Suffolk councils backing Ipswich City of Culture bid

Councillors from Mid Suffolk Council and Babergh District Council both voted in favour this week of supporting the time with one councillor saying "We need to celebrate Ipswich."

Earlier this month, businesses and leaders throughout the town announced they were backing for Ipswich to become the next City of Culture, which could see a £10million investment from the Government and "kick start transformation".

Ipswich has a large array of grass roots music festivals, as well as a thriving arts and culture scene (Image: Jon Hayes)

Ipswich's expression of interest, which is being drafted by DanceEast, must be submitted by Sunday, February 8.

If the town is selected for the longlist, it will be granted £60,000 to develop the proposals further.

The City of Culture is a celebration of arts, music and heritage which was opened to large towns following the 2025 bidding process and is not the same as City status.

Read more

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• Ipswich Star is backing the town's UK City of Culture bid

At a meeting of Mid Suffolk Council on Thursday, January 22, Councillor Andrew Mellon brought forward a motion calling for the council to back the bid, whilst recounting personal experiences of culture in Ipswich.

He said: "The benefits of Ipswich becoming the next City of Culture will not stop at the borough boundary and there could be considerable benefits for residents in Mid Suffolk."

Fellow green councillor Andrew Stringer backed the motion saying that "If someone said that they should a village of culture we should tell them to do it, because there are huge benefits, I believe we need to celebrate Ipswich."

Leader of Mid Suffolk Council Andrew Mellon (Image: Newsquest)

It was highlighted by Conservative councillor Harry Richardson that due to local government reorganisation, many residents in Mid Suffolk will be in the same authority as Ipswich regardless of whether the current authorities are replaced by three councils or one.

Suffolk County Council have already said that if the county's six councils are replaced with one, it would pledge its support behind the City of Culture bid for Ipswich.

Babergh District Council also voted in favour of backing the bid earlier in the week.