Pocklingtons Bid for UK Town of Culture 2028

Pocklington is bidding to become the UK’s Town of Culture 2028 - and it’s a chance to celebrate everything that makes our town creative, welcoming, and quietly extraordinary.

Culture in Pocklington isn’t something that just happens on special occasions. It’s part of everyday life here. Art, music, film and theatre are just the beginning... look deeper and you'll find Pocklington has soul... This bid is about shining a bigger light on the creativity that drives us and sharing it with new audiences to build something that lasts well beyond 2028.

Whether you live here, visit often, or are discovering Pocklington for the first time, this is an invitation to be part of something special.

What Is the UK Town of Culture 2028?

The UK Town of Culture 2028 is a brand new competition launched for the first time in January 2026, with a view for the winning town to be awarded the title for 2028.

The programme celebrates places that use creativity and culture to bring people together, with the aim of boosting pride in place, and sparking new ideas and opportunities.

Being named Town of Culture is about more than just hosting big events. It’s about:

~ Supporting local talent

~ Encouraging participation at every level

~ Attracting visitors and investment

~ And leaving a positive cultural legacy for years to come

For Pocklington, this is a chance to tell our story on a bigger stage - in our own way, and with our own voice.

Why Pocklington?

Pocklington might be a market town, but it has the creative energy of somewhere much bigger. 

Set on the edge of the Yorkshire Wolds, the town has a long tradition of independent thinking, as well as making, performing and doing things a little differently. Pocklington is known for artists open studios, musicians performing in intimate venues, community groups putting on ambitious events, and local businesses backing creativity because they genuinely care about this place.

What makes Pocklington special isn’t just one institution or one festival - it’s the way culture is woven into everyday life, and how many people quietly get involved.

This bid is about recognising that, and building on it.

A Town with Creativity at Its Heart

Creativity in Pocklington shows up in all sorts of ways including in exhibitions and workshops, in music and performance, in schools and community halls, in shop windows and pop-up events.

Spaces like Pocklington Art Centre play an important role in supporting music, live performance and cinema and of course bringing new people into the town. Pocklington is a place that is known about by more people than you think, and some bigger names than you might imagine too!

Cockney Rebel, Steve Harley, loved playing at The Pocklington Art Centre, it was one of his  favourite venues. Jason Manford has performed here many times, also Sarah Millican, Toyah Wilcox, and many, many more... the list is so long and so unexpected! 

You will find that the wider creative scene goes far beyond any single venue. It’s a network of people who share ideas, and who keep culture accessible, friendly, and rooted in the community.

That mix of quality, warmth, and approachability is one of Pocklington’s real strengths — and one this bid wants to celebrate.

Culture for Everyone, Not Just the Few

One of the most exciting things about Pocklington’s cultural life is how inclusive it is.

You don’t need to be an “art person” or a “culture person” to take part. You just need curiosity. From events with the Pocklington History Society to Pocklington Area Open Studios, culture here is something you can join in with - not just watch from the sidelines.

Town of Culture 2028 would give Pocklington the platform to do even more of this: reaching new audiences, involving more people, and making creativity feel like it belongs to everyone.

What UK Town of Culture 2028 Could Mean for Pocklington

If the bid is successful, 2028 would be a year of:

~ Exhibitions, performances and events across the town

~ New creative collaborations between communities and local organisations

~ More visitors discovering Pocklington and the Yorkshire Wolds

~Even more opportunities to engage young people as well as the wider community 

~ An even stronger, more confident cultural identity for the town

Just as importantly, the aim is to create momentum that continues beyond 2028, supporting creativity, culture and the community long into the future.

A Place Worth Visiting... and Revisiting

For visitors, Pocklington offers something a little different: a historic market town with independent shops, great places to eat, beautiful countryside on the doorstep, and a thriving cultural scene that feels genuine rather than manufactured.

UK Town of Culture 2028 status would give even more people a reason to explore the town, stay longer, and come back again - not just for one headline event, but for the atmosphere, the people, and the sense that something interesting is always happening here.

How You Can Support the Bid

This is a town-wide effort, and everyone has a part to play.

You can support the bid by:

~ Attending local events and exhibitions

~ Sharing what makes Pocklington special with friends and visitors

~ Supporting local artists, makers and creative spaces

~ Getting involved in community projects and activities

~ Spreading the word about Pocklington’s Town of Culture 2028 bid

Every conversation, every visit, and every bit of support helps build the story of Pocklington as a creative, confident, forward-looking town.

Looking Ahead: Pocklington’s Creative Future

Whatever the outcome, this bid is already doing something important: it’s putting Pocklington on the radar for potential new visitors and bringing people together to think about what culture means here, and what kind of town Pocklington wants to be in the years ahead.

Here at The Acorn Gallery, and across the wider creative community, that future is about being friendly and welcoming to all, encouraging everyone to be curious, to come and discover and to join in and be a part of the community that makes Pocklington what it is.

UK Town of Culture 2028 isn’t just a title. It’s a chance to celebrate who we are, and to embrace the big future Pocklington can offer.

Support local events. Back local artists and makers. Share what’s happening. Bring friends. Talk about Pocklington. Be part of it. Together, we can make a strong case for Pocklington — and an even stronger future for its creative life.

Pocklington doesn’t need to reinvent itself to be Town of Culture 2028. It just needs to tell its story a little louder. 

2028 is a milestone. But what we build together now is what really matters.

 

Want to See What All the Fuss is About?

You don't need an excuse to Visit Pocklington but here are a few reasons to come over:

The Acorn Gallery - Art Events Calendar

Pocklington Art Centre - Live Music, Film and Theatre - Whats On

Burnby Hall Gardens - Floral Events and Music Concerts