Ripon launches bid to be crowned Town of Culture

Ripon, home to just 17,000 residents, has officially launched its bid to become the UK Town of Culture 2028 under the theme “Small City, Big Landscape".

The bid celebrates Ripon’s unique blend of rural charm and urban history, including its 1,000-year-old civic tradition.

The audience at the Ripon Theatre Festival 2026 launch event on Friday 27 March were the first to hear that Ripon is formally bidding for UK Town of Culture 2028 (Image: Ben Coulson)

Central to the campaign is the idea of “pilgrimage” - a journey of discovery, connection, and transformation -which will underpin a year-long, place-based cultural programme reaching across Ripon and surrounding communities.

Charlie Studdy, a member of the Culture and Green Space Working Group at the Uredale Community Partnership and a volunteer for Ripon Theatre Festival, said: "Ripon has been a place of pilgrimage since 672 AD.

"In 2028, we want it to be one again – this time for culture.

"Our vision is to build on Ripon’s unique, ancient foundations to create a sustainable, culture-led future, using the all-encompassing idea of pilgrimage."

Ripon has launched its bid to become UK Town of Culture 2028 under the theme “Small City, Big Landscape,” highlighting its heritage and cultural ambition (Image: Gary Lawson)

Pilgrimage is deeply woven into Ripon’s identity. The 7th-century crypt of St Wilfrid at Ripon Cathedral has attracted visitors for centuries, and the tradition continues with the annual Boxing Day pilgrimage to Fountains Abbey and the summer St Wilfrid’s Procession.

The city’s Market Place has served as a hub of commerce for generations, and the nightly Hornblower ceremony—dating back to 886 AD—remains one of the world’s oldest civic rituals.

The UK Town of Culture competition aims to spotlight under-recognised towns, with £3 million awarded to the winner and £250,000 for two finalists.

Ripon’s bid emphasises not only its cultural assets but also its wider influence.

The city has connections to literary figures like Lewis Carroll and war poet Wilfred Owen, and the surrounding landscapes of Hackfall Woods, Fountains Abbey, and the Ripon Canal continue to inspire artists.

Creative traditions range from the centuries-old Wilfrid Tarts to modern community projects like the Ripon Community Poppy Project.

Mr Studdy said: "Across Europe, pilgrimage routes like the Camino de Santiago attract millions.

"Today, people are seeking connection more than ever – whether through nature, creativity, or shared experience. "

The bid is led by the Uredale Community Partnership and includes support from Ripon Together, Ripon BID, Ripon Theatre Festival, Ripon Cathedral, Ripon YMCA, Ripon Disability Forum, Ripon Civic Society, and Ripon Arts Hub.

Partners span the Ure Valley, from Masham to Bishop Monkton and Langthorpe.

The Very Reverend John Dobson, Dean of Ripon and chair of the Uredale Community Partnership, said: "Ripon has always been at the heart of a wider rural area and has an impact far beyond the city boundaries.

"It is wonderful that the Uredale Community Partnership has been the catalyst for this bid and has been able to bring together so many committed partners across the area."

The bid is grounded in community evidence from the Ripon City Investment Plan, which identified culture and heritage as priorities for residents, businesses, and organisations.

Kate Sharpe, trustee for Ripon Disability Forum, said: "This approach is inclusive by design – from family-friendly and accessible trails to creative experiences that can be brought indoors for those unable to travel.

"Whether through walking, storytelling, music or art, pilgrimage can be something everyone takes part in.

"It may sound simple, but connection like this is powerful."