Town of Culture
Weston-super-Mare is bidding to become the UK’s first Town of Culture in 2028!
Weston-super-Mare has always been a place full of creativity, from theatres, galleries and festivals to murals, street art and unexpected, unforgettable seaside spectacles. Over the past decade the town has hosted internationally recognised moments like Dismaland and SEE MONSTER which has put Weston on the map. Meanwhile local artists, communities and organisations continue to shape a lively programme of events and creative activity all year round.
Now Weston is putting that creative energy forward in a bid to become UK Town of Culture 2028.
UK Town of Culture is a new national competition that celebrates towns with strong identities, creative ambition and a great story to tell. The winning town will host a year of arts, heritage and community activity, bringing together local people, artists, organisations and visitors to tell the story of the place they call home.
For Weston-super-Mare, this is about building on what already exists, the creativity, the communities, the coastline and the confidence of a town that continues to surprise people. It’s a chance to shine a light on the people and projects already shaping Weston, while creating new opportunities for residents, young people, artists and local organisations.
Whether or not the town is ultimately selected, the bid is already bringing partners and communities together around a shared ambition: to celebrate Weston’s creativity and shape its future together.
Towns across the UK can put themselves forward through a national competition run by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The first step is submitting an Expression of Interest, which sets out the town’s story, its ideas and how local people could benefit.
A shortlist of towns will then be invited to develop a full bid, with funding to help shape their plans with the community. From there, three finalists will be chosen, and one will be named UK Town of Culture 2028, receiving £3 million to bring a year of events and activity to life.
If Weston-super-Mare is successful, it could mean a year of events, performances, exhibitions and creative projects taking place across the town, from the seafront to neighbourhood spaces.
It would be a chance to shine a spotlight on Weston nationally, support artists and organisations locally, attract visitors and create opportunities for residents to take part. Most importantly, it would build on the creativity already here and help shape an exciting future for the town.
The bid for UK Town of Culture 2028 is being supported by a plethora of local organisations, councils and cultural groups working together to showcase Weston-super-Mare’s creative strengths.
On 2nd July 2026 we submitted a digital postcard showcasing what makes our town so special. Take a look at our entry and explore inspiring submissions from towns across the UK on the official UK Town of Culture Digital Map:
Frequently Asked Questions