Following the exciting announcement last month that Strabane has been shortlisted for UK Town of Culture 2028, work is advancing at pace to move to the next stage of the process as Derry City and Strabane District Council prepares a full and final bid for submission by the end of November.
Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Cllr Grace Uí Niallais said being shortlisted to the final 15 places from more than 400 expressions of interest submitted in the first phase is a remarkable achievement for the town and a testament to the strength, ambition and quality of Strabane's initial bid.
She said that over the coming weeks Council will be reaching out to community groups, organisations, businesses, schools, cultural partners and residents to ensure that the public can help shape the next stage of the bid.
A public campaign will also be launched to encourage people to get behind the bid, demonstrate their support and showcase the pride, creativity and ambition that exists throughout Strabane.
Mayor Uí Niallais said: “Being shortlisted is a fantastic achievement for Strabane and recognition of the creativity, resilience and ambition that exists across our town and communities. This next stage presents a real opportunity for everyone to play their part in shaping the future of Strabane. I would encourage residents, community groups, schools, businesses and cultural organisations to get involved, share their ideas and help us create a bid that truly reflects the spirit, talent and potential of local people.”
Jacqueline Whoriskey, Head of Culture with Derry City and Strabane District Council said that Council received extremely positive feedback from the judging panel, with the bid praised for its vision, authenticity and strong community foundations.
She said building on the success of the initial bid, an internal project team is in the process of developing a comprehensive programme of engagement designed to shape and strengthen the final submission.
“We were really pleased with the feedback we received from our bid and are excited to move to the next stage in developing an exciting and innovative bid programme. We will be reaching out to communities and organisations within Strabane over the coming weeks and months to get as many people as possible on board to sign up to help and get involved,” she said.
She added that the next phase of the competition will culminate in the submission of a final bid in November, followed by a visit from the judging panel in early 2027 ahead of the winning location and two runner-up locations being announced in March 2027.
Aodhán Harkin, Chair of Strabane Local Growth Partnership said the Strabane Local Growth Partnership is delighted that Strabane has been shortlisted for the first Town of Culture in 2028. Strabane has a rich and often underappreciated cultural and social history, with many powerful stories waiting to be told. The next stage of the process offers the local community a fantastic opportunity to create, engage and participate in an inspiring and transformative year-long programme. We urge everyone to get behind this Town of Culture bid and to be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Strabane and the wider district."
Jacqueline Whoriskey concluded: "This bid is about much more than a title. It is an opportunity to celebrate everything that makes Strabane unique, to showcase our culture, heritage and creativity, and to create a legacy for future generations. We want this to be a genuinely community-led bid and we encourage everyone to get involved, support the campaign and help us present the strongest possible case for Strabane to become Town of Culture 2028."
Council has encouraged everyone with an interest in the future of Strabane to get involved and support the bid as the town seeks to secure this prestigious cultural award – to register your interest in finding out more about the bid and to get involved email – townofculture@derrystrabane.com
