Why Caerphilly deserves to be named the UK’s first ever Town of Culture

Emlyn Davies

Say the words “Caerphilly” and “culture” together and what comes to mind? The castle, the cheese, Tommy Cooper?

You might think of one of our annual celebrations like the Food Festival, the Cheese Festival or the River of Light parade. But you might also ask yourself: “What culture?”

And it’s a fair question. For one of Wales’s largest towns, Caerphilly has relatively few cultural venues. Indeed, when you search for cultural events in Caerphilly, a large number of the results will be events in Cardiff. But that doesn’t mean Caerphilly is bereft of culture. Far from it.

At Cynefin Caerffili, we believe that everyone is creative, and that creativity has the power to change people and places for the better. That’s why, together with Caerphilly County Borough Council, we’re putting together a bid for Caerphilly to become the UK’s first ever Town of Culture.

As part of a new national competition launched this year, one town will be selected as UK Town of Culture for 2028 and receive £3 million to deliver a year-long programme of cultural celebrations. The competition is being run by the UK Government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport alongside the established UK City of Culture contest, with the aim of celebrating towns and creating lasting cultural legacies.

We believe Caerphilly has what it takes to win.

Our vision is a vibrant future where creativity and culture are the beating heart of the town. But that vision cannot be written by a handful of organisations alone. It must be shaped by the people who live and work here. So, we’ve launched Calon Caerffili, an initiative inviting residents, businesses and anyone with a connection to the town to help define what culture in Caerphilly really means.

Through a series of free events and workshops, as well as digital engagement for those unable to attend in person, we’re asking people to share their ideas, their experiences and their hopes for the town’s cultural future.

Anyone living in Caerphilly, working here, or who has lived here in the past is encouraged to contribute. The ambition is to create a cultural programme that celebrates the town’s arts, heritage and identity while unlocking its future potential.

The only bid we want to submit is one where the town’s people, personality and passion are reflected in every page. This is our chance to tell the story of who we are now, what we can achieve together and where we’re going. It might sound like a cliché, but success in this competition could genuinely put Caerphilly on the cultural map.

Of course, Caerphilly is already on the map. The problem is that it sits between places that often dominate the cultural conversation – Pontypridd to the west, Newport to the east and Cardiff to the south. Cardiff, as the capital of Wales, naturally attracts much of the cultural spotlight, leaving Caerphilly sometimes feeling overlooked.

Yet the town has always had a rich cultural story to tell. From the historic Workmen’s Hall, where new efforts are underway to transform the venue, to the artists, musicians, community groups and creative entrepreneurs working quietly across the town today.

Evidence from previous cultural programmes suggests the impact could be significant. A study carried out last year revealed that the first three UK Cities of Culture – Derry/Londonderry 2013, Hull 2017 and Coventry 2021 – attracted more than £1 billion in additional investment to their local economies, alongside a media value of £596 million.

More than 500,000 residents from those cities took part in cultural programmes, while around 2 million visitors travelled from across the UK and beyond to attend events and activities. Tourism in those places increased by an average of 22 per cent. Now imagine if Caerphilly experienced a similar transformation. People would come for the culture as well as the castle and keep coming back because the cultural offer is just that good.

We are still at the beginning of this journey. Expressions of interest must be submitted by the end of March, with shortlisted towns receiving funding to develop full bids before a final winner is selected. But already the conversation has begun. Artists, organisations, educators, businesses and residents are working together to shape a long-term cultural strategy that could define Caerphilly’s future for
years to come.

Caerphilly is already much more than cheese, castles and Tommy Cooper. It is a thriving community of creatives, a hotbed of talent and a town full of untapped potential. And with the energy, imagination and pride of its people behind it, there is every reason to believe
Caerphilly could become the UK’s first ever Town of Culture.

Emlyn Davies is a director of Cynefin Caerffili CIC, a cultural social enterprise dedicated to transforming Caerphilly. For more information and to contribute to the bid, visit: https://www.caloncaerffili.com/