PENZANCE has thrown its tricorn hat into the ring, announcing that it is bidding against Falmouth, Newquay, Helston and Redruth to become the first UK Town of Culture.

Inspired by the success of the UK City of Culture, the new competition has been launched by the Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) to shine a spotlight on the contributions towns make to the national story.

Towns have until March 31, 2026 to submit an expression of interest for the competition, after which short-listed entries will be invited to develop a more detailed bid. The winning town will be awarded £3 million to deliver a cultural programme in 2028, while category finalists will receive £250,000 each to deliver elements of their bid.

Home to painters, playwrights, poets and pirates, Penzance has a long and colourful history. Its annual calendar is crammed full of cultural events such as Golowan and Montol; and while competition is expected to be fierce, only one town comes to the table with a head on a plate.

Penzance translates from the Cornish ‘Pennsans’, which means ‘Holy Head’ and originates from the headland at Battery Rocks. However, a pun on the town’s patron saint - St John the Baptist, whose head was offered on a platter to Princess Salome – led to this being adopted as the town’s symbol in 1614. It remains on the mayoral chain, town seal, historic Market House and a number of key buildings.

Town mayor Stephen Reynolds said: “Creativity runs through our community like tin seams through granite. Our bid will celebrate our rich and varied cultural past – but above all, it will celebrate the countless artists, musicians, performers, writers and general cultural icons who make this such a special place to live and visit.

“I have faith that our quirky, iconoclastic and fiercely independent ‘end-of-the-line’ attitude to all things creative will set us apart from the pack. Pennsans bys vyken!”