Blackburn bids to become the UK’s first Town of Culture

Creative and community organisations are leading a bid for Blackburn to become the UK’s first ever Town of Culture.

Organisations including the National Festival of Making, Super Slow Way and the British Textile Biennial and the Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery are working with a wide range of local partners on the town’s expression of interest to Government.

And residents are being encouraged to get involved too.

This can be by sharing ideas through a new online portal or attending a drop-in event at Blackburn Library on Tuesday 24 March. Full details can be found below.

If successful, Blackburn could receive £3m in prize funding to host a full year of cultural activity celebrating the town’s creativity, heritage, and community spirit.

Jamie Holman, artist and passionate supporter of the town, said: "Blackburn has always been a place of invention and transformation.

"That spirit continues today in the creativity of our communities, the strength of our cultural organisations, and the ambition people have for the town’s future.

"This stage of the process is about listening, drafting responses to the application form, and building a shared vision from the outset.

"We are working with partners across Blackburn to ensure the bid reflects the people, stories, and creative energy that already exist here."

Blackburn’s national cultural profile continues to grow, highlights include:

• The adidas Spezial exhibition, part of the British Textile Biennial – a world-class showcase that could have been staged in any major city internationally
• The huge success of the National Festival of Making – including bringing critically celebrated artists to Blackburn through its headline commissioning programme, Art in Manufacturing, which pairs creative talent with leading UK manufacturers, many based locally
• Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery – the first purpose-built museum outside of London – it recently celebrated its 150th anniversary and hosted its most ambitious exhibition yet, The Nature of Gothic, featuring national treasures, including many from its own collection, which also boasts Turners that were recently on show too
• New public art – including a striking new piece of public art by Jamie Holman that celebrates the first ever Western film being made in the town by Victorian filmmakers, Mitchell and Kenyon, and Floral Time Keepers by Morag Myerscough

Major investment is strengthening the town’s cultural infrastructure too, including £14 million for King George’s Hall, expansion of The Making Rooms, and the transformation of The Exchange into a new cultural hub.

And Blackburn Cathedral is marking its centenary with a major programme of events, while organisations including Culturapedia and Bureau Centre for the Arts provide a year-round programme of activity.

In addition to all of this, music initiatives like Blackburn Gigs, Night at the Museum, and The Confessional are also supporting the town’s live music scene and night-time economy.

Councillor Phil Riley, leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "Blackburn has an impressive cultural story to tell, and this is a fantastic opportunity to share it with the rest of the UK.

"Over the past decade, we’ve seen an impressive cultural renaissance – from transforming empty spaces into venues for international events, to welcoming tens of thousands of visitors through the National Festival of Making and hosting hugely ambitious exhibitions at Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery.

"There is so much to celebrate and be proud of. This hasn’t happened by accident either – it’s the result of hard work, strong partnerships, new investment, and a shared ambition for residents and visitors to enjoy a quality cultural programme that might not always be expected in a town of our size.

"If successful, this would be a huge moment for Blackburn – an opportunity to celebrate our story, build on the momentum we’ve created, and deliver an exciting year of cultural activity in 2028."

As part of the expression of interest, the organisations behind the bid, supported by the council, have already been engaging with a wide range of groups across the area – from education and youth services to arts, culture, music, health, and wellbeing organisations and more.

It comes after Lancashire Business View reported about how Morecambe had joined Chorley and Blackpool in bidding to become the UK Town of Culture.

The winner of UK Town of Culture will receive £3m, while the two other finalists will each receive £250,000 to deliver an ambitious programme of cultural activity in 2028.

Once submitted later this month, the bid will be reviewed by Government. The best small, medium, and large towns from the full applications will each receive £60,000 to develop their ideas. These could include cultural projects in neighbourhoods, the town centre, and green spaces.

Creating a lasting impact will be a key priority, so community input through the portal and at the drop-in event is crucial.

Get Involved

Online: Please share your ideas via the new Blackburn UK Town of Culture portal, its quick and easy to do and your feedback is incredibly valuable. You can access the portal now using this link.

In-person: You are invited to attend a drop-in event at Blackburn Library on Tuesday 24 March. The session will run between 1 and 3pm. There you’ll be able to share your ideas with representatives from organisations leading the bid.