Kettering and the South East’s Towns Bid for UK Town of Culture as 2028 Approaches
kettering. Multiple towns across the south-east of England are competing to become the UK Town of Culture 2028, in a moment organisers frame as an opportunity to celebrate the contribution of communities to cultural life.
What Happens When several south-east towns enter the contest?
The field in the region is sizable: Eastbourne, Hastings, Worthing, Bexhill and Littlehampton in Sussex have applied, alongside Kent entries Chatham, Dartford, Folkestone and Deal. Dorking in Surrey and other towns across the region have also put in bids. The initiative is presented by government as a new national contest intended to recognise local cultural contribution and to strengthen community-rooted cultural programmes.
Local advocates are framing their bids around distinct local stories. David Stokes from Nucleus Arts referenced shipbuilding history when speaking of Chatham and described it as an underrated, rebellious place that merits celebration. Councillor Freddie Tandy, announcing Littlehampton’s entry, challenged local scepticism about culture in that town and pointed to coastal location, river proximity and adjacent natural spaces as foundations for storytelling and improvement. Barbara Christopher highlighted Dorking’s musical, ecclesiastical and festival traditions, and the town’s active cultural groups.
What If Kettering Joins the Field?
Adding more towns would broaden the pool of competing identities and propositions. New bids elsewhere already demonstrate how different ambitions shape proposals: Huntingdon’s campaign is being driven by a partnership of local government, business improvement and a local museum, with an Expression of Interest set to mobilise local arts organisations, creative practitioners and community groups. Cllr Amanda Norton described the partnership’s energy; Paul Sweeney of BID Huntingdon First noted potential to inject fresh opportunity into the town’s cultural life. The Huntingdon approach is explicitly collaborative, built on music, theatre, visual arts and dance.
Separately, Newhaven’s bid argues that culture can be integral to regeneration: Newhaven bid leaders link maritime heritage and a growing arts community to visitor economy gains and job creation. Michelle Connors, programme manager at Newhaven Enterprise Zone, framed culture as a lever for investment and inclusive benefits; Newhaven councillor James Harrison pointed to town-wide momentum from community groups and businesses.
- Regional spread: Multiple Sussex and Kent towns have applied, with Dorking and other towns also in the mix.
- Collaborative bids: Huntingdon’s Expression of Interest is led by a town council, a BID organisation and a museum.
- Regeneration focus: Newhaven frames culture as a means to support business, jobs and long-term community benefit.
- Judging priorities: Bids are evaluated on distinctiveness, accessibility and whether programmes can be delivered successfully; there are also funding incentives for runners-up.
What Should Communities and Leaders Do Next?
With national framing that culture is everywhere and rooted in communities, towns should consolidate partnerships that connect heritage, local organisations and creative practitioners to clear delivery plans. Expression of Interest processes are being used to map local artistic strengths and community capacity; collaborative governance models—like the one advancing in Huntingdon—offer one practical template. Towns emphasising how cultural investment dovetails with regeneration and inclusive access may strengthen their competitive case. The contest’s structure also creates smaller funding opportunities for runners-up, which local leaders can factor into regional planning.
Finalists will need to show both distinct local stories and credible delivery. As this national conversation accelerates, kettering can be seen as part of a wider moment in which towns articulate identity, marshal partnerships and test whether culture can underpin broader civic renewal.
