Back in January, a decision was taken to launch the UK Town of Culture award, with the UK City of Culture contest having been in place since 2009. The idea is that the competition will help to ‘restore pride in communities’ and applicants are encouraged to showcase any unique stories.
The three finalists will be chosen by a panel of experts, with the winning town given £3 million and the two runners-up receiving £250,000 apiece. Any towns that make it onto the shortlist will be given £60,000 funding towards their final bid and Guildford decided to put itself forward for the title, alongside other South East towns, in May.
The Bid Is Getting Support
The decision of Guildford Borough Council to launch a bid for the UK Town of Culture award has been made on the back of the area having ‘a powerful cultural story’ that is ‘rooted in its ancient heritage’ whilst also being ‘shaped by global influences’. That is the opinion of Councillor Vanessa King, whilst the likes of the G Live concert venue, the Guildford Business District and the University of Surrey have all put forward support for the bid. Other organisations have also been quick to come out in support of Guildford’s bid, with many believing that an injection of £3 million into the local economy would help hugely.
There are numerous other towns in the South East that have launched bids of their own, including Hastings, Eastbourne and Folkestone. Given the fact that Guildford has made an attempt to become a city in the past, it is probably fair to say that it is well-placed to appeal to judges in its bid to be considered one of the most culturally rich of the towns in the local area. Whether or not it has what it takes to win out against towns from all over the United Kingdom remains to be seen, but it is a battle that will be easier to take on with the support that is coming in for the bid from numerous different directions and businesses in the town.
Guildford’s Story
The Chair of the panel tasked with deciding the first UK Town of Culture for 2028 will be Sir Phil Redmond, who was the television producer behind hits such as Brookside, Hollyoaks and Grange Hill. He has said in the past that the panel will want to hear ‘passionate, authentic voices’ and that the pitches should focus on the ‘unique story’ of the town attempting to win the bid. With that in mind, the Guildford plan is to focus on the town’s links to literature, as well as technology and gaming. A spokesperson for the Guildford Borough Council was also quick to reiterate this idea.
There will be a number of ideas that will be taken on by the Guildford bid, including a town-wide installation called ‘The Guildford Quest’, which will look to draw upon the gaming industry links that are strong in the town. The town is also dripping in historical relevance, from the fact that Lewis Carroll once lived here through to the presence of Guildford Castle. The town’s impressive past can also be explored by visiting Guildford Museum, one of the countless different cultural locations in the town. That includes the aforementioned G Live, as well as a number of theatres and entertainment venues throughout the area.