“Small town with big ambitions”: Redruth launches bid to become UK Town of Culture 2028

Redruth has today announced its official bid to become UK Town of Culture 2028, led by a partnership between Redruth Town Council, Redruth Cultural Consortium, and The Ladder.

The bid celebrates Redruth’s rich heritage, creative energy, and strong community spirit, positioning culture as a driver for pride, opportunity, and long-term regeneration. If successful, Redruth would host a £3.5m programme of cultural activity in Spring/Summer 2028, showcasing local talent while attracting national attention, investment, and visitors. With the drive for recognition of the Cornish language’s unique status in full flow, Cornish culture is top of the agenda in Parliament.

Redruth is a former industrial town in Cornwall with a population of 15,626. Including the surrounding mining villages, the wider area is home to 42,690 people, making it the most populous area in Cornwall.

Redruth may be a small town, but it has big ambitions. Once known as the richest square mile in the UK, it is now among the most deprived. The closure of the mines and the town’s brewery in the 1990s marked a period of significant change. Today, with the opening of Kresen Kernow, Krowji, The Buttermarket and The Ladder, arts, culture, heritage and creativity are driving a renaissance of the town. 

Redruth punches well above its weight. It is home to the largest artist studio complex west of Bristol, the third-largest hub for digital businesses in the UK, and the UK’s largest heritage archive project. The town also boasts a beautiful cinema and theatre, Cornwall’s largest creative employer, and is home to half of Cornwall’s Arts Council National Portfolio Organisations. Artists are drawn to Redruth as the most affordable place in Cornwall to live and work.

Redruth is one of the areas in Cornwall where the strongest sense of Cornish identity remains, and is home to the Lowender Festival, which celebrates Cornish culture and will mark its 50th anniversary in 2028. Redruth also hosts quarterly festivals including the International Mining and Pasty Festival and Murdoch Day, which celebrate our culture of food, mining and innovation. We are bidding for Town of Culture because we want the UK to hear our rich and complex story and why our town has national significance.

Rooted in Redruth’s unique identity, from its world-renowned mining history to its growing contemporary arts scene, the bid aims to put local people at the heart of shaping the town’s cultural future.

Cllr Alison Biscoe, Mayor of Redruth said:

“This bid is about confidence, creativity, and community. Redruth has an extraordinary story to tell, and becoming UK Town of Culture 2028 would give us the platform to celebrate who we are, where we’ve come from, and where we’re going.”

The Redruth Cultural Consortium, a network of local artists, organisations, and community groups, is working to ensure the bid reflects the breadth of creativity across the town and provides opportunities for participation at every level.

Felix Mortimer from Redruth Cultural Consortium said:

“Redruth’s culture lives in its people; in its music, stories, skills, and shared spaces. This bid is about amplifying those voices and creating opportunities for everyone to take part in shaping a vibrant cultural future.”

The Ladder, a Redruth-based creative organisation, brings experience in producing ambitious cultural programmes rooted in place and participation.

Joshua Nawras from The Ladder added:

“We believe culture can be transformative when it’s genuinely led by local communities. This bid is an opportunity to invest in Redruth’s creativity, nurture local talent, and build lasting impact well beyond 2028.”

Community involvement will be central to the bid, with residents, schools, businesses, and community groups invited to contribute ideas, shape the programme, and take part in events as the bid develops.

More information about the bid and opportunities to get involved will be shared in the coming months.

For more information about the bid and how to get involved, visit townofculture.uk and follow @townofculture on instagram.