We have some exciting news.
Lerwick is in the running to become the UK’s first ever Town of Culture in 2028 – and people are now being encouraged to help shape the next stage of the bid.
Lerwick is one of just 15 places shortlisted from almost 400 applications across the UK. If successful, the town would receive £3 million to deliver a major cultural programme in 2028, with the potential to create opportunities and benefits for Lerwick and Shetland more widely.
The Shetland Folk Festival are, or course, backing the bid. We are incredibly proud of Lerwick and Shetland’s culture and what our amazing community already deliver each year. We now have an opportunity to really share that story with the rest of the UK.
We’d love your help in spreading the news and in encouraging as many people as possible to complete the survey.
Findings from our survey and wider engagement will help shape the proposed programme of activity that will be submitted as part of the full bid. We want to reflect the views, ideas, concerns and ambitions of people across Lerwick and Shetland (and further afield).
You can find out more about Lerwick28, the ideas behind it and what it could mean for the community at:
The Lerwick28 survey is now open at:
It should only take around five minutes to complete. There are no right or wrong answers – we want to know what you value about Lerwick, what you would like to see happen, what might prevent you from taking part and what difference Lerwick28 could make. Questions, concerns and criticism are just as important in helping to shape a strong bid.
The survey closes on Friday 9 October.
Culture is wide and includes music, festivals, heritage, food, sport, stories, community activity, digital creativity and the everyday life of a place.
Please have your say and help us reach as many people as possible by sharing the links with friends, family, colleagues, employees, volunteers and so on. Share it with people who have a link to Lerwick, wherever they may live.
We all wear multiple hats and if you want, you can complete the survey more as once. The aim is to hear from as broad a range of people as possible and build a picture of what Lerwick28 could mean for the people who live, work and spend time here.
Thank you so much for your help and support. Here’s to Lerwick28!
