More than 70 organisations across Thanet have come together to submit a community-led bid for UK City of Culture 2029 — and it could mean transformational investment for the entire region, including Engine Works Park.
The bid, titled “Isle of Culture,” was submitted to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 8th February 2026, backed by over 750 resident responses, 25 local peer reviewers, and a coalition that spans culture, heritage, transport, education, community development and local business.
What’s at Stake
The prize is substantial: £10 million in government funding and a year-long cultural programme that could redefine Thanet’s identity on a national and international stage. Previous winners — Hull, Coventry, Derry and most recently Bradford — have used their City of Culture year to attract hundreds of millions in additional investment, create thousands of jobs, and put their area firmly on the map.
For a region already experiencing significant regeneration — with projects like Engine Works Park bringing new industrial and logistics space to Westwood — a successful bid could accelerate the momentum that’s already building across the isle.
A Who’s Who of Thanet
The initiative was kick-started by Dame Tracey Emin — Margate’s most famous daughter — alongside East Thanet MP Polly Billington and Sir Roger Gale MP. What began with around 20 organisations meeting in January quickly snowballed into a coalition of more than 70 supporters.
The list reads like a who’s who of Thanet’s cultural landscape: Turner Contemporary, Dreamland, TKE Studios, Broadstairs Folk Week, Pie Factory Music, Ramsgate Space, Margate Pride, People Dem Collective, Social Enterprise Kent, and Ramsgate Town Council among many others. Southeastern Railway has also thrown its weight behind the campaign, highlighting that Thanet is just 75 minutes from London on their high-speed service.
Dame Tracey Emin summed up the spirit of the bid: “Margate, Broadstairs, Ramsgate and all the surrounding villages make up the Isle of Thanet… Isle of Culture 2029 has more than a good ring to it.”
Why This Matters for Engine Works Park
A successful City of Culture bid would shine a national spotlight on Thanet at exactly the moment Engine Works Park is bringing new employment space to the region. The cultural investment that typically follows a City of Culture win — in tourism infrastructure, transport improvements, public realm enhancements, and business support — creates the kind of environment that attracts occupiers, investors, and talent.
Hull saw a 10% increase in visitors during its City of Culture year in 2017, with £300 million in private sector investment following. Coventry’s year in 2021 generated £172 million in economic impact. For Thanet, with its combination of cultural heritage, creative industries, and now new-build commercial space, the potential is enormous.
What Happens Next
The Expert Advisory Panel will now assess the expressions of interest and select a longlist of up to eight places, expected to be announced by DCMS in late March 2026. Longlisted places will each receive £60,000 to develop their full application, with the winner to be announced before the end of the year.
Thanet faces stiff competition — Plymouth, Bristol, Blackpool, Exeter, Ipswich, Portsmouth, Swindon and Wrexham are all among the declared bidders, along with neighbouring Folkestone. But few areas can match Thanet’s combination of genuine cultural heritage, grassroots community energy, and the kind of physical regeneration that Engine Works Park represents.
We’ll be watching this one closely. If Thanet makes the longlist, expect the momentum across the whole isle to step up another gear.
For more information about the Isle of Culture bid, visit isleofculture.org. Source: The Isle of Thanet News.
