Bury St Edmunds to Bid for Town of Culture 2028

I was very excited to hear about the Government’s recent decision to expand its UK City of Culture programme to include towns. I can think of nowhere more deserving of the title of the UK’s Town of Culture than our very own Bury St Edmunds.

Last week, I held a roundtable discussion with key local stakeholders to begin shaping an Expression of Interest for the bid. The meeting brought together representatives from culture, heritage, education, faith groups and community organisations, who all reflected a shared ambition to celebrate Bury St Edmunds’ rich heritage while developing a more inclusive, youth-focused and forward-looking cultural offer.

The proposed bid will highlight the town’s existing strengths, including its history, tourism offer, food and drink, café culture, theatre, green spaces and strong tradition of community-led activity. Participants also emphasised the importance of reaching communities who may not traditionally engage with cultural activity and ensuring the bid leaves a meaningful and lasting legacy for both the town and surrounding villages.

Bury St Edmunds has an extraordinary cultural story to tell, rooted in its history but very much alive in its communities today. What was especially encouraging about this meeting was the breadth of voices around the table and the shared commitment to making culture accessible, inclusive and relevant to everyone. A Town of Culture bid is an opportunity not just to celebrate what makes Bury special, but to invest in its future, support young people and ensure the benefits are felt right across the town and surrounding villages.

I am excited to see the progress made on the bid, and I will share updates as work continues on developing a confident, inclusive and community-led Expression of Interest for Town of Culture 2028.