Arts Hastings Announces Bid for UK Town of Culture 2028

Arts Hastings CIC has today announced its formal bid for the UK Town of Culture 2028 title, setting out a bold vision for a town-wide cultural programme rooted in community, creativity and social transformation. Arts Hastings CIC will lead delivery in partnership with Hastings Borough Council as the Accountable Body, supported by a wide network of cultural organisations, community groups, businesses and public sector partners.

The bid positions Hastings as a living example of culture-led community renewal – a town with a
centuries-long tradition of independence, innovation and grassroots creativity, and a deep belief
that culture is not something to be consumed, but something to be created, shared and lived.
The bid reflects the town’s distinctive cultural ecology and its commitment to decentralising culture –
taking high-quality activity into every neighbourhood and ensuring no community is left behind.
It also directly addresses Hastings’ most pressing social challenges, including low social mobility,
poor health outcomes and limited opportunity for young people. By embedding culture within the
town’s most disadvantaged communities, the programme will create meaningful pathways into
skills, education and employment – while strengthening social cohesion and improving public health.

Beyond 2028, the bid sets out a clear legacy: a strengthened cultural infrastructure, sustained cross-
sector partnerships, a more resilient creative economy, and – most importantly – creativity
embedded in everyday life across the whole town.

“Hastings is not defined by its past – it is defined by its ongoing reinvention. This bid invites the nation to experience a town where culture is not just celebrated, but lived.”
Arts Hastings CIC, 2025

About Arts Hastings CIC
Arts Hastings CIC is the community interest company leading the creative and cultural development of
Hastings. Working in partnership with local organisations, communities and the public sector, it champions a town-wide approach to culture that is inclusive, ambitious and rooted in the life of the town.
Media Enquiries – htoc@artshastings.com