Town of Culture 2028: Decision Update

The results of the UK's first Town of Culture 2028 competition have now been announced. More than 400 towns from across the UK entered, with just 15 being shortlisted to progress to the next stage. Unfortunately, Galashiels was not among them this time.

While we're naturally disappointed with the outcome, we're incredibly proud of the application we submitted and everything it represented. We'd like to congratulate the 15 shortlisted towns and wish them every success as the competition continues – we'll be following their journeys with great interest.

Our bid was about much more than a competition. It brought together businesses, community organisations, public sector partners and local people, creating new partnerships, strengthening existing relationships and generating exciting ideas for the future of Galashiels. The enthusiasm, passion and belief in our town throughout the process was inspiring, and that's something we're determined to build on.

As part of the application, every town was invited to submit a digital postcard capturing the spirit of their place. Galashiels' postcard, shared by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) alongside almost 400 others, beautifully reflects the pride, creativity, heritage and community spirit that define our town. While our Town of Culture 2028 journey has come to an end, the postcard remains a lasting reminder of everything that makes Galashiels special.

The Town of Culture working group will continue to meet, with its focus now turning to helping Galashiels make the very most of the Tour de France Grand Départ 2027 and other opportunities for the town. We don't want the momentum, ideas and partnerships created through this process to stop here. Instead, we want to channel that energy into projects that make a lasting difference for our businesses, residents and visitors.

If you'd like to be part of the conversations and help shape plans for the Tour de France and future opportunities for Galashiels, we'd love to hear from you. Please contact Mags at mags@bidforgalashiels.com.

Finally, thank you to everyone who contributed their time, ideas and enthusiasm to the Town of Culture bid. Although we didn't achieve the result we'd hoped for, the collaboration it inspired has already made a positive difference, and we're excited to see where that shared ambition takes us next.