Swindon fails in bid for UK City of Culture

Swindon will build on the momentum of its UK City of Culture campaign after its ambitious bid just missed out on the final shortlist.

While Swindon will not progress to the next stage of the competition, reaching the longlist represented a significant achievement and brought together residents, cultural organisations, businesses and community partners behind a shared ambition for the Borough.

The council and its partners are now determined to build on that platform, strengthen Swindon’s cultural offer and ensure the partnerships, ideas and energy generated by the campaign deliver a lasting legacy.

This morning, it was announced that Blackpool, Milton Keynes, Sheffield and Wrexham would be the ones who progress through to the next stage.

Developed in partnership between Swindon Culture Collective and the Council, the bid put Swindon’s growing confidence, creativity and ambition on a national stage, while challenging outdated perceptions of the town and starting a new conversation about its future.

The campaign also comes at an important moment for culture in Swindon, with the new administration working on the business case for a new theatre, which forms part of wider ambitions to strengthen the town centre and its cultural offer.

Councillor Matthew Vallender, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Planning and Regeneration, said: “Naturally, we’re disappointed not to progress further, but this isn’t the end of our ambition. Far from it. Swindon was one of just nine places across the country to make the longlist and we should be incredibly proud of that.

“We entered this competition because we wanted to challenge some of the negative perceptions of Swindon and tell a different story about our town, one built on its creativity, diversity, heritage, innovation and huge potential. This process has shown just how much we have to celebrate and how much more we can achieve.

“Now we need to be unapologetically ambitious. The Council, cultural organisations, businesses, communities and residents all have a part to play in building on what we’ve started, strengthening our cultural offer and turning that shared ambition into something lasting.

“We have a real opportunity to build on this momentum. This isn’t a ‘no’ to Swindon’s cultural ambitions. It’s a challenge to all of us to step up, strengthen our offer and put Swindon in an even stronger position for the future.”

The City of Culture campaign brought together cultural organisations, community groups, youth-led organisations, education, public sector partners, businesses and residents to explore how culture could help shape Swindon’s future.

More than 60 engagement events took place across the Borough during the development of the bid, with thousands of residents sharing their ideas, aspirations and ambitions. Further contributions were received through postcards, creative activities and online engagement.

Throughout the process, residents embraced the opportunity to think ambitiously about Swindon’s future, while the campaign created a platform for conversations about what the town could become and the contribution culture can make to its long-term success.

Nick Capstick, Chair, and Lucy Oliver-Harrison, Interim CEO of Prime Theatre, said: “We were delighted to be involved in Swindon’s UK City of Culture bid, ensuring young people’s voices, ideas and ambitions formed an integral part of it.

“The process has provided a unique opportunity for young people across Swindon to help shape the future of culture in their communities, working alongside artists, cultural organisations and the Council to share their aspirations.

“It has also shone a spotlight on Swindon’s incredibly rich and diverse cultural scene, of which we are proud to be a part. We are galvanised to ensure that the opportunities, connections and ambitions it has inspired continue.”

The bid also generated significant support from the business community, including Zurich, DoubleTree by Hilton Swindon and Gel Studios, demonstrating the appetite across different sectors to work together to support the town’s future.

Amy Brettell, Head of Zurich Municipal, said: “We are incredibly proud to have supported Swindon’s City of Culture bid and the ambition it showcased on a national stage. The process has demonstrated the creativity, pride and community spirit that make Swindon such a special place.

“Zurich has been part of the Swindon community for many years and we’re delighted to call the town home. The bid has brought people together behind a shared vision for the future, and we remain excited to work with local partners to build on that momentum and help make Swindon an even better place to live, work and thrive.”

Alongside raising Swindon’s national profile, the campaign has strengthened relationships between organisations across the Borough and created a valuable evidence base around residents’ ambitions and the economic and social contribution of arts, culture and heritage.

Councillor Vallender added: “One of the biggest achievements of this campaign is the coalition it has created. I want to thank every resident, artist, school, community organisation, business and partner that got behind Swindon and believed in what we could achieve together.

“That collective effort doesn't disappear because the competition has moved on. We have stronger partnerships, fresh ideas and a much clearer sense of what we want Swindon's cultural future to look like. Our job now is to turn that momentum into action.

“We have shown that Swindon deserves to have confidence in itself. Now let’s build on that.”

Rod Hebden, of Swindon Culture Collective, said: "As you may have heard, our journey in the UK City of Culture competition has come to an end, after just missing out on the final shortlist.

"While we’re disappointed not to progress to the next stage, reaching the longlist as one of just nine places across the UK is a huge achievement - and reflects the creativity, community spirit and determination that make Swindon unique.

"This bid was never just about a competition - it was about putting Swindon’s growing confidence, creativity, and ambition on the national stage, challenging negative perceptions of our town, and proving what we can achieve when we work together. We couldn’t be more proud of how the bid process brought together residents, cultural organisations, businesses and community partners behind a shared ambition for the Borough.

"Over the course of the campaign, more than 60 engagement events took place across the Borough. Thousands of residents, young people, local businesses, and community groups shared their visions for the future, creating new conversations, new partnerships and new opportunities to showcase Swindon’s creativity, innovation and spirit on a national stage.

"That shared energy has laid a powerful foundation. The bid process has brought together an incredible coalition of cultural organisations, community groups, youth-led organisations, education, public sector partners, businesses and residents to explore how culture could help shape Swindon’s future.

"Young people’s voices, ideas and ambitions were right at the heart of the bid, while the process has given us a rich evidence base outlining residents ambitions and the key role culture plays in our town's economic and social future. The process has shone a light on Swindon’s creativity, diversity, heritage, innovation and our huge potential.

"Looking ahead, we all have an opportunity to step up and build on this positive momentum, with stronger partnerships, fresh ideas and a much clearer sense of what our communities want Swindon's cultural future to look like.

"This isn't a pause on Swindon’s cultural ambitions - it’s a launchpad. Swindon Culture Collective and Swindon Borough Council are fully committed to turning the ideas, relationships, and energy generated by this process into a lasting legacy.

"Thank you to every artist, organisation, business, and resident who backed the bid and believed in what we could build together. We have every reason to be proud of where we are and unapologetically ambitious about where we’re going next.

"Let’s keep the conversations going and continue shaping the future of Swindon’s cultural scene together."