Basingstoke community invited to contribute ideas for UK Town of Culture bid
The winning town will receive a £3.5 million award to deliver a cultural programme
Basingstoke residents have the chance to help shape the town's bid to become the UK's first Town of Culture at a special event in the town centre next weekend.
The event will take place in the former WH Smith unit in The Malls Shopping Centre from 9.30am to 5pm on Saturday 28th February.
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council is collaborating with residents, community groups, businesses, and the arts and culture community to gather opinions and experiences.
These will form part of the bid, which aims to spotlight Basingstoke's unique cultural offerings and be submitted on Tuesday 31st March 2026.
This government-launched competition seeks to celebrate the cultural contributions of towns across the UK, with winners recognized in small, medium, and large-sized town categories, as well as an overall winner.
The winning town will receive a £3.5 million award to deliver a cultural programme during 2028.
Attendees at the pop-up event will be encouraged to share why they believe Basingstoke deserves the title, along with ideas for a potential year-long programme of cultural events.
Councillor Kerry Morrow, the Cabinet Member for Sports, Leisure and Culture, emphasized the importance of community input.
“The views and experiences of our communities will be central to our bid to become the UK's first ever Town of Culture and showcase why we are so proud of our borough," he said.