Sheffield was recently announced as one of the final four cities in the running to become the UK’s City of Culture 2029 and has now unveiled its proposed programme, inspired by the area’s music and sporting heritage, natural beauty and emerging talent.
The programme, called ‘Grassroots to Global’, includes a 10,000-strong singing project, youth- and disability-led programmes, and celebrations of the district’s varied outdoor spaces.
Sheffield has been shortlisted alongside Blackpool, Milton Keynes and Wrexham, with the winner due to be announced in May.
The next step is for the plans to go before the Strategy and Resources Committee on 11 November, when councillors will be asked to approve, in principle, a £10m contribution if the Steel City wins the UK City of Culture 2029 title.
The year-long programme would have an overall budget of £42m, covering the period from 2027 to 2030. This would include the £10m contribution from the council, £10m from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and further proposed funding from other public bodies, National Lottery funding, sponsorship, trusts and foundations, and philanthropy.
Council leader Fran Belbin said: “There is still a competition to win, which means the full detail of the bid can’t yet be revealed – but the plans set out alongside this report give a flavour of our ambitious programme.”
She continued: “Being shortlisted for UK City of Culture 2029 is a huge moment for Sheffield, but now we have the opportunity to show what holding the title could actually mean for our city and the UK. Holding the title could also help us attract visitors from around the world, giving more people the chance to discover everything Sheffield has to offer.”
The shortlisted cities will each have the chance to showcase their plans to a panel of judges, with the successful city set to be revealed in early 2027.
Find out more about the Sheffield City of Culture 2029 bid here.
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