Pontypridd opens public hub to shape Town of Culture bid
A public hub has opened inside Pontypridd's indoor market as the town prepares its final bid to become the first UK Town of Culture in 2028. The Pontypridd28 Cultural Hub is at Penuel Arcade and is open from 10am to 4pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
Town of Culture bid
- Hub
- Wed to Fri
- Full bid deadline
- 30 Nov
- Shortlisted
- 15
- Winner's grant
- £3m
Rhondda Cynon Taf Council says visitors can find out about the bid, offer views on the proposed programme and discuss what should represent the town. The hub adds a permanent town-centre point to the public conversations already being held with local artists and communities.
How residents can contribute
The council is also building a digital collection of photographs, videos, stories and memories about Pontypridd. Submissions will be reviewed before publication and approved material may be used to support the bid. A public session on literature, poetry and spoken word is scheduled at Pontypridd Library from 5pm to 7.45pm on Thursday 24 September.
What Pontypridd is bidding for
Pontypridd and Port Talbot are the two Welsh places among 15 towns shortlisted from 398 bids across the UK. Each shortlisted place received £60,000 to develop a full application. The deadline is 5pm on 30 November.
The competition will choose one finalist in each of its small, medium and large town categories. One of those three will receive the UK Town of Culture 2028 title and £3 million to deliver its programme. The other two finalists will each receive £250,000 to carry out parts of the shortlisted programmes. The result is due by 31 March 2027.
What remains undecided
The hub opening does not mean the programme is settled or that Pontypridd has reached the final three. Government guidance says bids must show broad public engagement and explain how communities helped shape the programme. The council has not said how long the market hub will remain open.