I don’t want to hear about how many pot holes are on your road, yes, there are a lot, I know! Let’s not have a bunch of jokes about Frod road either, try refrain yourselves from the keyboard, definitely no racism or homophobia is welcome on the comments either, even if you think you’re being satirical or funny, instead work a little harder to mention something positive or something constructive that would improve our town and what it offers. It’s easier to moan sometimes isn’t it?
Whether you know about it or simply just ignore it, Scunthorpe does have positives and we are pretty cultural.
Everybody deserves the chance to share their pride in the place they call home and to have access to quality art, music, dance and drama wherever they live. That is why UK Town of Culture exists. To celebrate towns and help to create a lasting cultural legacy.
A bunch of the best small, medium and large towns from the full applications received will be reviewed. One of these will be named UK Town of Culture 2028 and receive £3 million, while the other two finalists will each receive £250,000 to deliver an ambitious programme of cultural activity in 2028. This is in addition to development grants for shortlisted places to work up their full bids.
What’s that mean? …Well there is a full explanation below but in short, with this money, the town can host a variety of community events and there is a lot of community spirit hidden within Scunthorpe. Like it or not we have a Pride event run by a group of volunteers that attracts much needed tourism into the town centre, bringing people from out of town and within, in fact since it started it’s brought more people year on year with 2025 hitting a footfall of over 15,000 people. There was an array of different cultures and a plethora of arts, entertainment and music as well as showcasing other local charities, small businesses and community groups all for free.
We also have the amazing 20:21 Art Centre, Discovery at 20:21 centre, North Lincolnshire Museum, some brilliant community groups and events, along with upcoming live bands brought to the town by some really dedicated promoters that work tirelessly to get you out the house and experience live music. Over the summer there were a number of smaller scale outdoor events in Church square bringing families free activities and experiences. We have Normanby Hall bringing food festivals and family days as well as the very popular No Limits Festival with the Rabbit Hole in Brigg.
We have the Baths Hall, great parks and recreational space and nature reserves, of course we are the home to the Steelworks and all the history that comes with that. We have welcoming groups that help those in need and friendly people that would help you down the street. We are losing venues rapid, like much of the UK and these are more than venues, they are to some a sanctuary. We’ve lost the musical institute that was The Lincoln Imp and it’s left Cafe INDIE to carry the torch alone. Inside the pubs and venues we have communities that come together, friends and memories are made.
Could it be better, obviously! Would we like to see bigger acts at our bigger venues, Yes! There are many things that could be improved but how can we improve if we stand still and watch.
UK Town of Culture explained
UK Town of Culture is a brand new DCMS competition. For the first time, DCMS is inviting towns across the UK to enter the competition to showcase original storytelling, and empowering, accessible culture. Inspired by the success of the flagship UK City of Culture, which is a proven model for cultural placemaking, this competition aims to spotlight the cultural contribution of towns to our national story.
The winning town will be awarded £3 million to deliver a cultural programme in 2028 of around six months. Additionally, the two finalists from their category will receive £250,000 each to deliver elements of their bid.
It is a UK-wide programme, developed in collaboration with the devolved governments in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Aims
The UK Town of Culture competition aims to celebrate the significant contributions of towns to our national story. The competition focuses on building a more socially cohesive country where communities feel proud of their place and empowered to celebrate it. The UK Town of Culture is an opportunity for places and communities to use culture and creativity to tell their story and why they are proud of their community.
Benefits of winning
In addition to the £3 million main prize and £250,000 finalist prizes, they anticipate that winning will lead to significant, demonstrable outcomes, including a boost in civic pride, greater participation in cultural activities and the formation of enduring community partnerships. These partnerships will help build a strong sense of place and champion grassroots arts and culture, mirroring the proven impact of the UK City of Culture programme. Research has shown that for the UK City of Culture programme more than 70% of attendees to UK City of Culture events feel a greater sense of pride.
So let’s get the comments going, let’s talk, discuss, improve and champion what we have and what we could have.
Scunthorpe Nights 