We all know about the UK City of Culture award following Hull’s year in the spotlight almost a decade ago in 2017. In hopes to replicate the success of the City of Culture, the Government has now announced a new Town of Culture competition which is to be launched from 2028.
In recent weeks and months, countless towns from across the UK have registered interest in the new competition. Three categories based on population were established.
- Small town – Under 20,000 people
- Medium town – 20,000 – 75,000 people
- Large town – Over 75,000 people
A finalist will be named from each category and an overall winner will be named. The winner will be awarded £3m to deliver a cultural programme in 2028, whilst the other two finalists will receive £250,000.
The East Yorkshire market town of Pocklington is set to throw its hat into the ring. Despite being less than 14 miles from York, Pocklington is within the East Riding Council boundaries, and with just over 10,000 people, the town would firmly be in the ‘small town’ category.
Kick-starting the town’s efforts on February 17, the inaugural meeting of the ‘Pocklington Town Culture Bid 2028’ took place in the town’s Arts Centre. Twenty seven organisations representing sports clubs, the arts, businesses and volunteers attended, with a number of individuals also attending.
The bid is being led by the charity, Pocklington Rugby in the Community (PRITC). PRITC Chair Andy Bowden said: “It was great to see so many organisations with such positive support for our bid. It’s clear that Pocklington and the surrounding area has so much to offer in terms of our culture.”
I took a trip to Pocklington to see what such an award would mean for the town, and more importantly, for the people who call it home. As well as being impressed by the sheer number of ‘good mornings’ I received when walking around the town, I was also pleasantly surprised to see how many people were aware of, and excited by, the Town of Culture bid.
I had a lovely stroll around Burnby Hall Gardens, where the Assistant Estate Manager Peter Rogers, backed the idea of the town being given the award. “Anything that boosts the profile of Pocklington is welcome”, he said.
He also explained that currently around 90% of the 100,000 annual visitors to the gardens come from a 30 mile radius of the town. It is hoped the award could help widen that radius, making people from further afield aware of the town as a potential day out, or weekend away.
I also spoke to Louise Hugill, the owner of Dilly Dally, in the town centre. Louise said Pocklington is “such a vibrant town. All the shops are busy. “For people coming to visit there is a good afternoon’s worth of things to do.”
Many other people who briefly stopped for a chat expressed positivity about the bid, with people seemingly being well aware of the benefits the City of Culture had for Hull. The Government’s website states: “Research has shown that for the UK City of Culture programme more than 70% of attendees to UK City of Culture events feel a greater sense of pride.
“We also know that the benefits for places extend well beyond their title period, leading to a lasting legacy of social and cultural change. We expect to see similar benefits for the UK Town of Culture.”
There are 11 criteria listed, on which the towns will be judged. Whilst Pocklington would likely thrive in a number of criteria regarding a ‘compelling local story’ and accessibility, due it likely being one of the smallest town to enter, it could struggle with with some of the more logistical criteria such as providing “evidence of capacity, capability, and effective processes to deliver the programme successfully.”
By: Andrew Spence, LDRS
