Portsmouth officially submitted its final, community-led bid to become the UK City of Culture 2029 in August under the banner We Are Pompey 2029. Veteran journalist Peter Gruner reports.
Star & Crescent has actively covered the community and cultural discussions surrounding the bidding journey. The city’s iconic heraldic symbol—featuring a gold star and crescent on a blue shield—has been tied to Portsmouth for over 700 years in honour of King Richard I, anchoring the identity of this ambitious waterfront bid.
Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan and Portsmouth North MP Amanda Martin have welcomed the submission, saying the city has already demonstrated the strength of its cultural offer since launching the campaign last year.
The pair, who fired the starting gun on Portsmouth’s bid last year, said the months since have only strengthened the case for Portsmouth, with artists, cultural organisations, volunteers, businesses and residents coming together to showcase the creativity, heritage and community spirit that make the city unique.
If successful, Portsmouth would receive £10 million in government funding to deliver a year-long programme of cultural events, alongside opportunities to unlock further investment, sponsorship and regeneration that would leave a lasting legacy for the city.
Stephen Morgan added, ‘I’ve always believed Portsmouth’s story is one of resilience, innovation and creativity, and this bid captures that brilliantly. Since launching the campaign last year we’ve seen our city rally behind a shared ambition, demonstrating the strength and depth of our cultural offer.
‘Winning City of Culture would be transformative, creating opportunities for young people, supporting local creatives, attracting investment and bringing even more visitors to our city. Whatever the outcome, this bid has already restored a real sense of pride and belonging in the place we call home, and I’m proud to have backed it every step of the way.’
Amanda Martin said, ‘When we fired the starting gun on Portsmouth’s bid last year, we knew our city had an incredible story to tell. Over the past year we’ve seen exactly that, with local people, artists, community groups and cultural organisations coming together to show what makes Portsmouth so special.
‘From our historic dockyard and seafront to our thriving creative industries, festivals and grassroots culture, Portsmouth is bursting with talent and ambition. I’m incredibly proud of everyone who has played a part in getting the bid to this stage, and I hope the judges can see what we’ve seen all along – that Portsmouth deserves to be UK City of Culture 2029.’
The bid celebrates Portsmouth’s unique blend of maritime heritage, diverse communities and thriving cultural scene, building on events, festivals and creative projects taking place across the city.
The Government is expected to announce a shortlist later this year, with the winning UK City of Culture 2029 to be revealed following the assessment process.
Both MPs are encouraging residents to continue getting behind the campaign as Portsmouth awaits the judges’ decision.
Leader of Portsmouth City Council Steve Pitt said, ‘The submission of our UK City of Culture 2029 bid represents the collective ambition, creativity and determination of our city. The journey has already shown what makes Pompey special. We are a city that backs itself, supports one another and rises to challenges together.’
Portsmouth is one of nine cities hoping to secure the UK City of Culture 2029 title. It is awarded by the UK government every four years, with Bradford the most recent winner in 2025. A shortlist of the final four cities will be announced this autumn, followed by visits and presentations to the competition’s expert advisory panel. The winner is expected to be announced in January 2027.
Image courtesy of We Are Pompey.
