnerships, community leadership and deliverability to make it happen.
“I feel we have made a very strong case on all those fronts that is ambitious but appropriate,” said Mark. “Both aspirational and realistic. And rooted in realism, but also with an eye to inspiring betterment for all and activity long-term.
“This is a such an exciting opportunity for Sleaford, but even if we don’t succeed in winning an eventual prize and of being the ‘Town of Culture’ in 2028, through this process, the exploration of what makes Sleaford ‘Sleaford’, and the drawing together of such a strong collaborative partnership, the town will be in a better place to showcase its strengths and to have more confidence in itself as a place.
“We’ve shown what we’re capable of in Sleaford over many decades of promoting music, theatre and public art, through the historic carnivals, the Olympic Torch Relay of 2012, the recent series of RiverLight festivals and
WinterLight events and much more besides. We’re short on neither ambition or talent and together we’re keen to create new opportunities for cultural engagement for the town.”
The Sleaford Culture & Heritage Forum’s bid will celebrate Sleaford’s unique cultural assets, including its heritage sites, vibrant creative community, and growing visitor economy; aligning these with the competition’s aims to foster pride, strengthen social cohesion and expand access to culture.
The application highlights collaborative partnerships, reflecting Government encouragement for towns to build strong local networks of cultural organisations, grassroots artists, leaders and residents – in which Sleaford is already well advanced through recent collaborations.
Should Sleaford be shortlisted, the Forum has outlined a timeline for deeper consultation, funding and resource planning, building support for local creatives and spelling out the roles for partners in the full bid