Stuart Anderson MP has thrown his support behind applications made by two towns in South Shropshire - Bridgnorth and Ludlow - to feature in the multi-million Town of Culture Competition.
- Both Bridgnorth and Ludlow shared their applications with Stuart.
- Stuart endorsed both applications in letters to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy.
- The winning town will be awarded £3 million for cultural growth and renewal.
Stuart Anderson MP said:
“As part of my plan to attract investment and support cultural heritage in South Shropshire, I am delighted to support the applications that have been made by Bridgnorth and Ludlow to the Town of Culture Competition. Both towns in South Shropshire are very worthy candidates for the £3 million investment that the winning town will receive to deliver a programme of cultural renewal and growth in 2028. I am very proud of how communities in both towns came together to prepare their bids. This Competition has great potential to unleash rural prosperity in South Shropshire, bringing together businesses, community groups, and cultural organisations. It will celebrate the very best homegrown talent and our contribution to the rural economy.”
Stuart has endorsed applications submitted to the Town of Culture Competition, which will see the winning town equipped with £3 million to deliver a programme of cultural renewal and growth in the summer of 2028. Stuart has written letters of support for Bridgnorth and Ludlow, after the applications were shared with him. The letters have been sent to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy MP. In his letter, Stuart said that Bridgnorth is widely recognised as a leading market town and has proven its ability to host fantastic cultural events throughout the year, from car rallies to music festivals and 'Theatre on the Steps', to a ‘Step Back to the 1940s’ day at the Severn Valley Railway.
Meanwhile, Stuart has said that Ludlow boasts top live music events hosted at Ludlow Castle, regular artisan markets, and a national reputation as a culinary hub - not to mention its wonderful historic architecture. Stuart added that Ludlow has a vibrant cultural offering through the fantastic Assembly Rooms, brilliant local theatres, and dedicated volunteer groups, brought together by a very active and involved Town Council.
Stuart has thanked communities in both towns that came together to prepare their bids. This includes Westley Bone and ShireFolk for the work put in to gather such a wide body of support and put forward such a fantastic application for Bridgnorth. It also includes Gina Wilding and Ludlow Town Council for their work putting the application together for Ludlow, from conducting a survey to holding stakeholder meetings and engaging with a wide cross-section of the community.
The bids will be assessed by an independent expert advisory panel. The strongest will progress to a shortlist, with each shortlisted town receiving £60,000 to help deliver their full bid. Three finalists - one small, one medium, and one large town - will then be crowned UK Town of Culture 2028 and receive £3 million to deliver a cultural programme during the summer of 2028. The new competition will build on the successes of the UK City of Culture Programme, which has seen significant and lasting impacts across winning cities such as Hull and Coventry.
