Haslemere was one of almost 400 places to enter the first UK Town of Culture competition earlier this year. Disappointingly, it was announced on Thursday that Haslemere’s bid has not progressed to the next stage of the competition. Instead, those towns going through to the next round include Ilfracombe, Isle of Bute, Lerwick, Sandown, Strabane, Stockton Town Centre Ward, Corby, Great Yarmouth, Leith, Pontypridd, Port Talbot, Basildon, Birkenhead, Grimsby and Rotherham. Many of the towns selected are distinctive, proud and culturally rich communities but many are also towns that have experienced neglect, economic change, geographic isolation and negative perceptions.

Although Haslemere was naturally disappointed not to be among the 15 selected for the next stage, those involved in putting the bid together recognise the value that the work can bring to the town. This was also highlighted by panel chair Sir Phil Redmond who believed that those who did not make the shortlist would nevertheless have strengthened partnerships, raised awareness and reminded people of the remarkable breadth of Britain’s cultural landscape. 

That is very much the spirit in which the Haslemere committee intends to take the work forward. Just because Haslemere has not progressed to the next round nationally, the committee see this as an important opportunity to celebrate Haslemere’s cultural identity, bring local organisations together and develop ideas that could still shape the town’s future. With the help of the community, they have every intention of still developing a series of Haslemere Town of Culture events in 2028!

Where Nature Meets Imagination

Developed under the theme 'Where nature meets imagination', Haslemere’s bid celebrated a town whose cultural identity has long been shaped by its landscape, heritage, craftsmanship, music, literature and long tradition of civic participation.

It brought together the town’s nationally significant museum, historic performance venues, churches, schools, festivals, artists, musicians, businesses, youth groups, community organisations and volunteers behind one ambitious idea: that culture should be visible, accessible and created by the whole community.

The bid proposed using not only established venues such as Haslemere Museum and Haslemere Hall, but also the High Street, schools, churches, commons, woodland routes and community spaces as settings for cultural activity. It aimed to demonstrate how a smaller town could achieve ambitious cultural change through partnership, local knowledge and participation rather than metropolitan scale.

At its heart was a recognition that Haslemere already has a rich cultural life, but that access to it is not always equal. Young people can struggle to find creative and social opportunities outside school, while older residents, carers and those without established local networks can experience isolation. Cost, transport, confidence and awareness can also prevent people from participating.

The proposed programme therefore placed particular emphasis on young people, families with limited access to paid cultural activity, isolated older residents, commuters and newer residents. The ambition was not simply to invite these groups to attend events, but to enable them to help shape, lead and deliver them.

Bringing the town together

One of the greatest achievements of the bidding process was the range of organisations it brought into a single conversation.

The bid connected cultural organisations, schools, churches, community centres, voluntary groups, the town council, businesses and organisations supporting residents who are often less visible in traditional cultural planning.

Partners included the Haslemere Museum, Haslemere Hall, Haslemere Festival, Haslemere Fringe, Haslemere Art Society, Haslewey Community Centre, The Link Community Hub, The Hunter Centre, Haslemere Youth Hub, Woolmer Hill School, Haslemere Food Bank, the Chamber of Trade and Commerce, local churches, Jamia Ahmadiyya and many others.

These relationships matter because the town’s cultural organisations do not exist in isolation. By working together, they can share ideas, audiences, expertise, venues, volunteers and funding opportunities. The bid has helped to identify where collaboration already works well and where stronger connections could make cultural opportunities more accessible across Haslemere, Shottermill, Hindhead and Beacon Hill.

It has also provided a clearer account of Haslemere’s cultural story. From the Arts and Crafts movement and the Dolmetsch musical tradition to the town’s literary associations, festivals, amateur performance groups and volunteer-led Charter Fair, Haslemere has a deeper and more distinctive cultural identity than many residents may realise.

The ideas do not have to end here

The bid was designed around a series of connected programme ideas that could bring culture into everyday life.

These included making the High Street a more visible cultural space; celebrating local craftsmanship and developing new creative skills; using the surrounding landscape as a stage for performances and installations; creating opportunities for young people to commission and produce work; bringing the museum’s collections and the town’s stories into public spaces; and connecting residents through music and sound.

Not all these ideas require a national title or a multimillion-pound programme. Some could be adapted into smaller, achievable projects delivered over several years. Others may help local organisations secure grants, build new partnerships or develop events together.

The committee behind the bid is therefore determined that the momentum created should not be lost. Its members will now consider how elements of the original vision could be developed into a realistic local programme, shaped by the resources, partnerships and funding available.

The process has already provided a valuable blueprint. It has identified potential audiences, delivery partners, venues, cultural assets and priorities. It has also underlined the importance of ensuring that culture reaches beyond established audiences and becomes something in which residents of all ages and backgrounds can participate.

A foundation for the future

Legacy was always central to Haslemere’s proposal. The bid argued that success should not be measured solely by a year of events, but by stronger partnerships, wider participation, increased opportunities for young people, greater confidence in shared delivery and a more coordinated cultural network.

Although Haslemere will not hold the official UK Town of Culture title in 2028, those goals remain relevant and achievable.

The competition has encouraged the town to look afresh at what it has, where the gaps are and what might be possible when organisations work together. It has also generated new relationships and a stronger sense that Haslemere’s cultural life should be celebrated, supported and made accessible to everyone.

The bid may have been submitted as part of a national competition, but the vision it contains belongs to Haslemere.

The next task is to turn that vision into something practical and lasting - ensuring that the energy, imagination and collaboration generated by the bid become the starting point for the town’s next cultural chapter.

If you would like to be a part of that work, please do get in touch with This is Haslemere. In the meantime, a huge thank you to all those involved in the submission of our bid. It was a bid that the town could be super proud of and which we are determined to still deliver for the whole community.