Bury named Greater Manchester’s very first ‘Town of Culture’

If culture isn’t the first thing that springs to mind when you think of Bury, you might need to rethink your perception of the Greater Manchester town.

That’s because Bury is now officially the region’s very first ‘Town of Culture’, as decreed this week.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham launched the scheme earlier this year – it’s based on the City of Culture campaign he introduced when he was culture secretary.

Chemical Engineer / Wikimedia

Birthplace of such famous faces as Danny Boyle, Victoria Wood, Guy Garvey, and Phil and Gary Neville, Bury is no stranger to culture.

And now with its new accolade, the town could see an influx of cultural events in 2020, including festivals, concerts, productions and exhibitions, the Manchester Evening News reports.

Different communities were invited to compete for the title of Town of Culture, with Bury’s bid – simply called ‘Happy’ – taking the prize on Wednesday morning.

Dennis Turner / Geograph

As well as providing the town with funding for events, the scheme aims to promote the ‘distinctive culture’ of Bury, with £120,000 set to be invested over the next 12 months.

The plan is to ‘aid a burst of creativity’ to boost tourism and the night time economy in the area, thus helping to regenerate the town.