‘It’s inspiring to see our community coming together with such a wealth of ideas, energy, and pride in what our town has to offer’
Pocklington is one of a number of East Riding towns set to bid for the award(Image: Hull Live)
A second meeting of Pocklington‘s Town of Culture bid team has taken place. The town is one of a handful in the East Riding set to throw its hat in the ring for the lucrative new award.
In an attempt to replicate the success of the UK City of Culture award, the Government is establishing a new Town of Culture variant from 2028. Hopeful towns will be split into three categories:
- Small town – Under 20,000 people
- Medium town – 20,000 – 75,000 people
- Large town – Over 75,000 people
A finalist will be named from each category and an overall winner will be named. The winner will be awarded £3m to deliver a cultural programme in 2028, whilst the other two finalists will receive £250,000.
In February, Pocklington kicked off its efforts to claim the Town of Culture title when the ‘Pocklington Town Culture Bid 2028’ board met for the first time in the town’s Arts Centre. The group has now met for a second time, in a session led by playwright Rupert Creed.
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The meeting began with an update on the progress of the Town of Culture bid, presented by Andy Bowden, Chair of Pocklington Rugby in the Community, and Roly Cronshaw, Pocklington Town Mayor. They confirmed that an ‘Expression of Interest’ for the bid was advancing, with a draft having already been shared with the East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s Department of Culture for review.
Mr Creed concluded the meeting by saying: “It was a very enjoyable afternoon, with a tremendous energy and engagement from everyone. There is now a strong blueprint for developing Pocklington’s cultural scene for years to come.”
After the meeting, Roly Cronshaw said: “Today’s meeting showed clear momentum behind Pocklington’s Town of Culture ambitions. It’s inspiring to see our community coming together with such a wealth of ideas, energy, and pride in what our town has to offer.”
Andy Bowden added: “This meeting was incredibly encouraging. Hearing the views of our community reaffirmed that Pocklington has the cultural credentials to make a strong bid. A big thank you to Rupert for his leadership in guiding the meeting.”
Pocklington is not the only East Riding town to have shown interest in the Town of Culture competition. Driffield, Beverley, and Bridlington have also registered interest.
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