Sussex Towns In The Running For UK Town Of Culture 2028 Title

Towns across the south-east of England are competing to become the UK Town of Culture 2028, with several areas in Sussex, Kent and Surrey putting themselves forward.

In Sussex, Eastbourne, Hastings, Worthing, Bexhill and Littlehampton have all entered the government-backed contest.

They are joined by towns including Chatham, Margate, Folkestone and Deal in Kent, as well as Dorking in Surrey and others across the region.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport says the competition aims to celebrate the “enormous contribution” towns and communities make to cultural life across the UK.

The winning town will receive a £3 million grant to support cultural projects, while the two runners-up will each be awarded £250,000. Entries close in March.

Supporters of the bids say the recognition could shine a spotlight on local history, creativity and community spirit, arguing that great culture exists beyond major cities and is rooted in towns across the country.