UK Towns Compete for £3M Cultural Prize

0:00On March 31st, today is the deadline for towns across the UK to submit their expressions of interest for the first ever town of culture competition run by the department for culture, media and sport. This one's for smaller spots, split into three categories by population, small under 20,000 people, medium from 20,000 to 75,000 and large over 75,000, one winner per category then an overall champ. It builds on the city of culture vibe, like Derry in 2012, Hull in 2017, Coventry in 2021, and Bradford coming up. Liverpool rocked as European capital of culture back in 2008. The big prize? Three million pounds for the overall winner to fund a killer cultural program in 2028 plus 250,000 pounds each for the other two finalists. Up northwest, over 20 towns are throwing their hats in, from Cheshire spots like Congleton,

1:01Crew and Mackelsfield to Greater Manchester's, Barry, Lay and Rochtdale. Lancashire's got Ackrington, Blackpool, Burnley and Morecam in the mix, while Mercy Side brings Birkenhead, Boodle and Prescott. Short list drops in the coming weeks, with each making the cut, getting 60,000 pounds to polish their full bids, due by autumn of 20. 66, finalists and the big winner get named early 2027. These bids could spark real cultural fire in overlooked towns, drawing crowds, cash and pride ahead of that 2028 spotlight.