Thousands of Portsmouth residents have helped shape the city’s bid, which has now been submitted for consideration by the judges

Portsmouth has officially put forward its bid to become UK City of Culture 2029, following a major community-led campaign involving thousands of people from across the city.

More than 12,000 people have contributed to the bid through consultations and engagement activities covering every part of Portsmouth and people of all ages. The scale of involvement makes it one of the largest community exercises undertaken in the city.

Under the We Are Pompey 2029 campaign, local people have helped shape the bid through their voices, ideas, ambitions and creativity. Their contributions have helped create a submission reflecting Portsmouth’s distinctive identity, heritage, communities and aspirations for the future.

Gemma Nichols, CEO of Portsmouth Creates, said:

“This bid belongs to Portsmouth. Every conversation, workshop, event, survey response, and creative idea has helped shape what we have submitted today.

“The response has been overwhelming. It demonstrates the pride people have in Portsmouth and their belief that culture can play a powerful role in creating opportunity, strengthening communities, and shaping the city’s future. Whatever happens next, the journey has already brought people together in remarkable ways, and we want to harness this moving forward.”

The submission has also been marked by the release of Mission Pompey 2029, a special campaign film created to celebrate the moment Portsmouth’s bid was delivered.

The film features 125 people from across the local community, highlighting the scale of support behind the campaign. Starring Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and Benit Ghosh, the action-packed film follows an urgent mission to get Portsmouth’s bid across the city and through Portsmouth Harbour before reaching its final destination.

Councillor Steve Pitt, Leader of Portsmouth City Council, said:

“Today is a proud moment for Portsmouth. The submission of our UK City of Culture 2029 bid represents the collective ambition, creativity and determination of our city.

“Whatever the outcome, the journey has already shown what makes Pompey special. We are a city that backs itself, supports one another and rises to challenges together. I want to thank everyone who has played a part in getting us to this milestone. This is Portsmouth’s bid and Portsmouth should be immensely proud of it.”

At the heart of the bid is an ambition to deliver a largely free and accessible programme of cultural activity across Portsmouth, providing opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to participate.

The proposals build on the city’s maritime heritage, diverse communities and creative talent, alongside its growing reputation for using culture to support regeneration, wellbeing and economic growth.

Portsmouth is one of nine cities competing for the prestigious UK City of Culture 2029 title. The title is awarded by the UK Government every four years and has previously played a role in transforming cities including Hull and Bradford.

The competition will move to its next stage this autumn, when a shortlist of four cities will be announced. The shortlisted locations will then receive visits and take part in presentations to the competition’s expert advisory panel.

The winner of UK City of Culture 2029 is expected to be announced in January 2027.

As part of the campaign, a group of ambassadors has also been appointed as patrons of the bid. They include Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, artist Paul Stone aka My Dog Sighs, comedian and author Suzi Ruffell, Portsmouth FC legend Alan Knight, yachtsman and disability sports ambassador Geoff Holt, Olympic swimmer Katy Sexton MBE, Queen musician Spike Edney and Mark King, lead singer of Level 42.