Rochdale bids to be first town of culture

The competition invites towns across the UK to showcase their cultural story and develop ambitious programmes that celebrate local heritage, creativity and communities. The winning town receives £3 million to deliver a major year-long cultural programme in 2028 designed to boost civic pride, attract visitors and provide everyone with the opportunity to participate in cultural activities.

Rochdale’s bid is currently at the Expression of Interest stage and is led by Rochdale Borough Council and Rochdale Development Agency, alongside cultural groups, education providers and community organisations, working together to highlight the creativity and diversity that defines Rochdale.

Located in the foothills of the South Pennines, approximately 10 miles northeast of Manchester, 36 miles from Leeds and close to the Lancashire border, Rochdale is within a 45 minute drive of a catchment of almost 5 million people, as well as sitting on the train line between Manchester and Leeds, and connected to Greater Manchester’s ‘Bee Network’ by tram and bus. This scale and geography would offer a significant opportunity for a UK Town of Culture programme to reach wide and diverse audiences.

Rochdale’s bid will build on the town’s history as the birthplace of the Co-operative movement, and a centre of political reform, collective action and working-class cultural innovation. A town of national and international significance, whose people and ideas have shaped the social, democratic and cultural life of the UK and beyond, Rochdale’s story is distinctive and highly relevant today. In 1844, the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society established principles of fairness, equality and shared ownership that transformed economic and social practice worldwide. These values remain embedded in Rochdale’s identity and continue to resonate with contemporary debates around social value, ethical growth, fairness and community power.

The town has played a defining role in the UK’s democratic history. In 1819, poet and activist Samuel Bamford led reformers from Rochdale to St Peter’s Fields, witnessing the Peterloo Massacre and helping galvanise national movements for parliamentary reform. Rochdale was the birthplace of John Bright MP, one of the 19th century’s most influential reformers, whose work helped shape modern democratic values and institutions.

The town has made a significant contribution to the UK’s popular culture, producing internationally recognised musicians, artists, writers and performers. Its Cargo Studios became an important site for the postpunk and alternative music scene, creating recordings that redefined working class cultural expression and contributed to the UK’s global creative reputation.

Council leader Neil Emmott announced the intention to bid said it underlines the town’s ambition after just completing a hugely successful year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture.

Council leader Neil Emmott, who announced the intention to bid during an event at Rochdale Town Hall, said it underlines the town’s ambition after just completing a hugely successful year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture: He said:

“We have a strong foundation for a bold and future focused UK Town of Culture programme and an incredible story to tell. We’ll be developing a fabulous programme of new events and activities as well as amplifying our existing offer and recently transformed town hall square and centre. As we have already seen during our year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture, we have an established infrastructure of creative partners ready to go, who have already expressed their support for our bid, providing significant capacity and scale to deliver a UK town of culture programme in 2028 that would leave a permanent cultural legacy. We have exciting and varied attractions and iconic venues that have seen significant investment, an array of creative talent and we’re very well connected. This bid will allow us to share this in new ways and invite others to experience it.”

Rochdale Town Hall recently reopened following a £20 million refurbishment.

Rochdale Town Hall, one of the finest buildings of its kind in Europe and home to the largest town square in England recently reopened following an £20 million refurbishment, winning multiple awards and is now an all-year-round attraction. Hosting large events, exhibitions and outdoor performances with a capacity of over 7,000 with artists including OMD and Gabrielle appearing this summer.

Touchstones Rochdale, the town’s arts and heritage hub re-opens in 2027 following an £8 million refurbishment and will host national exhibitions and tours. Other key attractions include Fireground, the Greater Manchester fire station museum and the Pioneers Museum, which includes the original store on Toad Lane that first opened in 1844.

Other venues including the historic Champness Hall which features an impressive art deco auditorium, Richard Street Studios and the existing Common Walls mural trail would see targeted investment and enable new commissions and learning programmes across the town.

The UK Town of Culture competition builds on the success of the UK City of Culture programme, which has brought major cultural investment and national attention to places such as Bradford and Coventry.