MK City Council reveal details of consultation progress for Milton Keynes' 2029 City of Culture bid

Milton Keynes City Council have revealed details of their ongoing consultation into the city’s bid to be City of Culture for 2029.

More than 2,500 people of all ages, from across Milton Keynes have shaped the city’s bid to become UK City of Culture 2029, demonstrating the strength of local support for a Milton Keynes win and all the lasting benefits it would unlock for the city. 

Residents, business leaders and organisations joined the city’s creative and cultural community to contribute ideas, stories and aspirations at 173 workshops, pop-ups, drop-in sessions, school events and interviews backed up by an online survey for people who couldn’t join in person. Hundreds of conversations even happened during a busy drum and bass bike ride.

Since Milton Keynes was announced in March as one of nine longlisted bidding cities, local people have actively got involved in lively debate, made collages and maps to imagine future culture, and contributed to an inspirational ‘Book of Ideas’ that toured neighbourhoods, spaces and events around the city to capture what MK means to them and what it might achieve as UK City of Culture 2029.

The programme reached people of all ages and backgrounds and the final bid is rooted in the experiences and diversity of Milton Keynes communities.

According to their research, MK City Council said local people want a winning bid to focus on young people to help them experience and create culture during the City of Culture year and well beyond, go outside ‘traditional arts’ into food, sport and other areas to reflect how people experience culture in their everyday lives and secure investment for local artists, grassroots organisations and emerging creatives to generate more home-grown culture within the city.

Another goal cited by the research was to create spectacular events against the backdrop of distinctive parts of Milton Keynes.

‘We’re Just Getting Started’ is the overall theme for the Milton Keynes bid.

In MK City Council’s statement, they said, “It demonstrates that we’re a young city with aspirations and enormous potential to grow and celebrate our own creative talent. Being named UK City of Culture 2029 would unlock new opportunities and investment to supercharge the city’s cultural infrastructure, help creative people achieve their dreams, and connect more residents to brilliant performances, networks and events.”

Nine cities have been longlisted as candidates to be UK City of Culture 2029 – namely Blackpool, Inverness-Highland, Ipswich, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Portsmouth, Sheffield, Swindon and Wrexham.

Bids will be submitted to judges next month, with an announcement to take place later this year to name the final four shortlisted cities. 

An independent panel of judges selected for their wide range of expertise, chaired by legendary television producer Sir Phil Redmond, will make the decision. Judges will visit all shortlisted cities, and the UK’s City of Culture for 2029 will be announced in early 2027.

Cllr Jane Carr, Leader of Milton Keynes City Council, said, “The response from people across Milton Keynes has been incredible. More than 2,500 people have taken the time to share their ideas and ambitions for our city. Their contributions are helping to shape a bid that truly reflects the creativity, diversity and pioneering spirit that makes Milton Keynes unique. It’s brilliant to see so much enthusiasm for what we can all achieve together, and we really want this to continue. As the bid will say, we’re just getting started!”

Creative Producer Ursula White, who toured the Book of Ideas around Milton Keynes, added, “You can get a bit jaded working in the arts, this reminded me why we do it. The opportunity to talk to people, to hear how much they want to be City of Culture and what they want to do – it’s given me a whole new lease of life”