Cabinet to discuss Town of Culture bid

Hastings’ bid to be the first UK Town of Culture will be discussed by Hastings Borough Council’s Cabinet on Wednesday 25 March. 

Cabinet will be asked to agree that the council would be the accountable body for the bid if it successfully makes it to the second round of the government process, and to agree to Arts Hastings Community Interest Company (CIC), working with the wider cultural and arts community to develop bid proposal and submit the Expressions of Interest (EOI) to the government by 31 March 2026. 

The winning town will receive £3million, while two finalists will receive £250,000 each. This funding is to help deliver an ambitious programme of cultural activity in 2028. 

The EOI phase is a chance for interested towns to submit their vision, key elements of their proposed programme, and readiness to deliver. Arts Hastings CIC have already held public engagement events and gathered feedback from the culture and arts community and the wider public to start work on a bid. 

Cllr Julia Hilton, deputy leader of the council and lead councillor for shaping place and local government reorganisation, said: “This is a really exciting opportunity for us to showcase our town as a hot bed of innovation and creativity that can drive our future, based on our grassroots DIY culture and history of radical independent thinkers and innovators. The feedback we have had so far shows there is a real enthusiasm for this process.  We want to use it to ensure people right across the town can   learn new skills and share their creativity, for us to build a sustainable future for our incredible cultural sector and to highlight the role art and creative thinking plays in supporting innovation, something our town is famous for.” 

Helena Dollimore MP, Member of Parliament for Hastings, Rye and the villages said: "2026 is a big year for Hastings, with the return of the Bayeux Tapestry to Britain in September and the 1,000th anniversary of the birth of William the Conqueror a few months later shining a spotlight on our culture and tourism offer. Many people will know our town for that famous battle in 1066. But we are just as rich in landscape, culture, and community spirit as we are in history. Our calendar is full of carnivals and festivals, from Jack in the Green to bonfire nights, and our heritage is complimented by our famous contemporary art and music scene. I cannot think of any better place to be named the UK’s Town of Culture."

Adam Daly, Arts Hastings CIC, said: “This bid is about celebrating the creativity that already exists in Hastings and giving local people the chance to shape an ambitious cultural future for the town.” 

You can read the full Cabinet report, and the meeting will start at 6pm on Wednesday 25 March at Muriel Matters House. You can attend in person or watch online.