Parish and town councils secure funding as UK Town of Culture competition reaches next stage

Three parish and town council-backed bids have secured government funding after being shortlisted in the first UK Town of Culture competition. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has announced the 15 shortlisted towns, with Corby, Ilfracombe and Sandown among those progressing to the next stage.

Each shortlisted town will receive £60,000 to develop a full bid ahead of the final assessment by an independent judging panel. One finalist will be selected from each category before the overall UK Town of Culture is announced early next year.

The successful parish and town council-backed bids are:

• Corby Town Council in Northamptonshire — Shortlisted in the Medium Town category. Corby's bid aims to raise the town's national profile, celebrate its unique identity and challenge misconceptions through a programme of cultural events, heritage projects, community participation and public realm improvements delivered in partnership with local organisations.
• Ilfracombe Town Council in Devon — Shortlisted in the Small Town category. Developed through the One Ilfracombe partnership, the bid highlights the town's rich heritage, thriving creative community and growing cultural reputation, building on assets including its historic harbour, festivals, the Landmark Theatre and Verity.
• Sandown Town Council in the Isle of Wight — Shortlisted in the Small Town category. Its Tide Turners vision places culture at the heart of regeneration, bringing together arts, science, placemaking and community participation to celebrate the town's seaside heritage and support its future renewal.

The funding will enable each town to strengthen its proposals before the next stage of the competition.

The success of these bids demonstrates the important role parish and town councils play in championing culture, bringing partners together and helping communities celebrate their heritage, creativity and identity. It also highlights how councils are driving regeneration and creating opportunities for residents through ambitious, community-led initiatives.

We congratulate Corby Town Council, Ilfracombe Town Council and Sandown Town Council on reaching the next stage of the competition and wish them every success with their final bids.