Rotherham makes UK Town of Culture 2028 shortlist
The South Yorkshire town has made it to the final 15 out of around 400 contenders, with its eye on a £3m grant for cultural events if successful.
Rotherham will now receive £60,000 to develop its full bid. The town will be directly competing with Basildon, Birkenhead, and Grimsby in the large town category.
Also included in the final 15 are small towns Ilfracombe, Isle of Bute, Lerwick, Sandown, Strabane, and Stockton Town Centre Ward, and medium towns Corby, Great Yarmouth, Leith, Pontypridd, and Port Talbot.
One town from each category will be selected for the final shortlist, with the runners-up receiving a £250,000 grant.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is also running its fifth UK City of Culture award, with previous winners being Derry-Londonderry (2013), Hull (2017), Coventry (2021), and Bradford (2025).
City of Culture winners receive £10m to spend on cultural events throughout the year.
Some of Rotherham’s potential venues include Clifton Park, Rother Valley Country Park, and Wentworth Woodhouse, a stately home which has become a cultural destination following a £5m restoration project undertaken by Donald Insall.
Cllr Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council, said: “The shortlisting for UK Town of Culture 2028 is great news for Rotherham and great recognition of the hard work over many years of the whole partnership.
“From becoming the world’s first Children’s Capital of Culture to the Women’s Euros and our growing local events programme, Rotherham has shown how cultural events can inspire people and bring communities together.
“Our bid was based not on some abstract art, but on the real experience of our community, the people who live here, and the highs and lows we’ve been through together.
“We have an incredible story to tell – and not necessarily the story others might impose on us. It’s supported by iconic landmarks such as Wentworth Woodhouse and Clifton Park to events like the Rotherham Show that are woven into the fabric of our lives.
“This shortlist is a tribute to everyone who contributes to making Rotherham such a vibrant and welcoming place.”
Lisa Nandy, secretary of state for culture, media and sport, said: “Rotherham wears its Yorkshire identity with real pride, and they’re rightly proud of their incredibly rich cultural life.
“Like so many of our great industrial towns, its strength comes from that deep sense of community and from the creativity of the people who call it home. I’m very excited to see how Rotherham makes its case to be the first ever UK Town of Culture.”
