Westbury has taken the first step in its bid to become the UK’s first Town of Culture in 2028, with the town council submitting an expression of interest to the national competition.
The competition is run by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) and is inspired by the UK City of Culture programme. The winning town will be awarded £3 million to deliver a cultural programme in 2028 lasting around six months.
Councillor Mark Bailey, Chair of the Vision for Westbury committee which put the application together on behalf of the town council, said, “Initially, when the idea first came up, some councillors were doubtful as to whether we could put through a realistic bid, but actually, when we looked in detail, we realised that the town has so much to offer and to build on: an iconic national landmark, extraordinary history and heritage, a vibrant community, cultural events and festivals, and we have put together a strong application.
“Culture covers so much more than arts and performance. This is an opportunity to build on all this and for Westbury to show what we can do as a community.”
If Westbury were to receive funding, the application outlines the possibility of events tied to the town’s cultural heritage and industrial and railway history, based around Westbury White Horse and the town centre.
“Should we be lucky enough to be awarded the maximum £3 million, we would propose to invest in a redevelopment of the library area as a cultural hub, building on the proposals in the Vision for Westbury and Theory of Change documents to give a lasting legacy beyond 2028,” said Cllr Bailey.
The council has completed the first stage of the application by submitting an expression of interest, which will be reviewed by a panel of experts led by Sir Phil Redmond.
The strongest bids will progress to a shortlist. The DCMS will award a bid development grant of £60,000 for the shortlisted towns to use when preparing a full application.
Two finalist towns will each receive £250,000, with one town awarded £3 million to deliver its programme.
Pictured above: Deputy Mayor Mark Bailey with Mayor Jane Russ. Below: Westbury’s Wiltshire Chilli Fest
