Grimsby officially enters UK Town of Culture race
The bid for UK Town of Culture 2028 is being backed by the council
Grimsby has officially entered the race to be crowned the first-ever UK Town of Culture. The bid for UK Town of Culture 2028 is backed by North East Lincolnshire Council and the new Horizon Youth Zone, with support from the creative and heritage sector – including actor Tommy Turgoose, local businesses, political leaders, and organisations.
An initial expression of interest will be submitted, ahead of a March 31 deadline, that will showcase Grimsby’s creative ambition. Reflecting on the town’s heritage, it aims to unleash the creative potential of the town’s children, young people and families.
The UK Town of Culture bid was endorsed by the Greater Grimsby Board at its meeting on Friday, February 27. “Grimsby has a powerful story to tell, and this bid brings together the ambition, creativity and resilience of our communities,” said council leader Cllr Philip Jackson (Conservative – Waltham Ward).
“Winning UK Town of Culture would accelerate the transformation already happening here and give our young people even greater opportunities to thrive. We are proud to put Grimsby forward and confident we can show the country what makes our town so special.”
Horizon Youth Zone’s chief executive Lucy Ottewell-Key said it was excited to be working with the council on Grimsby’s bid. “Our young people are leading the charge, they are creative, fearless and ready to show the nation exactly what this town can do.
“This opportunity gives them a platform to step into the spotlight and shape the future they want to see. And as Simon Armitage, Poet Laureate, wrote in the specially commissioned poem to celebrate our opening, ‘step forward, the future starts at your feet.’ ”
Workshops
The council and Horizon are asking everyone to help shape the expression of interest and ‘back the bid’ by using #GY28 in social media posts, by completing a short survey, available here: https://tell-us.questionpro.eu/GY28 , or participating in workshops throughout March. Events where you can ‘Back the Bid’ include:
2025 Group – Grimsby Town Regeneration update, Tuesday March 3, 5:30 to 8pm. Tickets on Eventbrite
Create NEL drop in on March 5, 10am to noon, The Business Hive, 13 Dudley Street, Grimsby DN31 2AW (no need to book).
Our Future’s Our House on March 9 & 10, 5pm – Tickets on Eventbrite.
Grimsby UK Town of Culture 2028 Workshop – Wednesday March 11, 2pm – 4pm, Weston Hall, YMCA Humber – Tickets on Eventbrite.
Love Grimsby on March 21 – Find out more about the event.
The UK Town of Culture competition follows the UK City of Culture programme, which was hosted in 2017 by Hull.
It led to a 10 per cent boost in tourism to the city, and more than £300m investment.
Shortlisted towns will be announced in Spring. Final bids will be due in the Autumn, and the winner announced in early 2027. £3m will be awarded to the overall winner to deliver a year-long cultural programme in 2028. Two runners-up will each receive £250,000.
Grimsby & Cleethorpes MP, Melanie Onn (Labour), said from the moment she floated the idea of a bid, it was clear that it should belong to the people of the area. “This plan reflects their ambition, their creativity and their determination to shape the town’s cultural future on their own terms.”
She added what excited her most was the role of young people in shaping the bid. “Their energy and ideas sit at the heart of this application.”
For David Ross, Grimsby-born arts philanthropist, former Chair of the National Portrait Gallery, Chair of David Ross Education Trust and Chair of the Greater Grimsby Board, “Culture has the power to open doors and raise aspirations.”
“Grimsby is a place brimming with untapped potential,” he said, backing the bid. The bid builds on major investment in culture in North East Lincolnshire in recent years, including the opening of the Horizon Youth Zone.
Since 2023, spearheaded by Create North East Lincolnshire, more than £9.45m of investment has been secured by local organisations. This has involved collaborating in more than 100 funding bids to organisations like Arts Council England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
“Local voices will be at the heart of GY28,” said Cllr Hayden Dawkins (Conservative – Humberston and New Waltham Ward), portfolio holder for culture, heritage and the visitor economy. We’ve seen an incredible cultural shift in recent years, driven by local artists, organisations and volunteers. UK Town of Culture gives us a chance to go even further.”
To find out more and print off a poster to indicate support, go to: www.nelincs.gov.uk/uk-town-of-culture .