The government has announced the launch of the UK Town of Culture competition, a smaller counterpart to the City of Culture celebrating towns of all sizes.

Of all the towns that enter, an independent panel will select three finalists - one small town, one medium town and one big town.

Then, one town will be selected as the overall winner, being awarded £3 million of funding to fund the bid they will submit as part of the selection process.

The two runner-ups will each receive £250,000 to deliver elements from their bid.

Applications for the UK Town of Culture will be judged on three main criteria:

• The unique story of the town,
• how the town will design a cultural programme for all,
• how the town will then deliver a successful programme if it wins.

Oakham's rural setting, historic connections and strong sense of community could make it a strong contender for the award.

Oakham also is home to a lot of community events, with the castle and museum holding regular exhibitions and heritage events alongside Oakham Pride and May Day.

There is also popular food festivals, markets and, of course, Rutland Morris.

However, shaky relations within Oakham Town Council and between the town council and residents, it has not yet been announced whether they will be entering Oakham into the Town of Culture award.

Applications have opened and towns have until 31 March 2026 for Expressions of Interest.

Do you think Oakham has what it takes to be named Town of Culture? Let us know in the comments below!

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