Derry City and Strabane District Council has called on residents, businesses and community groups to back the town's final submission for the UK Town of Culture 2028 title, ahead of a deadline at the end of November 2026. Strabane was named among 15 shortlisted locations last month, selected from a nationwide pool of applicants, and the council says the strength of local support will be central to the final bid.
According to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 398 bids were submitted from more than 400 hopeful towns, underscoring the scale of competition Strabane has come through to reach this stage. Each of the 15 shortlisted towns, including Strabane, will receive £60,000 to help develop its full bid, while the eventual overall winner will be awarded a £3 million grant, the department said.
A public campaign has been launched encouraging locals to demonstrate what organisers describe as the town's pride, creativity, culture and ambition. The appeal comes despite some residents previously describing the shortlisting as bittersweet, given that Strabane's principal arts venue, the Alley Theatre, remains closed following a water leak and is not expected to reopen for some time.
Who is leading the push for community involvement?
Grace Uí Niallais, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, said reaching the shortlist was itself a significant achievement but that the next phase would depend on collective effort.
"Being shortlisted is a fantastic achievement for Strabane and recognition of the creativity, resilience and ambition that exists across our town and communities," Uí Niallais said.
"This next stage presents a real opportunity for everyone to play their part in shaping the future of Strabane."
"I would encourage residents, community groups, schools, businesses and cultural organisations to get involved, share their ideas and help us create a bid that truly reflects the spirit, talent and potential of local people."
The council's head of culture, Jacqueline Whoriskey, said judges had responded positively to the initial submission, particularly praising its vision, authenticity and community foundations. She added that an internal project team is now building a wider engagement programme to strengthen the final bid.
"We were really pleased with the feedback we received from our bid and are excited to move to the next stage in developing an exciting and innovative bid programme," she said.
"We will be reaching out to communities and organisations within Strabane over the coming weeks and months to get as many people as possible on board to to help and get involved."
Which other towns are competing against Strabane?
Strabane is one of six small towns on the 15-strong shortlist, alongside Ilfracombe, the Isle of Bute, Lerwick, Sandown and the Stockton Town Centre Ward, according to the government's official announcement. The competition groups entrants into small, medium and large town categories, with one winner to be chosen from each category before an overall UK Town of Culture 2028 is named.
The council has said its successful initial application was shaped in partnership with arts organisations, community groups, schools and the local business sector, according to Derry City and Strabane District Council. That collaborative approach is expected to continue as the council builds out its final submission over the coming months.
What is the UK Town of Culture competition?
UK Town of Culture is a new competition run by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, designed to mirror the success of the established UK City of Culture scheme while focusing on smaller communities. The scheme was launched by Culture Minister Lisa Nandy in January 2026, according to local reporting, and is intended to help towns build a lasting cultural legacy.
The government will choose a winning town in each of the small, medium and large categories, with the overall UK Town of Culture 2028 receiving £3 million to deliver a year-long programme of cultural events. The two runner-up finalists will each receive £250,000. The Town of Culture award runs alongside the separate UK City of Culture 2029 competition.
Locally, Strabane's bid has been framed as an opportunity to present a fresh narrative about the town's identity as a rural border community, according to regional coverage of the bid. That framing sits alongside wider council efforts to promote the area, following a reported 35% rise in overnight visitors to Derry and Strabane in 2025, which generated close to £94 million for the region.
The closure of the Alley Theatre has added a complicating backdrop to the cultural bid. Earlier reporting noted the venue is expected to remain shut until early 2027 due to extensive water damage repairs, a timeline that has raised questions locally about resource allocation even as the town competes for cultural recognition. Separately, residents have said the shortlisting still offers hope of investment and wider recognition for the town's cultural heritage, despite the theatre's continued closure.
What happens next in the competition?
The council must submit its final, fully developed bid by the end of November 2026. An independent judging panel is then expected to visit each of the 15 shortlisted locations in early 2027 before selecting one small, one medium and one large town as finalists, according to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
The overall UK Town of Culture 2028 winner, along with the two runner-up finalists, is due to be announced in March 2027. The government has described the announcement timing as being expected early next year.
Key Facts
- Strabane is shortlisted among 15 towns for UK Town of Culture 2028, chosen from 398 applications.
- Each shortlisted town receives £60,000 to develop its full bid; the overall winner receives £3 million.
- Strabane is one of six small towns on the list, alongside Ilfracombe, Isle of Bute, Lerwick, Sandown and Stockton Town Centre Ward.
- The final bid must be submitted by the end of November 2026, with judging panel visits expected in early 2027.
- The winner and two runners-up will be announced in March 2027.
