Birkenhead plans winter culture push for Town bid 2026

Key Points

• Birkenhead has made it onto the 15-town shortlist in the first-ever Town of Culture award despite competing against close to 400 other UK towns.
• Each shortlisted town will receive £60,000 towards making their bids complete for judging by an independent panel of judges.
• Craig Pennington, co-founder and CEO at Future Yard, is spearheading the bid for Birkenhead through the Birkenhead Cultural Partnership.
• Bids must be submitted by the end of November, and a winner should be announced sometime in March.
• There are plans for a “big public launch event” in December and a series of public events during the “Birkenhead 2028” festival running November to March.
• Three population categories have been set up for the competition – Birkenhead falls into the large town category (population more than 75,000) against Grimsby, Rotherham and Basildon.
• Birkenhead is the only town on the shortlist that comes from Merseyside and the only one from the North West region of England.
• Campaign leaders believe that the current government’s emphasis on the North, including Number 10 North and the Culture Secretary based in Wigan, will help Birkenhead’s chances.

Birkenhead (Liverpool standard) September 11, 2026 – Birkenhead is preparing a winter programme of cultural activity and public events to strengthen its bid for Town of Culture status after reaching the 15-town shortlist for the inaugural competition.

Organisers behind the bid say they intend to be “as vivid, vocal, and visible as possible” between the submission of full bids at the end of November and the expected announcement of a winner around March, according to Craig Pennington, co-founder and chief executive at music venue Future Yard, who is leading the effort through the Birkenhead Cultural Partnership.

As reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), Mr Pennington told journalists that Birkenhead being named Town of Culture is “a when, not if”, expressing confidence in the town’s prospects as it moves into the final stages of the process.

What is the Town of Culture competition and how does it work?

The Town of Culture competition is structured around three population-based categories: small towns (under 20,000 people), medium towns (20,000–75,000) and large towns (over 75,000).

Each of the 15 shortlisted towns has been awarded £60,000 to develop its full bid, which will be assessed by an independent judging panel.

One town from each category will be named as that category’s finalist, with the overall winner then selected from the final three.

In the large town category, Birkenhead is competing against Grimsby, Rotherham and Basildon.

Mr Pennington has said: “The first hurdle to get over is that we need to win that. We need to be the best of those four.”

What events are planned between November and March?

Those behind Birkenhead’s bid have outlined plans for a “big public launch event”, which is expected to take place in early December, giving residents and visitors the chance to engage directly with the campaign.

According to Mr Pennington, the team will present “a season of activity under the banner of Birkenhead 2028”, comprising a programme of public events running between November and March.

The intention, he explained to LDRS, is to ensure the town remains highly visible during the period when the judging panel is considering the bids, noting: “We need to be as vivid, vocal, and visible as possible in that period between November and March as the panel aren’t making their decision until March.”

Why is Birkenhead’s shortlisting significant for the North West?

Birkenhead is the only town in Merseyside to have been shortlisted for Town of Culture, and the only town from the North West of England to reach the final 15.

Mr Pennington has suggested that this regional position could work in the town’s favour given the current government’s stated focus on the North.

He told LDRS: “I hope it’ll give us a really strong chance. With a Prime Minister that has established Number 10 North, and having a Culture Secretary in Wigan, I think we’ve got a very unique opportunity.”

At the same time, he acknowledged uncertainty over whether this attention represents a competitive advantage or could mean the North West is already heavily scrutinised, saying: “Whether that means we have a competitive advantage, or if it means there’s already enough focus on the North West of England and it’s a disadvantage, I don’t know.”

Who is leading Birkenhead’s Town of Culture bid?

Craig Pennington, co-founder and chief executive at music venue Future Yard, is leading Birkenhead’s Town of Culture bid as part of the Birkenhead Cultural Partnership.

His role places him at the centre of efforts to coordinate the town’s cultural offer, develop the full bid document and oversee the winter programme of events designed to showcase Birkenhead to the independent judging panel.

Image credit for published coverage of Mr Pennington has been given to Andrew Spence | LDRS, as noted in reporting by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

What happens after the bids are submitted in November?

Full bids from the 15 shortlisted towns are set to be submitted by the end of November.

After submission, the independent judging panel will assess the bids before announcing a winner around March.

Organisers have emphasised that work to promote the town will not stop once the bids are handed in, with the winter season of events under the “Birkenhead 2028” banner intended to maintain momentum and public engagement through to the decision.

Background to Birkenhead’s Town of Culture development

Birkenhead entered the inaugural Town of Culture competition alongside around 400 towns from across the UK, ultimately securing a place on the 15-name shortlist.

Reaching this stage has unlocked £60,000 in funding for the town to develop its full bid, as part of a process designed to highlight the cultural strengths and ambitions of towns outside major cities.

The bid is being coordinated through the Birkenhead Cultural Partnership, with leadership from local cultural figures including Mr Pennington, whose work at Future Yard has positioned him as a key voice in the town’s emerging cultural strategy.

The competition’s three-tier structure by population size means Birkenhead is positioned as a large town, competing directly with Grimsby, Rotherham and Basildon for the large-town finalist slot before any overall winner is chosen from the three category finalists.

Prediction: how could this development affect Birkenhead residents and local businesses?

If Birkenhead secures Town of Culture status, residents could see increased investment in local cultural venues, more frequent public events and a stronger profile for the town in regional and national coverage.

Local businesses, particularly in hospitality, retail and the creative sectors, may benefit from higher footfall during event periods and from longer-term branding associated with a recognised cultural designation.

Even if the town does not win, the winter programme of events and the structured bid process could still stimulate greater collaboration between cultural organisations, improve the visibility of existing venues such as Future Yard, and encourage further public participation in local arts and music.

The focus on being “vivid, vocal, and visible” between November and March suggests that, regardless of the final outcome, the campaign is likely to leave a more active and connected cultural scene in Birkenhead than before the bid began.