22/10/2026
Middlesbrough will stage an ambitious programme of events in 2030 to celebrate its 200th birthday and build on its bid to become the UK City of Culture.
Judges confirmed today that the town has missed out on a final shortlist of four battling for the prize, but plans are already under way for Boro 2030.
It will mark the 200th anniversary of Middlesbrough, which grew rapidly from a small hamlet of 25 people in 1830 to a booming industrial powerhouse that built the world.
Two centuries later, Boro 2030 will take up the 'Made in Middlesbrough' mentality which ran through the City of Culture bid and celebrate our people and place through culture, to build an ambitious and positive future.
Mayor Chris Cooke said working on the bid had galvanised people across Middlesbrough and laid the foundations for the next chapter.
He said: “We're disappointed not to have made the final four but we're proud that the bid process has brought people together around a shared ambition for Middlesbrough.
"It has shown what we can achieve when we believe in ourselves.
“We've taken knockbacks before and we’ve always come back stronger, that's just part of who we are.
"What we won't do is sit around waiting for someone else to give us an opportunity. Instead, we're going to make things happen ourselves.
“We're rolling up our sleeves to go again. We'll celebrate our history, show off the talent that is going to help us thrive in the future and give our people another reason to feel proud of Middlesbrough."
Plans for a purpose-built new theatre will continue to progress, which would bring touring national productions, including West End shows, to Middlesbrough.
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