The full list of 20 UK places bidding to become City of Culture 2025 - from Cornwall to Stirling

More places in the UK have put in bids to be awarded the next City of Culture than ever before, with applications from all four corners of the country.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said a record 20 places have expressed an interest in hosting a year of cultural festivities in 2025.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “This record number of applications from all four corners of the country is testament to the huge success of the City of Culture in generating investment, creating jobs and boosting local pride.

“This prestigious prize creates a fantastic opportunity for towns and cities to build back better from the pandemic and I wish all bidders the very best of luck.”

Here is everything you need to know about it.

Who is bidding?

There is a bid from each UK nation, and for the first time, groups of towns have been able to join together and apply for the title to be awarded to their area.

The long list includes Wolverhampton, Stirling in Scotland, Conwy County in Wales and a joint application from Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon in Northern Ireland.

The full list of bidders for UK City of Culture 2025 are:

  • Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
  • The City of Bangor and Northwest Wales
  • The Borderlands region, comprising Dumfries and Galloway, Scottish Borders, Northumberland, Cumbria and Carlisle City
  • Bradford
  • Conwy County
  • Cornwall
  • Derby
  • County Durham
  • Lancashire
  • Medway
  • City of Newport
  • Powys
  • Southampton
  • Stirling
  • The Tay Cities region
  • Torbay and Exeter
  • Wakefield District
  • City of Wolverhampton
  • Wrexham County Borough
  • Great Yarmouth and East Suffolk

How will the winner be decided?

It is hoped the title will help areas recover from the coronavirus pandemic (Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)It is hoped the title will help areas recover from the coronavirus pandemic (Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
It is hoped the title will help areas recover from the coronavirus pandemic (Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

The competition to find the City of Culture 2025 was launched by Oliver Dowden in June.

Whichever city or group of towns wins the competition will need a “strong and unique vision for their future growth”, according to DCMS.

And they must show how celebrating local heritage and culture can bring communities together, it added.

Those bidding will also be asked to demonstrate how investment in culture and creativity will drive growth, how they will open up access to culture and to develop partnerships and celebrate links with places across the UK.

Bids will be assessed by an independent 11-member panel chaired by television screenwriter and creator of Brookside and Hollyoaks, Sir Phil Redmond.

The 20 bidders will be reduced to an initial longlist in the coming weeks and then cut down further to a final shortlist in early 2022. The winner will be announced in May 2022.

Those which are longlisted will be awarded grants of £40,000 for the first time to support the next stage of their applications.

Entrants have been tasked by the Government with proving that they can put culture at the heart of their plans to recover from the impact of the pandemic.

The successful area will take on the baton from Coventry, which is the 2021 UK City of Culture, with Hull and Derry-Londonderry having previously enjoyed the status in 2017 and 2013 respectively.

DCMS said Coventry is currently providing a “blueprint for how culture can be at the heart of social and economic recovery” as the country battles out of the coronavirus pandemic.

How does the winner benefit?

It is hoped the title will help areas recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

Since its win, Coventry has received more than £15.5 million from the Government to directly support its year of arts and culture programmes, DCMS said.

The city has also attracted another £100 million so far in capital investment to support cultural projects, such as Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, Coventry Cathedral and Belgrade Theatre, among others.

During its 12-month tenure, Hull saw more than 5.3 million visits to more than 2,800 events, cultural activities, installations and exhibitions, while 75 per cent of those who visited the Humber port city in 2017 stated that it changed their perception of the city for the better.

Nine out of 10 people in Hull thought that the UK City of Culture title had a positive impact on the city, and 90 per cent of residents took part in at least one cultural activity, according to department data.

A version of this article originally appeared on our sister title, NationalWorld