Wrexham on four-place shortlist to become Wales’s first UK City of Culture

Wrexham is one of four places shortlisted to be UK City of Culture 2029 and could become the first Welsh city to hold the title, the UK Government announced on Thursday. It is up against Blackpool, Milton Keynes and Sheffield. The four were recommended by the competition’s expert advisory panel, chaired by Sir Phil Redmond, from a longlist of nine that also included Inverness-Highland, Ipswich, Middlesbrough, Portsmouth and Swindon.

What the shortlist brings

Each shortlisted place is guaranteed at least £125,000 to take forward parts of its bid, on top of the £60,000 grant every longlisted bidder received. The winner gets a prize fund of £10 million. The UK Government says the 2029 winner will be announced in early 2027, while Wrexham Council says the result is due in December or January. Redmond said he and the panel would visit the shortlisted places in the near future. The council estimates that winning would be worth more than £200 million to Wrexham’s economy. That is the council’s own projection.

Second time in the final four

This is Wrexham’s second bid. It narrowly missed out on the 2025 title, which went to Bradford. The new bid is led by the Wrexham Community & Culture Trust with backing from the council. Council leader Mark Pritchard said making the shortlist was “fantastic news”, adding: “We’re on the map and we’re on the up, but we still have huge challenges in terms of socio-economic opportunities and inequalities, and winning this competition would be another step towards overcoming those challenges.” Alwyn Jones, the council’s chief executive, said becoming the first Welsh UK City of Culture “will be one of the greatest moments in Wrexham’s history”. Welsh Secretary Stephen Kinnock said the city had “a huge amount to offer in heritage, culture and sport”.