Residents in Sittingbourne and Sheerness are seeking to become the UK Town of Culture 2028 after a joint grassroots bid was submitted on 31 March 2026. The application aims to highlight the area’s rich history and support future community events, competing against at least eight other towns in Kent for the title.
The bid is centred on the theme of building bridges, taking inspiration from the Sheppey Crossing and Kingsferry Bridge that connect the Isle of Sheppey to the mainland. According to Kevin McKenna, the MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey, the proposal was developed after weeks of discussions with local schools, community groups, businesses, and the Swale Borough Council. Mayor of Swale, Councillor Karen Watson, is also backing the initiative.
If successful, the winning town will receive a £3 million prize to deliver a year-long cultural programme in 2028. Two category finalists will each be awarded £250,000 to help deliver elements of their proposed plans. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which launched the competition to foster community pride, is expected to announce the shortlist of bidders in Spring 2026, with the overall winners to be named in early 2027.
The local bid aims to showcase the region’s heritage, which includes Sittingbourne’s past as a global leader in brickmaking that supplied materials for landmarks like Buckingham Palace and Tower Bridge. Supporters of the project, including the volunteer-led Sheerness Town Team, note that the area currently supports three theatres, three brass bands, and various community museums. Proposed activities for the 2028 programme include the Sittingbourne Carnival, the Sheppey Festival, a Thames sailing barge regatta, and the revival of the Queenborough Medieval Fair.
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
