Three Scottish locations have been shortlisted for the UK's first ever Town of Culture award, even though two of them are not traditional towns. Lerwick, the capital of the Shetland Islands and the archipelago's largest settlement, is shortlisted in the small towns category. It is joined by the Isle of Bute, located off the Ayrshire coast, which was named the best place to live in Scotland by The Sunday Times in 2022.
Shortlisted Towns and Categories
The 15 shortlisted towns were selected from nearly 400 applicants and will receive £60,000 to develop full bids to win the award in 2028, in conjunction with 2029's City of Culture award. The winning town will be crowned "UK Town of Culture 2028," receiving a £3 million government grant and hosting a season of culture that year.
The shortlisted towns are split into three categories: small towns include Ilfracombe, Isle of Bute, Lerwick, Sandown, Strabane, and Stockton Town Centre Ward; medium towns include Corby, Great Yarmouth, Leith, Pontypridd, and Port Talbot; large towns include Basildon, Birkenhead, Grimsby, and Rotherham. Runners-up will receive a £250,000 grant.
Judges' Comments
The Sunday Times judges said of Bute: "Bute stands head and shoulders above all the other Scottish Islands for commutability, and it’s full of adventurous locals fizzing with ideas to make their neighbourhoods shine." Described by judges as a "breath of fresh air," Leith was noted for its diversity, creative roots, and trendy places to eat.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: "The fact that we received so many applications just goes to show how proud people are of their towns. When I launched this competition, I wanted to shine a light on our amazing towns all across the UK and the huge contribution they make to our national life."
Background and Impact
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is also running its fifth UK City of Culture award, with previous winners being Derry-Londonderry in 2013, Hull in 2017, Coventry in 2021, and Bradford in 2025. The winner of that competition will receive a £10 million prize for cultural activities, restoring pride in local areas, and securing growth.
The Town of Culture shortlist was decided by an independent panel chaired by Brookside, Grange Hill, and Hollyoaks creator Sir Phil Redmond. He said: "The response to the competition has been, to say the least, overwhelming, quite literally from all four corners of the UK. It has been fantastic that nearly 400 towns have come forward, sharing their sense of pride, ambition, and desire to demonstrate how much they have and continue to contribute to our national story."
