Sheffield shortlisted among bids for UK City of Culture - and three reasons why it's a cultural giant
We’re the city that gave the world football, pioneered electropop, and boasts one of the biggest clusters of theatres in the world.
Now Sheffield has thrown its hat in the ring to become the UK’s 2029 City of Culture, and has been named on a longlist of nine places which will be in the running for the honour.
It means the city must now make its case to host the event ahead of rival bids from Blackpool, Inverness-Highland, Ipswich, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Portsmouth, Swindon and Wrexham.
It will now receive £60,000 to develop a full application.
Sheffield Council leader Tom Hunt, Leader of Sheffield City Council, said: “We’re incredibly proud that Sheffield has been longlisted for UK City of Culture 2029.
“This city has always been powered by creativity – seen in our globally influential music, film, games and art. We don’t just put culture on a stage, we live it, make it and share it with the world. Grown from the ground up, it’s shaped by the people who call Sheffield home.
“Culture isn’t separate from how Sheffield grows, it’s part of how we build a stronger, more confident city. It brings people in, creates jobs, supports our independent businesses, and helps talent choose to stay and build their future here.
“This is a brilliant moment for our city and a chance to show the confidence, creativity and ambition that defines Sheffield today.”
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport says the title would have enormous benefits for the city, with previous hosts attracting millions of pounds in additional investment and thousands of visitors to their area, as well as generating new jobs.
For the first time, there will be a confirmed cash prize of £10 million for the UK City of Culture winner to help create a show-stopping year of rich cultural activity rooted in their unique identities and drawing on local strengths and stories.
The three most impressive bids from places that reach the shortlist but are not selected as the winner will receive £125,000 each to help them to take forward elements of their bid.
The UK City of Culture 2029 winner will be announced later this year and will follow Bradford’s tenure as UK City of Culture 2025. Previous winners Derry-Londonderry, Hull, Coventry and Bradford have shown how the competition can deliver greater and long-lasting cultural participation, economic regeneration and local pride, say organisers
Last year Bradford a programme of 5,000 events - over 75 per cent of which were free - that pulled in an audience of three million, involved over 650 local artists and organisations, and resulted in capital investment for more than 30 local cultural organisations
Bradford’s year in the spotlight also led to increased opportunities for local people to get involved with events, with over 87,000 residents taking part in key projects throughout the year.
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Why Sheffield is a cultural giant
Football: We invented the game in the 1850s, with the world’s oldest football club, Sheffield FC, which still plays, writing the first known set of rules in 1858. The city is also home to the oldest continuous use football ground, Hallam FC’s Sandygate ground, and plaques in the city centre mark important sites in the game’s history.
Music: Bands in the city including the Human League were among the most important in the creation of electronic music in the 1970s and 1980s. Its diverse musical culture has also given the world superstars including Def Leppard and Arctic Monkeys. It is also home to the famous Tramlines music festival.
Theatre: Sheffield has been described as having the largest theatre complex outside of London, with venues including the Crucible, the Lyceum, The Library Theatre and the Montgomery Theatre also within a close distance. Sheffield Theatres produces around 13 large shows a year, has over 70 visiting companies, hosts more than 800 performances and plays home to the Snooker World Championships at the Crucible.