InFowey: Could Fowey be the Town of Culture 2028?

The UK Town of Culture 2028 is a new national initiative from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) that invites towns across the country to use culture to tell their story, bring communities together and support long term change. Fowey has a chance to become the first winner, receiving £3 million to deliver a year of cultural events and projects that showcase what makes our town unique. The first step is submitting our Expression of Interest.

Rachel Roberts

Fowey’s story is one of creativity, courage and community. Our deep natural harbour has been home to privateers and D-Day flotillas, inspired writers and artists from Daphne du Maurier to today’s makers, and nurtured a volunteering spirit that runs through almost everything here. From the Royal Regatta and the du Maurier Festival to the Gig and Rugby Clubs, Town Hall events and Squires Field community projects, local people already give huge amounts of time and talent to make things happen.

Like many Cornish towns, we also face challenges. Seasonal jobs, high housing costs, limited access to spaces and heritage sites that need care and investment all affect daily life. Our 'Expression of Interest' is about using culture to respond to those issues creatively, celebrating what we have while building new opportunities for the future.

Fowey’s Expression of Interest is being shaped around four themes that reflect the character of the town:

• People & Community

• Heritage, Place & Environment

• Arts & Literature

• Everyday Life

These themes overlap and connect, just as real life in Fowey does. At this stage there are no right or wrong answers. We want to hear every idea that could sit within or across these themes.

This is your Fowey, and now is your chance to shape its future. The prize fund, if we win, could be used in many different ways, for example:

• Creating rehearsal and performance spaces for local groups such as Funnybone Theatre.

• Preserving coastal skills like boatbuilding and sailmaking through workshops and apprenticeships for young people.

• Equipping volunteers with new skills such as sound and lighting, health and safety, event management, filming and editing to support festivals and community events.

Or something completely different, something you believe would make Fowey stronger, fairer, more creative or more connected.

The survey asks for your ideas so we can answer a simple question: if Fowey won, how would the people who live here like to see the £3 million prize invested in the town? Every suggestion helps show the judges how proud, creative and forward-thinking Fowey is. The more ideas we receive, the stronger our bid becomes.

If we are shortlisted this spring, we will receive £60,000 to fund pilot events, workshops and community research, giving everyone even more opportunities to get involved, have your say about what the prize money could be spent on, and test ideas in practice. Share your ideas now on the link below.

If you would like to play a part in developing the bid, if we are shortlisted, and in future projects, we are forming a Fowey Culture Team of volunteers. Roles are likely to be around 5 to 10 hours a month, with training and support. Whether you are a student, maker, retiree or business owner, your experience and perspective can help shape what happens next.