Alison Hume MP has officially endorsed both Whitby and Scarborough in their respective bids to become the UK's first Town of Culture and secure a £3m prize for 2028.
Alison Hume MP has endorsed Whitby’s bid to become the UK’s first ‘Town of Culture’ after also championing Scarborough’s claim.
Launched by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) earlier this year, the competition’s eventual winner will receive £3m to deliver a bespoke cultural programme in 2028.
Having initially explored the possibility of submitting a joint entry, local organisers are now targeting different categories with Whitby hoping to be put forward as the country’s leading ‘Small Town’ while neighbouring Scarborough focuses on securing the ‘Medium sized Town’ nomination.
Ms Hume, who received BAFTA and Royal Television Society awards for her work as a screenwriter before being elected to represent both two years ago, said:
“I am delighted to be supporting Whitby’s bid to be the first UK Town of Culture.
“Whitby is a small town but it has gigantic story to tell.
“Whitby already draws in huge numbers of tourists every year for the famous Goth Weekends, Musicport and Folk festivals and countless other cultural events, so it seems fitting that the town that inspired Bram Stoker to write Dracula throws its top hat in the ring.”
Seven organisations, including Flash Company Arts, are currently fronting Whitby’s case which is themed ‘Storyland’.
It could eventually find itself going head-to-head with Scarborough if the judging panel, headed by Grange Hill and Brookside creator Sir Phil Redmond, decide to push both through to the competition’s final phase.
The three finalists – one small, one medium and one large sized town – will then face-off for the overall prize, while the two runners-up will each receive £250,000 to carry forward elements of their bids.
Ms Hume added:
“Whitby lives and breathes culture.
“It is a breathtakingly beautiful town which has inspired countless writers, artists, musicians and other creatives over the years, many of whom are woven into the town’s cultural community.
“The town’s maritime history as a shipbuilding and whaling port, as well as the port where Captain Cook learnt his craft, is unmatched in a small town.
“Who knows, 2028 could be the year Whitby residents can share how proud they are of where they live, and thousands of new visitors can experience our warm and inclusive Whitby welcome?”
The DCMS designed the Town of Culture contest to build upon the success of the City of Culture programme.
Bradford reported a 25 percent rise in city centre footfall during its tenure and a total audience of around three million people for the events it staged across 2025.
Rebecca Denniff, of Flash Company Arts, said:
“Whitby is an amazing place to live and work, surrounded by magnificent moorland and wild seas.
“It’s a tiny town that has had a massive impact on the whole world - from the Synod of Easter all the way to its global association with Goth culture through Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
“But we need to show that we are so much more than our amazing history.
“Whitby is a place where so many stories converge; it’s an immersive experience in waiting.”
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