UK Town of Culture

Cirencester has submitted an Expression of Interest to become UK Town of Culture 2028. The bid has been submitted to the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport. Our vision for UK Town of Culture 2028 is One Cirencester: a year that purposefully connects and celebrates different neighbourhoods, generations, town, and landscape, and ensures that the towns assets and culture are accessible to everyone.

At the heart of the One Cirencester programme is inclusion: a town that promotes pride in place, providing equally for all residents, and for the whole town. Guided by a long-term commitment to young people, we will create new opportunities for youth leadership, skills and creative expression, and intergenerational connection.

Central to this will be the rebirth of the Cirencester Farthing. In the 12th century, Cirencester minted its own token to sustain local trade when small coinage was scarce, a powerful symbol of civic agency. In 2028, we will introduce Cirencester Farthing v2.0, a locally hosted physical & digital cultural currency, delivered via existing technology platforms.

We hope that the outcomes from this will be:

• increased participation in culture;

• growth in youth employment and skills engagement;

• business uptake of the Farthing;

• improved access to green corridors and lakes;

• enhanced intergenerational engagement.

If short-listed, we will receive £60,000 to draw up a detailed bid when costs and risks will be considered; this will be the time for extending engagement and seeking the views of the community before the application is considered and approved for submission by the Town Council.