It’s not often that one district puts forward three separate bids for the same national competition. But that’s exactly what’s happened in East Lindsey, with Skegness, Louth and Horncastle & Spilsby all submitting expressions of interest to become the UK’s first ever Town of Culture 2028.
The deadline for applications was 31 March, and East Lindsey District Council has confirmed all three bids went in. A shortlist is expected to be announced this spring, with the winner named in early 2027.
What is UK Town of Culture?
It’s a brand new government competition, launched by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy in October 2025, running alongside the longer-established UK City of Culture contest. Towns across the UK were invited to put forward their cultural identity, heritage, and ambitions. Three finalists will be chosen, one each from the small, medium and large categories.
The winner receives £3 million to deliver a cultural programme across 2028. The two runners-up aren’t left empty-handed either; they each get £250,000 to deliver elements of their bids. Even getting to the shortlist brings £60,000 in development funding to work up a full proposal.
Over 230 towns submitted expressions of interest nationally, so the competition is fierce. But East Lindsey going in with three bids rather than one is a genuine statement of intent from the district.
What Louth is putting forward
Louth’s bid focuses on bringing the town’s heritage to life through creative use of public spaces and support for local arts and culture. The proposal is built around a three-month programme that ties the town’s history, its built environment and its community together. For a town with a medieval church spire that dominates the skyline, a twice-weekly market dating back centuries, and a strong independent cultural scene, there’s no shortage of material to work with.
Skegness and Horncastle & Spilsby
Skegness is pitching itself as a vibrant coastal cultural hub, one that often gets overlooked in national conversations about arts and culture. The Skegness Neighbourhood Board submitted the bid with backing from East Lindsey District Council, and deputy leader Graham Marsh said the title would be a chance to “showcase that to the entire nation.”
Horncastle and Spilsby are bidding jointly, which makes sense given their shared character as small market towns in the Lincolnshire Wolds. Together they make a case for rural, small-town culture that doesn’t always get the spotlight it deserves.
The bigger picture
Closer to home, Grimsby has also submitted a bid and has been rallying significant public and business support behind it. Boston put in an application too. Lincolnshire, taken as a whole, is punching well above its weight in this competition.
What happens next is largely in the hands of the judges. But the fact that Louth is in this race at all is something residents and local businesses should know about. If the bid progresses to shortlist stage, there’ll be genuine opportunities for local people, creatives and organisations to get involved in shaping what that cultural programme looks like.
Keep an eye on the East Lindsey District Council website for updates as the shortlist announcement approaches.
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