Redruth Launches Bid to Become UK Town of Culture 2028

Published On: 15 January 2026Last Updated: 15 January 2026By CornishStuff

📷 Redruth High Street Credit The Ladder

Can Redruth Become the UK’s Next Town of Culture?

Redruth has officially launched its bid to become UK Town of Culture 2028, setting out an ambitious vision for the Cornish town and its cultural future.

The bid is being led by a partnership between Redruth Town Council, Redruth Cultural Consortium and The Ladder.

If successful, Redruth would host a £3.5m programme of cultural activity across Spring and Summer 2028, designed to showcase local talent while attracting national attention, visitors and investment.

📷Carn Brea Credit The Ladder.

A town shaped by industry and creativity

Redruth is a former industrial town with a population of 15,626. When surrounding mining villages are included, the wider area is home to 42,690 people, making it the most populous area in Cornwall.

Once known as the richest square mile in the UK, Redruth is now among the most deprived. The closure of the mines and the town’s brewery in the 1990s marked a major turning point. In recent years, places such as Kresen Kernow, Krowji, The Buttermarket and The Ladder have helped drive a cultural revival, with arts, heritage and creativity playing a growing role in the town’s regeneration.

📷Redruth Town Cryer Credit Redruth Town Council

Punching above its weight

Despite its size, Redruth has a significant cultural footprint. It is home to the largest artist studio complex west of Bristol, the third largest hub for digital businesses in the UK, and the UK’s largest heritage archive project. The town also has a cinema and theatre, Cornwall’s largest creative employer, and is home to half of Cornwall’s Arts Council National Portfolio Organisations.

Artists are increasingly drawn to Redruth as the most affordable place in Cornwall to live and work.

📷Redruth Skate Park Credit The Ladder.

Cornish identity at the heart of the bid

Redruth is one of the areas in Cornwall where a strong sense of Cornish identity remains. It is home to the Lowender Festival, which celebrates Cornish culture and will mark its 50th anniversary in 2028. The town also hosts quarterly events including the International Mining and Pasty Festival and Murdoch Day, celebrating food, mining and innovation.

The bid aims to place local people at the centre of shaping Redruth’s cultural future, rooted in both its mining heritage and its contemporary arts scene.

📷No Fit State

What those leading the bid say

Councillor Alison Biscoe, Mayor of Redruth, said:

“This bid is about confidence, creativity, and community. Redruth has an extraordinary story to tell, and becoming UK Town of Culture 2028 would give us the platform to celebrate who we are, where we’ve come from, and where we’re going.”

The Redruth Cultural Consortium is working with artists, organisations and community groups to ensure the bid reflects creativity across the town.

Felix Mortimer from Redruth Cultural Consortium said:

“Redruth’s culture lives in its people; in its music, stories, skills, and shared spaces. This bid is about amplifying those voices and creating opportunities for everyone to take part in shaping a vibrant cultural future.”

The Ladder is bringing its experience of producing place based cultural programmes to the partnership.

Joshua Nawras from The Ladder said:

“We believe culture can be transformative when it’s genuinely led by local communities. This bid is an opportunity to invest in Redruth’s creativity, nurture local talent, and build lasting impact well beyond 2028.”

📷Krowji Credit The Ladder

Getting involved

Community involvement will be central as the bid develops, with residents, schools, businesses and community groups invited to contribute ideas and take part in events.

More information about the bid and opportunities to get involved will be shared in the coming months. Details are available at townofculture.uk, with updates also shared via @townofculture on Instagram.

UK Town of Culture is a national programme celebrating creativity, heritage and place, offering a £3.5m award to towns across the UK as part of the wider UK City of Culture programme.