Welsh market town touted as next UK town of culture
A Welsh market town could be in line for a future bid to become UK Town of Culture.
Following recent media coverage highlighting towns well-placed to pursue the designation, Abergavenny town council has confirmed it is considering taking the idea forward.
This week, the Abergavenny Chronicle reported that the town council had written to local businesses to gauge interest in supporting a potential bid and to assess the level of backing within the local community.
The UK Town of Culture title, which will next be awarded in 2028, has previously been given to towns and cities including Derry, Hull and Wrecsam.
The initiative aims to recognise places with strong cultural identities and ambitions to use culture as a driver for social and economic development.
If Abergavenny was to be named UK Town of Culture, it would receive a prize of £3m.
Abergavenny has received national recognition in recent years, including being named the best place to live in the UK by The Times in 2024.
The town is known for its food festival, independent businesses and arts activity, as well as its location on the edge of the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park.
Any town wishing to be considered for the title must first submit an expression of interest outlining its cultural strengths, sense of place and ambitions.
The council would also need to show how being shortlisted would bring a boost to the area, and how it would align with the needs of locals.
The deadline for submitting an expression of interest for the next round of the competition is March 31.
Councillors have said no formal decision has yet been made on whether Abergavenny will submit an application, with the council currently focused on assessing local support and capacity before taking any further steps.
The council has indicated that community engagement would form a key part of any next stage, with opportunities expected for residents, organisations and businesses to share their views on whether a bid should be pursued.
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I lived in Abergavenny when the privately managed tennis club had lottery funding for floodlights, while the main schools tennis courts were in need of repairs.
Why does Abergavenny need money, when I have visited in the last few years I’d rather the money spent in Aberafan cleaning the streets and picking up litter that the council ignores.