Herefordshire not on City of Culture shortlist
BBCHerefordshire has failed to make the shortlist to be UK City of Culture 2029.
The eventual winner of award will win £10m, with Blackpool, Inverness-Highland, Ipswich, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Portsmouth, Sheffield, Swindon and Wrexham making it through the next round.
Had Herefordshire been successful, it would have become the first county to claim the title.
Councillor Elissa Swinglehurst, Herefordshire Council's Cabinet Member for Culture and Environment, said: "While we are saddened not to be going forward, I hope all the many people and partner organisations who came together to develop our proposal are proud of the work we have done."
She added: "It was an innovative and ambitious proposal, genuinely developed by local people, for local people.
"The process has brought the cultural and creative sector closer together and reinforced our shared commitment to what culture can achieve for Herefordshire.
"Thank you to everyone who contributed time, ideas and energy to the bid - our artists and cultural organisations, community groups, public service partners, businesses, charities, funders and individual residents."
Swinglehurst said there was still "a lot to be positive about" with three Herefordshire towns (Ledbury, Ross-on-Wye, and Leominster) still in the running for the separate Town of Culture competition.
She added: "The City of Culture bid gave us further momentum, and we're determined to continue this journey."
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