‘If there is culture, it’s not loud enough!’: Leam bids to be UK’s first Town of Culture

Leamington Spa has bid to become the UK’s first Town of Culture, a branch of the City of Culture initiative, with mixed response from University of Warwick students. 

The UK City of Culture initiative was launched in 2009 and has featured four winners, including Coventry in 2021. This year, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, has launched a similar initiative focusing on towns. The two runners up will each receive £250,000 whilst the winner will be awarded £3 million. 

​Warwick (often a source of confusion for well-meaning relatives who don’t understand that Warwick students don’t attend university there) is considering putting itself forward, and Leamington Spa, where many Warwick students actually live, has decided to take part. 

[Leamington has] a vibrant arts scene, many diverse communities, [and] fantastic parks

— Cllr Ruggy Singh

​Warwick, if it proceeds with a proposal, would join the same category in the competition as Leamington Spa, which is the medium town category. 

While Warwick has not committed to a formal bid, the town is using the programme’s focus on local pride and culture to gather views from their residents in connection with the Warwick Town Centre Vision that was drawn up last year.

​Leamington Spa’s mayor, Cllr Ruggy Singh, shared his enthusiasm for the town’s bid in a recent statement, hailing Leamington as “the cultural centre of this area” with “a vibrant arts scene, many diverse communities, fantastic parks, and a fantastic history to dig into.” 

“Our exciting, inclusive bid will be taking all these elements and approaching them from a different perspective”, Cllr Singh added. “We need the help of the people who live and work here and everyone who loves Leam to shape our bid and to create and deliver our programme of events, activities, and displays.” 

[I have] not been struck by any kind of culture at all

— Future Leam resident

A student at University of Warwick who has lived in Leamington Spa for the past two years pointed out the “restaurants with a diverse range of cuisines” and “brilliant bars” in response to a survey by The Boar.  

However, another student who will be moving to Leamington Spa next year said they had “not been struck by any kind of culture at all … If there is culture in Leamington it is clearly not being loud enough!” 

If Leamington Spa were to receive the winner or even runner-up prize, the money could hugely benefit the arts and cultural scene in the town. Popularising venues like the Leamington Spa Art Gallery and Museum, even bars and cafes for live music, might be enough to make up for the student commute to campus. 

The government aims to announce a shortlist this spring, with the winner chosen by early 2027. The winning town will then be awarded in 2028, where it will start a year-long programme of cultural celebrations.