On 18 March 2026, Ipswich, Suffolk, was officially named as one of nine locations on the longlist for the UK City of Culture 2029 title. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport announced the selection, which marks a major step in the competition to host a year-long programme of cultural events.
As part of the selection, Ipswich will receive £60,000 in development funding to help create a detailed final bid for the title. The town is competing against eight other areas, including Blackpool, Milton Keynes, and Sheffield, for a final prize that includes £10 million in funding for the winning location.
The bid is being led by the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce alongside a team of local businesses, residents, and community groups. This group, known as the Ipswich 2029 Bid Team, aims to use the competition to attract more visitors and boost the local economy through new investment.
John Dugmore, the Chief Executive of the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, has highlighted the bid as a way to strengthen the community and make the town more appealing to businesses. If successful, the town would follow previous winners such as Hull and Coventry in hosting the national celebration.
The other locations currently on the longlist are Inverness-Highland, Middlesbrough, Portsmouth, Swindon, and Wrexham. The selection of Ipswich follows a competitive process where the government body reviewed expressions of interest from across the United Kingdom.
