Credit: Just Jon Simpson
Herefordshire submits bold county-wide partnership bid for UK City of Culture 2029
A major county‑wide partnership of arts, culture and creative industry organisations, cultural practitioners, community groups and public‑sector collaborators has announced Herefordshire’s intention to bid for UK City of Culture 2029 – a bold move that puts the voices, ambition, and identity of local people at its heart.
The county is submitting an initial Expression of Interest (EOI) to the Government, a zero-cost commitment at the start of a lengthy process even before shortlisting. It is being co-ordinated by Herefordshire Council, with potentially up to £10 million for a landmark year of cultural programming in 2029 for the eventual winning bidder.
Herefordshire’s EOI is a unique county-wide proposal, shaped collectively by partners including creative organisations, cultural and heritage partners, creative industry businesses, freelancers, museums and galleries, festivals, community organisations, Visit Herefordshire, Talk Community and the council’s Public Health service.
The bid sets out Herefordshire as ‘A Living Borderland’ – a rural vision shaped by the county’s landscapes, communities and shared identify, showing how culture can thrive in every part of the county. Herefordshire 2029 highlights a county alive with culture, a place where people, communities, artists and landscapes come together to shape a new rural story for Britain.
The Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture and Environment, Cllr Elissa Swinglehurst, said: “This is a partnership bid for a rural county with big ambitions. We believe that opportunities to experience and enjoy culture should be part of everyday life, everywhere.
“Our partnership bid emphasises the importance of access to culture to enrich the lives of people across Herefordshire. It offers government a plan to create an innovative, diverse and dispersed model, showing how culture can reduce rural isolation, build communities, improve wellbeing and give young people more opportunities close to home. It showcases the creative industry as a major driver for our economic growth – including the £700m+ heritage‑led visitor economy – supporting access to well‑paid creative careers comparable to those in major cities.”
Lisle Turner of Open Sky, an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation, and one of the partner organisations which have developed the EOI, said: “This bid reflects Herefordshire as A Living Borderland, shaped by its landscapes, traditions and strong communities. It celebrates the creativity and innovation already happening here. It reflects the border mindset of transcending boundaries and limitations making it a launch pad for local artists adopting digital technologies to reach audiences around the UK and wider world. The entire ecosystems of cultural partnerships is set to explode with opportunity, all across the county.”
Nic Millington, Founder and CEO of Rural Media, another EOI partner, said: “Our approach shows how culture can play a vital role in improving life for rural communities, from supporting wellbeing driving economic growth. Submitting the EOI is just the start. As the process develops, we look forward to having more conversations with more people, partners and creatives across Herefordshire to shape what comes next.”
Elizabeth Pimblett, Director, Museum of Cider, said: “Herefordshire is a county of rich resource, creatively and historically. The bid would give us a much-needed opportunity to bring together and celebrate the stories and skills which make us unique, for the pride and benefit of all who live, work or visit here.”
Tom True, Executive Director, Hay Castle, said: “With a border running right beneath our walls, Hay Castle works to celebrate the vitality and distinctiveness of heritage and culture in our Living Borderland. We are very pleased to support Herefordshire’s impressive bid to become the City of Culture 2029. Herefordshire has developed a really strong base of joined up strategic thinking about our people, our place and our potential. We are well poised to tell a powerful new rural story for Britain, and to deliver a project that touches everyone, through arts and innovation, through media and performance, through regional growth and community regeneration.”
Kate Speke-Adams, Managing Director, Herefordshire Rural Hub: “Herefordshire Rural Hub welcomes the Herefordshire City of Culture 2029 bid. It’s a real opportunity to celebrate what makes this county so special – not just our beautiful landscape, but the people who live and work in it every day. After all, ‘culture’ sits at the very heart of agriculture, and so much of Herefordshire’s identity is shaped by its farms, land and rural businesses, along with the traditions, stories and creativity that grow from them. We’re excited by the chance to shine a light on the resilience, skills and community spirit that run right through our rural places.”
Dean of Hereford Cathedral Dean, the Very Revd. Sarah Brown said: “Hereford Cathedral is delighted to support Hereford’s bid to be a City of Culture. We have a long history of supporting the local community from the 8th century with a world famous medieval map and the world’s largest chained library and a large programme of cultural and religious events. We are proud to support the city in its bid.”
Ian Archer, CEO & Artistic Director of The Courtyard, said: “As Herefordshire’s cultural creative hub, The Courtyard is proud to support the City of Culture 2029 bid. It is a transformative opportunity to celebrate our county’s creativity, strengthen our communities, and showcase the power of the arts to inspire and unite people of all ages and backgrounds.”
Mike Truelove, CEO, Hereford BID, said: “Hereford BID proudly backs Herefordshire’s UK City of Culture 2029 bid – a genuinely exciting, county-wide vision that could put our people, places and creativity on the national stage. This is a rare chance to shout about what makes Herefordshire special and bring real energy, pride and opportunity to our communities and high streets.”
Diane Mansell, CEO of Herefordshire County BID/Visit Herefordshire LVEP, said: “Representing Herefordshire County BID and Visit Herefordshire’s Local Visitor Economy Partnership, we are proud to support Herefordshire’s bid to become UK City of Culture 2029. Our cathedral city sits within a rural county rich in creativity, heritage and contemporary culture, and this bid presents a powerful opportunity to showcase that story on a national stage.”
