Stockport in competition with over 400 other places to become UK Town of Culture

Following the launch of the inaugural UK Town of Culture competition last year, more than 398 bids have been submitted, representing over 400 hopeful towns from across the country, including Stockport.

The UK Town of Culture competition, together with the UK City of Culture competition, will shine a light on local visions and voices from across the UK, which will encourage local investment, create a lasting sense of pride, and open doors to the arts for everyone.

As part of the competition’s submissions, every bidding town has been invited to submit a postcard to champion their bid. These have been showcased by National Museums Liverpool to celebrate the diversity of each and every town that has participated in the competition. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and chair of the independent panel judging the bids, Sir Phil Redmond, visited the museum to see the display ahead of the shortlist for the competition, which will be announced in the coming weeks.

Chair of the independent panel, Sir Phil Redmond said: 

“The number of towns that have entered the competition is incredible. It is a distinct moment in its own right, when people overwhelmingly wanted to demonstrate the sense of pride they have in their own communities. 

“It is why we invited every one of them to send a postcard, a snapshot, of where they are, who they are, and how taken together, each contributes to our shared national story. 

“The postcards, along with their initial bids will form part of our national archive so future generations can look back and appreciate this significant cultural moment of history.”

Laura Pye, Director of National Museums Liverpool, said:

“It is a great honour to welcome the Secretary of State to Museum of Liverpool, a venue built to celebrate a city’s history, culture and people, past and present.

“The Museum of Liverpool is itself a lasting legacy of Liverpool’s year as European Capital of Culture. It stands as a powerful reminder that investment in culture creates benefits that endure long after the spotlight has moved on – not only in our buildings and public spaces, but in the confidence, pride and opportunities it creates for communities.

“We wish the hopeful towns every success and look forward to seeing how their ambitious cultural visions continue to inspire local communities and visitors alike.”

The winner of the UK Town of Culture competition will go on to host a season of culture in 2028, which will help them to deliver a long-lasting legacy of cultural participation and local pride as has been seen in previous winners of the UK City of Culture competition.

Last year, as UK City of Culture 2025, Bradford led a showstopping cultural programme of 5,000 events – over 75% of which were free – that pulled in an audience of three million, involved over 800 organisations, and resulted in capital investment for more than 30 local cultural organisations. Bradford’s year in the spotlight also led to increased opportunities for local people to get involved with events, with over 100,000 residents taking part in key projects throughout the year. 

All entries and postcards, including Stockport’s, can be explored in a new interactive UK Town of Culture map. After the display, the postcards will remain within the National Museums Liverpool’s national collection in recognition of the importance that this moment represents for the UK.