Middlesbrough in the running for UK City of Culture title
A place on the longlist unlocks the next stage of bidding and a bold vision for national recognition
Middlesbrough has been named on the longlist to become UK City of Culture 2029, marking a major moment for the town’s increasing cultural ambitions.
The Teesside town (big enough to be considered a city for the purposes of this) is the only North East location among nine places selected by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, alongside Blackpool, Inverness-Highland, Ipswich, Milton Keynes, Portsmouth, Sheffield, Swindon and Wrexham.
Each will now receive £60,000 to develop a full bid, with the overall winner - to be announced later this year - set to receive £10 million to deliver a year-long programme of cultural activity.
For Middlesbrough, the bid is designed to build on a period of sustained investment and a growing cultural profile, with plans also tying into preparations for the town’s 200th anniversary in 2030-31 and its role as host of the Turner Prize in 2026.
Mayor Chris Cooke said the bid draws directly on Middlesbrough’s identity and future ambitions.
“Our bid takes Middlesbrough’s motto, ‘Erimus’, - which translates to ‘We Shall Be’ - literally,” he said.
“It brings together our history as an industrial powerhouse with our ambition to become the UK’s most creative place.
“I am delighted that we’ve been longlisted for what would be a once in a generation opportunity to celebrate the creativity of our residents, artists and businesses and change how people view Middlesbrough.”
The proposed City of Culture programme would be led by Middlesbrough Council, Teesside University and the Middlesbrough Cultural Partnership - a network of more than 30 arts and heritage organisations and freelancers - and would extend across the Tees Valley.
Plans for the bid focus on using culture to bring people together, reimagine the town’s future and build on its reputation as a place of invention and resilience.
Cllr Philippa Storey, Deputy Mayor and executive member for culture at Middlesbrough Council, said the bid was an opportunity to showcase local talent on a much wider stage.
“We are proud of Middlesbrough, its history and its people and we want to show off that spirit to the world,” she said.
“Bidding to become UK City of Culture champions our local artists and provides a showcase for work made in Middlesbrough to regional, national and international audiences.
“From iron and steel, we’ve always been a town that builds things - and this bid is out rediscovering that ‘Made in Middlesbrough’ mindset and showing the world what we can achieve.”
The longlisting follows a decade of targeted cultural development in the town, underpinned by its 10-year Creative Vision launched in 2023.
A £4.25 million investment from the Cultural Development Fund has supported improvements to key venues including Middlesbrough Central Library, art gallery MIMA and The Auxiliary, which runs Middlesbrough Art Week.
Dr Laura Sillars, director of MIMA and dean of culture and creativity at Teesside University, said the recognition reflects a wider shift in the town’s cultural confidence.
“Middlesbrough is magnetic right now, artists, creatives, designers and digital businesses are gathering here to grow their practices and their businesses - our incredible industrial sublime landscape creates a generative backdrop and diverse communities generate a sense of possibility.
“Being named as a contender for UK City of Culture comes out of decades of creative collaboration and a tangible tipping point that has taken place in the last five years as the creative community scaled. It is not a surprise we have been shortlisted, but it is a delight!
“At MIMA and Teesside University, we believe deeply in the power of culture to transform places and people’s lives,” she continued. “Our successful bid to host the Turner Prize in 2026 is a testament to that belief.
“Hosting one of the world’s most significant art awards not only shines a national spotlight on Middlesbrough but also strengthens the foundations for our City of Culture bid by demonstrating our ability to deliver world class cultural programming and to create opportunities for our communities to participate, create and celebrate.
“We look forward to supporting the next stage of the bid and to showcasing all that Middlesbrough has to offer as a place of innovation, creativity and cultural vibrancy.”
The UK City of Culture competition, held every four years, is designed to use culture as a driver for economic growth, regeneration and civic pride. Previous hosts including Hull, Coventry and current title-holder Bradford have demonstrated the potential for long-term impact, from increased tourism to sustained investment in cultural infrastructure.
The three most impressive bids from places that reach the shortlist but are not selected as the winner will receive £125,000 each to help them to take forward elements of their bid.
Alongside the city competition, more than 230 places have registered interest in the inaugural UK Town of Culture programme, aimed at smaller communities.
In the North East, a crowd of towns have already put themselves forward for the 2029 title: Blyth, North Shields, Berwick, Cramlington, Bishop Auckland, Jarrow and Alnwick are among them.
The shortlist for UK City of Culture 2029 is expected later this year, with Middlesbrough now working to develop a detailed bid that sets out how culture could shape the town’s next chapter.
Like all creatives living in Middlesbrough, I welcome this news, and I hope we can all work together to make it happen.