Welsh town aiming for UK town of culture glory

Anthony Lewis Local Democracy Reporter

A town in Rhondda Cynon Taf could be in the running to become the UK’s town of culture in two years.

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and Pontypridd Town Council are set to submit an expression of interest to the UK Government’s Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) competition for Pontypridd to be the UK Town of Culture in 2028.

For the first time, DCMS is inviting towns across the UK to enter the competition to showcase original storytelling, and empowering, accessible culture.

Inspired by the UK City of Culture, this competition aims to spotlight the cultural contribution of towns to the national story.

The winning town will be awarded £3 million to deliver a cultural programme in 2028 of around six months and the two finalists will receive £250,000 each to deliver elements of their bid.

There is a simple expression of interest phase that has been designed to keep costs to a minimum at the outset.

DCMS will award bid development grants of £60,000 to each of the shortlisted places which are invited to submit a full application.

There are three prize categories and from these three finalists an overall UK Town of Culture winner will be selected.

The three categories are small towns of less than 20,000 people, medium sized towns of 20,000-75,000 people and large towns of over 75,000 people.

The Pontypridd Town and Culture Partnership was established in 2021, recognising its significance within the Capital City Region and investment in the town dedicated to its transport infrastructure and town centre regeneration, including major building developments such as the redevelopment of the YMCA, Y Muni, and Llys Cadwyn, as well as Ynysangharad War Memorial Park.

The partnership members include RCT Council, Pontypridd Town Council and key cultural organisations within the town, with the aim being to identify key opportunities to help shape a shared and progressive approach to develop and support the cultural infrastructure in Pontypridd.

The town is also an established business improvement district (BID) with Your Pontypridd, a non-profit organisation that is responsible for investing in improvements for Pontypridd town.

Following the hosting of the Eisteddfod Genedlaethol in 2024, the council report said Pontypridd had shown that is had a rich cultural heritage to be celebrated locally, nationally and internationally, be that at places such as Ynysangharad War Memorial Park, the National Lido, the library, Y Muni, Clwb y Bont, YMa, Pontypridd Museum, Capel y Bont or at the newly-developed artist-led Penuel Lane studios;

It said that hosting the Eisteddfod Genedlaethol 2024 at Ynysangharad War Memorial Park and across venues in the town highlighted the culturally significant tangible and intangible heritage of Pontypridd from the bridge to the national anthem through to stories of days gone by and their significance in the social, industrial and cultural history of the UK and beyond.

There are also a number of festivals that have developed in celebration of its culture from the Morfydd Owen Festival established in 2024 to the Brass Band Festival and a new choir festival on the cards for 2026.

The aims of the UK Town of Culture competition include telling a town’s unique story and culture, designing a cultural programme that provides visible, accessible culture and boosts a town’s profile and delivering a successful cultural programme.

A council report said the competition focused on building a more socially cohesive country where communities felt proud of their place and empowered to celebrate it.

It said the UK Town of Culture was an opportunity for places and communities to use culture and creativity to tell their story and why they were proud of their community.