Reading to Consider City of Culture 2029 Bid

Reading Council, alongside the town’s cultural sector and partner organisations, intend to submit a joint Expression of Interest for the City of Culture 2029 competition, ahead of a final decision later this year on whether to develop a full bid.

UK City of Culture is a national title awarded by the Government every four years to a place which can demonstrate how culture positively impacts on its people and communities. Culture includes art, music, museums, heritage, festivals, theatre, food, sport, creativity, community activity and the everyday things that make a place unique.

Thirteen years on from Reading’s hugely successful Year of Culture, the national contest offers Reading an opportunity to celebrate its remarkable story, and the people and places which make it.

With a history stretching back over a millennium, from the Abbey Quarter and its connections to King Henry I, Jane Austen and Oscar Wilde, to its modern role as a centre for digital innovation, Reading has all the ingredients of a City of Culture. It is already home to nationally renowned theatre, one of the biggest music festivals in the world and a hub for heritage. A strong cultural infrastructure is already in place with nine museums and a multitude of thriving community-led events including Water Fest, Children’s Festival, the University of Reading Community Festival and Reading Pride.

The Council has had preliminary conversations with partners and key stakeholders from the cultural sector about the Expression of Interest submission. If a full Reading bid is taken forward, it would be co-created and shaped collectively by the town’s cultural sector and key partners.

The Government’s Department of Culture Media and Sport will consider all Expressions of Interest before finalising a longlist of applicants. If Reading is selected, the Council and its partners would subsequently receive further details about the process and the expectations on the town, as well as more information on the cost implications of pursuing a full bid. At that stage, following discussion with partners, a final decision will be made on the benefits for Reading and whether to proceed to the next stage.

Councillor Liz Terry, Reading Borough Council Leader, said:

“Reading is home to well-established cultural venues, festivals of national and regional significance, an active community and voluntary sector which is the envy of other towns and cities, creative organisations, businesses and other partners who already work together every day to bring huge benefits to the town and its residents. A City of Culture bid would offer us the opportunity to shout about Reading and everything which makes it such a wonderful place to live, work and visit.

“As well as boosting pride and confidence in Reading, a successful bid would attract visitors and investment and further strengthen the local economy by supporting jobs in culture, hospitality and the wider creative industries.”

Cllr Adele Barnett-Ward, Lead Councillor for Leisure and Culture, said:

“The Council is very clear that any potential bid would be a joint one, designed and driven by our town’s incredible cultural sector and our cultural partners.   We have had preliminary discussions with partners on the merits of applying for City of Culture status and believe the best option is to submit an early Expression of Interest, which would allow us the time to explore the benefits of a full bid for Reading and its residents.   The links and partnerships forged 13 years ago from Reading’s Year of Culture have strengthened over time and will now form the basis of any possible future bid.

“This is the first time that the town has considered entering this national competition and we want to make sure it is right for Reading.”

Despite the City of Culture title, places do not need to be cities to apply or to win. Large towns are actively encouraged to go for City of Culture because the programme is designed for places with a strong cultural offer, established venues and the ability to deliver activity at scale. Government guidance is clear that larger towns should apply for City of Culture, rather than town-level programmes. As one of the largest towns in the UK, Reading would fit in this category.