This article is about the winning fourth designation of UK City of Culture. For an overview of the programme, see UK City of Culture. For the 2025 bidding process, see UK City of Culture 2025 bids.
UK City of Culture is a designation given to a different city every four years by the DCMS with the aim of using the arts to celebrate and regenerate forgotten areas.[5]
By the deadline at the end of July 2021, it was reported that a record number of twenty cities and areas had submitted bids to hold the title of UK City of Culture 2025, a quarter of which are from Wales. The then Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Oliver DowdenMP, stated that the sheer number of applicants for the title was a "testament to the huge success of City of Culture". The 2025 bidding competition has allowed for the first time, bids from regions and areas, including groups of towns across one or multiple local authorities, and even across the borders of the constituent countries. Those long-listed have been awarded £40,000 to support their bid progressing to the next stage of the competition.[6] The holder was set to be announced in December 2021, but was postponed due to the number of applicants, with a longlist released on 8 October 2021,[7] a final shortlist of bidders was released on 18 March 2022.[8][9] Bradford was announced as the 2025 holder by Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Nadine Dorries on 31 May 2022,[1][10] winning over the other shortlisted bids from County Durham, Southampton and Wrexham County Borough which all received £125,000 as runners-up.[1][2][3][4] The competition was judged by Sir Phil Redmond, chair of the expert advisory panel for the UK City of Culture 2025 competition, who led visits to each bidder prior to the final announcement.
