Morecambe WILL throw its hat in the ring to become the first ever UK Town of Culture - it has been confirmed.
Marianne Barraclough from More Music, part of the bid team, told Beyond Radio on Thursday that Morecambe will "definitely be submitting a bid" for the competition.
A £3m prize is available for the winning town, who will be crowned the first UK Town of Culture in 2028.
As exclusively revealed by Beyond Radio last month, talks have been taking place about a possible bid to enter the government contest.
"We have been working hard behind the scenes with lots of different partners from the arts and cultural sector, different councils, to establish a really strong team, and we've asked for lots of people to input into it," said Marianne, speaking on Thursday.
"So yes, we will be putting an expression of interest in. The deadline is very soon, so we are working at pace. It's a very exciting thing."
LISTEN to Marianne Barraclough talking about the UK Town of Culture.
A partnership of local arts, creative and heritage organisations and artists have come together to support the development of the bid - including More Music, local arts and culture company Deco Publique, and the Winter Gardens theatre as part of the bid writing team.
"It will be a real opportunity to bring the arts and cultural sector together," said Marianne, below.
"We've had lots of individual freelance artists, small organisations and the larger organisations from the town all engaging, and I think that's a real strength. That goes to show what Morecambe has to offer.
"And of course, 2028 is going to be the opening of the Eden Project, so there's a really nice story there."
Towns across the UK have been invited to enter with an expression of interest before the deadline of March 31.
Many other towns have already said they will be applying, including Chesterfield, Scarborough, Henley-on-Thames, Kendal, Harrogate and Spalding.
If towns get through the first phase, they will receive a grant to help them further develop the bid.
A shortlist is expected to be announced in the spring, and the winning town will be awarded £3m to deliver a cultural programme in 2028, with two runners-up prizes of £250,000.
"Participating in cultural events, we know and see that it makes people feel better and more connected into their communities," said Marianne.
"I hope that if we were to get this programme, it would mean all those amazing things that are happening, would be able to be profiled."
The Winter Gardens theatre in Morecambe
The UK Town of Culture was announced by Lisa Nandy, the government's Culture Secretary, in October.
Renowned TV producer Sir Phil Redmond will chair the panel of judges.
A government spokesperson said "the competition is open to small, medium and large towns, with the winner delivering a vibrant cultural programme.
The contest will run alongside the existing UK City of Culture, which was won by Bradford in 2025.
This week Blackpool was announced among the finalists for the City of Culture in 2029.
Residents are invited to Morecambe Library on Monday March 23 for a drop-in event to give their thoughts to help shape the town's application.
The session runs from 2pm to 4pm.
"Members of the bid writing team will be there and we will be sharing some of the key themes that have come out through the consultation process that we have done so far," said Marianne.
"We would love to get lots of people's views and ideas."
Ideas are also being gathered through an online portal which can be found on More Music’s website.
Read more: Talks held on Morecambe UK Town of Culture tilt - Beyond Radio
How you can help shape bid for Morecambe to become first UK Town of Culture - Beyond Radio
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