Postcards from the North East's Town of Culture hopefuls
Nearly 400 entries from across the UK have been registered in the inaugural competition, with 19 North East towns hoping to make the cut when the shortlist is revealed later this month
Nineteen North East towns are awaiting news of whether they have made the shortlist for the inaugural UK Town of Culture competition after their bids were showcased in a national exhibition in Liverpool.
From Berwick to Redcar, the region is strongly represented among the 398 bids submitted to the inaugural competition.
Ahead of the shortlist announcement, expected by the end of July, each of the bidding towns was invited to create a postcard celebrating its identity and cultural ambitions.
The digital display was unveiled at the Museum of Liverpool this week where Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Lisa Nandy viewed the exhibition alongside judging panel chair Sir Phil Redmond.
She said: “Today we celebrate the local pride that has always existed in towns around the country within this amazing display of postcards from bidding towns.
“Through UK Town of Culture, I wanted to shine a light on our amazing towns all across the UK and the huge contribution they make to our national life.”
Phil Redmond added: “The number of towns that have entered the competition is incredible. It is a distinct moment in its own right, when people overwhelmingly wanted to demonstrate the sense of pride they have in their own communities.
“It is why we invited every one of them to send a postcard, a snapshot, of where they are, who they are, and how taken together, each contributes to our shared national story.
“The postcards, along with their initial bids will form part of our national archive so future generations can look back and appreciate this significant cultural moment of history.”
The successful town will host a year-long cultural programme in 2028, following in the footsteps of the UK’s City of Culture programme, with organisers hoping the competition itself will leave a lasting legacy for communities regardless of the final outcome.
You can view the interactive map and view all 398 postcards here.