Milton Keynes
City of culture 2029
Back the bid
WE’VE BEEN SHORTLISTED!
Milton Keynes has been shortlisted to be UK City of Culture 2029 alongside Blackpool, Sheffield and Wrexham.
The UK City of Culture is the UK’s most prestigious cultural title, celebrating places that use culture and creativity to transform communities, attract visitors and create lasting social and economic impact. The winner will be announced in early 2027.
Ode to Milton Keynes by Maureen Onwunali
A newly commissioned poem created in support of Milton Keynes’ bid can be viewed below.
UK City of Culture 2029 Bid Posters
A new series of 11 unique posters celebrating Milton Keynes’ people, places and stories will go on display across the city as momentum continues around the city’s bid to become UK City of Culture 2029. You can view the posters below.
The collection features work from local artists and designers who were invited to share their own creative response to Milton Keynes’ bid. Commissioned by MK creative agency Pooleyville, the posters reflect different aspects of local life, from the city’s history and distinctive design to its communities, culture, landscape and future ambitions.
Featured in the exhibition are Thomas Cuthbertson, Thomas Eke, Chris Henley, ChiaChun Li, Made by Berry, Marianna Madriz, Serge Seidlitz, Sahaana Shankar, Frances Szweda, Rookie Services and WHP Creative. The posters will be displayed in multiple locations, and thanks go to centre:mk, MKDP and Unity Place for sharing spaces where they will be seen.
What is UK City of Culture?
UK City of Culture is a major national programme led by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Previous winners include:
Derry-Londonderry (2013), Hull (2017), Coventry (2021) and Bradford (2025)
The title brings a full year of events – from music, theatre and art to digital innovation, heritage, sport and more. But the real impact lasts far longer, helping cities grow creatively, socially and economically for years to come.
The winning city for 2029 will be announced in early 2027.
Why Milton Keynes?
Milton Keynes is a city built on imagination – a place where innovation, diversity and creativity thrive side by side.
From world-class festivals and iconic outdoor events to grassroots creativity in every grid square, MK is already bursting with culture. But we know this is just the beginning.
Bidding for UK City of Culture is a chance to:
– Put MK on the national and global stage
– Bring more opportunities for artists, young people and communities
– Attract investment, jobs and visitors
– Create a lasting legacy that benefits everyone
Other cities have shown just how powerful this can be – with millions of visitors, thousands of events, and a huge boost in local pride. We believe Milton Keynes can go even further.
What could 2029 look like?
If we’re successful, 2029 will be a year-long celebration across the whole of Milton Keynes – from the city centre to our historic towns and vibrant neighbourhoods.
Think…
– Spectacular outdoor events and city-centre takeovers
– New festivals and expanded favourites
– Creative projects in every community
– Opportunities for local people to take part, volunteer and lead
And most importantly – a programme shaped by you.
What‘s the timeline?
August 2026 – Our final bid was submitted
October 2026 – Milton Keynes announced as a shortlisted city announced
Early 2027 – Winner revealed
Thank you for attending our events and pop-ups
You cam out in your thousands across community spaces, cultural venues and public places – we took onboard your ideas and it helped shape our bid.
You can still share your ideas
Got a brilliant event idea? A creative project? A story about your community? We want to hear it.
Contact us at: culture@milton-keynes.gov.uk
Take part in our online questionnaires
You can still contribute to our questionnaires. Below is our general community based survey:
UK CITY OF CULTURE QUESTIONNAIRE
If you are part of the Creative & Cultural sector, we’d love to hear your views via this survey:
CREATIVE & CULTURAL QUESTIONNAIRE
Are you involved in the creative or tech sectors?
We’re inviting artists, designers, technologists, researchers, organisations and residents to explore the possibilities of emerging technologies in developing new ways of gathering, learning, and imagining together.
CREATECH WEBSITE
Thank you MK schools
Every school in Milton Keynes was invited to take part – giving young people the chance to imagine and shape what 2029 could look like.
GET MORE INFORMATION
For logos, assets and press releases to help support our UK City of Culture 2029 Bid, please download our media pack
BUSINESS SUPPORT
Back the Bid and be part of something transformational for the city. We’re inviting you to stand behind Milton Keynes’ bid to become the UK City of Culture 2029.
