‘We back the bid’ – Councils support Ipswich ambition to be City of Culture

A major campaign urging residents, businesses and organisations to back Ipswich’s bid was launched earlier this month.

Now, at full council meetings this week, both Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils have unanimously supported the county town’s entry.

Cllr John Ward, Babergh District Council leader, said: “The bid by Ipswich deserves the support of the whole county.

"The town already has an excellent and varied cultural offering, which could be further enhanced through this entry. I believe it would be a deserving winner, and a successful Ipswich brings benefits for the rest of Suffolk – including an additional spotlight on the superb cultural offer across the county.

“For example, this year, we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of John Constable, who immortalised many of our beautiful south Suffolk landscapes in his paintings. And 2027 is the 300th anniversary of the birth of painter Thomas Gainsborough – and we, of course, have the world-class Gainsborough’s House museum in Sudbury."

Cllr Andy Mellen, Mid Suffolk District Council leader, said: “Many businesses and cultural organisations, the borough council and Ipswich Town have already given their formal backing to the bid. We are delighted that Mid Suffolk, which has many residents who work in the town and use its facilities, is doing the same, so we can show the bid has wider support and in recognition that the county as a whole stands to benefit.

“Even putting a bid together will have a huge positive effect on Ipswich. The process brings cultural partners around the table, it sparks new ideas and collaborations and helps develop a shared vision for the future. We know from past City of Culture bids that these ideas don’t disappear even if the place doesn’t get through to the next stage."

DanceEast is leading the development of Ipswich’s ‘Expression of Interest’ for the 2029 City of Culture competition, with a deadline of 8 February, 2026.

The government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport will then longlist up to eight bids, awarding each a grant of £60,000 to support them with developing and strengthening their full application over a three-to-four-month period from February until May/June 2026.

The winning place gets a guaranteed £10 million of Government funding to help deliver its year-long programme of events.

People are being asked to go to www.ipswich2029.com and sign up to show their support.