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Ilkley to bid for new UK Town of Culture title

Julia BrysonYorkshire
News imageCrispin McKie Drone Photography A drone image of Ilkley in West Yorkshire, which was taken on Yorkshire Day as you can see the parade. There are fields, trees and rooftops of the main street Crispin McKie Drone Photography
The town hosts an annual literature festival and has seen the Tour de France pass through

Ilkley is to bid to become the UK's first Town of Culture, building on its reputation as a place rich in creativity and the arts, those behind the proposal have said.

The winner of the national competition will be awarded £3m to deliver a cultural programme in 2028, with two runners-up receiving £250,000 each.

The spa town - which already hosts an annual literature festival - is planning to submit a proposal led by Ilkley Business Improvement District (BID) and supported by Ilkley Town Council.

Ilkley mayor, councillor Jane Gibson, said: "We have a great track record of coming together to deliver big projects, and there's a real sense of pride and engagement in everything we do."

Sarah Brookfield-Almond, manager of Ilkley BID, said: "We may be a small town, but we have an exceptional reputation for our cultural offerings, including the Ilkley Literature Festival, our thriving theatre venues, arts scene, and youth initiatives.

"Our community's spirit of collaboration shines through in events like the Ilkley Beer Festival, the Ilkley Half Marathon, and the Fountain Restoration Project, to name just a few."

News imageJulia Bryson/BBC A fountain made from steel in the shape of two leaves, with water flowing through it into a stone circular pool within a flower bed. It stands at the top of a street with Victorian stone shops in the background. Julia Bryson/BBC
A new fountain was unveiled in the town in 2025, its design based on moss which grows on its famous moor

Gibson added: "Ilkley has always had a strong cultural identity, rooted in its history as a spa town with a vibrant arts scene.

"With this bid, we're excited to highlight what makes our town unique and share our community-led culture and creativity with the rest of the UK.

"We're looking forward to the opportunity to become the first UK Town of Culture and show the country just how special Ilkley is," she said.

The new competition, launched by the government in January, is aimed at boosting local pride.

The contest will run alongside the existing UK City of Culture contest, which was won by Bradford in 2025.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the competition was a chance for towns to "make a real difference to their local community".

Elsewhere in Yorkshire, Barnsley, Whitby, Halifax, Knaresborough, Scarborough, Pocklington and Richmond are also bidding.

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