Leith is one of 15 places shortlisted from nearly 400 applications for the new national competition, run by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), that will name the UK’s first Town of Culture.
The Wee Museum of Memory, Ocean Terminal will be the venue for a free drop-in public event on Sunday 25th October from 12noon to 4pm at The Leith Imaginarium for interested residents to bring stories, priorities and big ideas to help shape the town’s bid to be UK Town of Culture 2028, the year that marks 900 years since Leith’s first written record.
Visitors of any age can bring their stories, their priorities and their big ideas for Leith in 2028 and what comes next, through hands-on activities including a chance to be Mayor of Leith for a moment; sofa conversations about Leith’s past and future and a giant illustrated interactive map of Leith to mark places that need a bit of care as well as hidden gems and favourite spots.
The ideas gathered will help inform the final bid, which is being built from the ground up by Leith residents in the newly formed Leith Culture Partnership, with the backing of more than 80 local and national organisations and public figures.
The team of Leith residents behind the bid has formalised as Leith Culture Partnership, chaired by born and bred Leither, and Executive Director and Co-Chief Executive of National Theatre of Scotland Liam Sinclair.
Co-ordinators of Leith’s bid for UK Town of Culture, Susie Gray and Jenny Mungall, said “This isn’t about bringing ‘culture’ to Leith. It’s about celebrating what’s already here, backing the creativity and communities that make this place special, and giving Leithers a real say in what comes next. Whatever the result, 2028 will be a special year as Leith celebrates 900 years and looks forward to the future. The ideas and relationships coming out of the process of this competition belong to this place, and we want to keep building on them to preserve what makes Leith so distinctive and celebrate living in such a brilliant place.”
For anyone who can’t make it there are other ways in which to find out more and have a say in Leith’s plans for 2028. The team is hosting drop-in sessions at Leith Library on Monday 19th October 6.30pm to 8pm and other locations to be announced.
Posters and postcards have also appeared across Leith inviting people to have their say and linking to a survey which can be found here.
The bid will be submitted to DCMS on 30th November, with the winner expected to be announced by 31st March 2027.
Irene Brown