Clare Purcell, Executive Director, Meadow Arts and Co-Chair, Herefordshire Cultural Partnership, said: “Herefordshire is a creatively rich county, blending a tradition of high-quality craft with contemporary visual, digital and performing arts excellence. City of Culture ’29 is a remarkable opportunity to showcase these strengths and champion rural creativity on an international stage.
Andy Johnson of Artlandish said: “Having Herefordshire as the City of Culture in 2029 would give a huge boost to what Artlandish is trying to achieve: bringing artists and the public together to create new and varied forms of art which aid discussion of our shared environment, its historic background and current issues, whilst enhancing our mutual sense of fun and enjoyment.
Sidney Nolan Trust Director Sophie Heath said: “As a rural contemporary arts charity championing access to creativity and high quality cultural experiences in the context of landscape and rurality we are delighted to support Herefordshire’s County of Culture bid – there is so much to inspire here for our local audiences and for visitors.”
David Francis, CEO of the Three Choirs Festival, said: ”The Three Choirs Festival, the world’s longest running and leading choral music festival fully supports Herefordshire’s bid for the 2029 City of Culture. The Three Choirs Festival has been hosted in Hereford for almost 300 years and is an internationally regarded festival which brings the finest orchestras, musicians and singers to Hereford. In 2025 the festival sold 16,500 tickets over an 8-day period which is true evidence of our community’s commitment to culture and quality arts experiences in their locale – not only as audience members but as active participants in the musical life of the festival.”
James Newby, President & Chief Executive, NMITE, said: “NMITE and our students are proud to support Herefordshire’s City of Culture 2029 bid. As a new educational institution unlocking talent and opportunity in our county, we know when culture, creativity and education come together, it generates skills, confidence and regional renewal that can last for generations.”
Herefordshire Wildlife Trust said: “Herefordshire’s landscapes and wildlife underpin so much of our county’s culture. From the snake’s-head fritillaries of the Lugg Meadows, sand martins nesting in the banks of the River Wye or woodpeckers darting through traditional orchards, we have a plethora of iconic species and wild places in our countryside which also infuse our villages, market towns and city. We are excited to support the bid for City of Culture which will allow us to celebrate the nature of Herefordshire through arts and culture and further inspire support for its restoration and recovery.”
Tim Evans, CEO & Artistic Director, Powerhouse, said: “Rural creativity deserves a national platform. Herefordshire has the talent, the organisations and the ambition, and Powerhouse is passionate about telling that story. Herefordshire 2029 will, I hope, act as a catalyst for the county coming together to champion what culture can do for our communities, and lead to broader support and a wider understanding of our creative workforce.”
Chris Tindell-Jones, Director of Business & Operations, Encore Enterprises CIO, said:
“Encore Enterprises wishes to confirm its support for the Herefordshire City of Culture bid 2029 and looks forward to celebrating and working with the many cultural organisations within Herefordshire.”
Martha Palmer-Fosberry, Artistic Director of About Face Theatre, said: “The bid for city of culture 2029 is an opportunity to put Hereford firmly on the map as a city filled with history, creativity, tradition and character. A chance to sing loud and proud to the rest of the country about what a creative jewel in England’s crown our county is.”
Leominster Museum said: “Leominster Museum fully supports the innovative 2029 bid for Hereford City of Culture. The city of Hereford is the hub of a distinctive County community which is original and creative. It is time to celebrate our unique home.”
Herefordshire’s EOI sets out a vision for:
· A cultural programme that reaches every corner of the county, bringing high‑quality arts, events and experiences into villages, towns and a variety of rural spaces.
· Boosting the county’s fast‑growing creative economy, which already contributes around £230m GVA, and includes 800+ creative businesses and 4,000 practitioners.
· Involving and benefiting partners across Herefordshire’s cultural and creative sector, from anchor institutions to individual creatives, voluntary and community groups, students, SMEs, and emerging creative industries businesses.
· A rural City of Culture model rooted in landscape, creativity, community and our border identity showing how rural culture can play a strong role in national life.
· Giving more people access to high‑quality cultural experiences through a county‑wide, peripatetic programme brings the arts into community spaces, supports wellbeing, develops skills, and enhances economic resilience and pride in place.
· Culture driving regeneration and environmental leadership, while supporting wellbeing and inclusive, place‑based growth across rural Britain.
Partner organisations involved in developing Herefordshire’s EOI include: Herefordshire Cultural Partnership, Encore Enterprises, Sidney Nolan Trust, Open Sky, Hereford Cathedral, H-Art, Canwood Gallery, NMITE, Herefordshire Wildlife Trust, The National Trust, Waterworks Museum, Leominster Museum, Herefordshire BID (Visit Herefordshire), Hereford BID, Rural Media, Meadow Arts, The Courtyard, 2Faced Dance, Hay Festival, Artlandish, Three Choirs Hereford and Ledbury Poetry Festival.
Herefordshire Council is also supporting local towns that are applying for the Government’s separate Town of Culture 2028 competition with a deadline of 31 March 2026.
Cllr Swinglehurst added: “We welcome the enthusiasm shown from towns such as Ledbury, Leominster and Ross-on-Wye as they consider taking part in the Town of Culture competition. These town-led bids sit fully within our whole-county approach and will help strengthen local pride, attract visitors, and widen participation. If we are long listed for City of Culture, it will only add momentum to this work and highlight how culture is embedded across the county.”