The vision of Thornbury Town Councillors is to elevate Thornbury, building on the town’s cultural heritage to become the UK’s first Town of Culture.
An exciting opportunity has emerged for Thornbury following the launch of the UK Town of Culture 2028 competition, and Thornbury Town Council has formally taken the first step towards participating.
At a Full Council meeting held on 28 January, councillors resolved to submit an Expression of Interest to the competition. This decision follows growing enthusiasm from across the community, with several local organisations approaching councillors to express their interest in and support for a potential bid. These include Thornbury Community Arts and the Thornbury Arts Festival, among others.
The UK Town of Culture 2028 competition is a nationwide programme inviting towns across the UK to tell their unique cultural story and set out how they would deliver an inclusive and ambitious cultural programme that brings communities together. The competition is open to towns of all sizes and will assess bids based on cultural vision, accessibility and inclusion, and the ability to successfully deliver a programme.
To take this work forward, a focused group of councillors has been appointed to prepare and submit the bid by the 31 March deadline. The group will work closely with local arts, culture and community organisations to ensure the bid reflects Thornbury’s cultural identity, heritage and creativity, and the ambitions of the town and its communities.
Further updates will be shared as the process develops, including opportunities for local organisations, residents and stakeholders to contribute to shaping Thornbury’s cultural ambitions.
Residents who would like to learn more about the UK Town
of Culture 2028 competition can visit the Government website:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/first-ever-uk-town-of-culture-competition-to-restore-pride-in-communities