Portsmouth misses out on UK City of Culture 2029 shortlist as organisers say they are devastated

Portsmouth's bid to become UK City of Culture 2029 has come to an end after the city failed to secure a place on the final shortlist, leaving campaign organisers devastated by the decision.

The Government announced on Thursday 22 October that Blackpool, Milton Keynes, Sheffield and Wrexham have been selected to progress to the next stage of the competition.

Portsmouth was among nine locations competing for the prestigious title, which is awarded every four years and offers the winning city an opportunity to showcase its culture, heritage and communities on a national stage.

The We Are Pompey 2029 campaign, led by Portsmouth Creates with support from Portsmouth City Council and organisations across the city, had brought together thousands of residents, artists, businesses and community groups.

More than 12,000 people contributed ideas and helped shape Portsmouth's application, which celebrated its maritime history, cultural identity and ambitions for the future.

However, despite the extensive community involvement, Portsmouth has not been selected to move forward in the competition.

In a statement, campaign organisers said they were devastated by the outcome but congratulated the four successful locations.

They also thanked everyone involved in developing the bid and said the campaign had helped create a shared vision for Portsmouth's cultural future.

Portsmouth City Council leader Steve Pitt said:

“Whilst we’re hugely disappointed not to be named on the shortlist, Portsmouth’s identity, maritime heritage, diverse communities, creative energy, history and global outlook, remains a powerful asset. The bid has strengthened the city’s confidence in celebrating the past as well as telling our story more widely. The ambition remains unchanged: the South deserves greater national and international cultural visibility.”

Gemma Nichols, chief executive of Portsmouth Creates, said the disappointment was considerable but insisted the campaign had established foundations for future cultural projects.

She said:

“We are of course disappointed beyond words to not to be shortlisted, but the campaign has highlighted the scale of ambition within the city and across the region. The focus now will be to build on the work to date for the whole of our community, in particular opportunities for young people across the cultural and creative sector and ensure that ideas contributed by all during the campaign inform future projects.

“We will also build on our commitment to making cultural activity more accessible and representative, building on the relationships developed with communities during the campaign and creating opportunities for residents to participate as creators, decision-makers and cultural leaders. Support for grassroots artists and creative businesses also remains a priority area, and we will continue to invest into the creative ecology that makes Portsmouth so distinctive.

“We Are Pompey and we are ready to start the next chapter.”

The unsuccessful application comes during a significant year for Portsmouth, which is marking the 100th anniversary of becoming a city.

The We Are Pompey campaign had sought to use the City of Culture title to create new opportunities for local artists, attract investment, boost tourism and bring cultural activities into communities across Portsmouth.

Despite missing out, organisers say the relationships, ideas and ambitions developed during the campaign will not be lost.

Alongside Portsmouth, Inverness and the Highlands, Ipswich, Middlesbrough and Swindon have also been eliminated from the competition.

The four shortlisted locations will now undergo further assessment before the Government selects the winner.

The successful location will host the UK City of Culture programme throughout 2029, following previous titleholders including Bradford, Coventry, Hull and Derry-Londonderry.

The winning city will receive £10 million in Government funding towards its programme of cultural activities.

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