Blackpool, Milton Keynes, Sheffield and Wrexham were revealed on 22 October 2026 as the four places shortlisted for UK City of Culture 2029, according to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Each shortlisted place was guaranteed at least £125,000 to develop elements of its bid, while the eventual winner would receive a £10 million prize fund. The winner was to be announced in early 2027.

The shortlist was cut from nine longlisted applications, which also included Inverness-Highland, Ipswich, Middlesbrough, Portsmouth and Swindon. The four were recommended by an expert advisory panel chaired by Sir Phil Redmond. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said each place had a story worth telling and congratulated the shortlisted locations.

The department said previous winners had attracted investment, staged hundreds of events and boosted tourism and local pride. It also cited Bradford's 2025 programme of over 6,500 events, more than 80% of them free, and said 88,000 residents took part in key projects. A separate UK Town of Culture competition had fifteen shortlisted towns.