Sheffield has been shortlisted as the next UK City of Culture for 2029 as bids are whittled down to the final four.

It will now compete against Blackpool, Milton Keynes and Wrexham for the chance at a £10m prize fund to unlock the area’s culture access and growth.

The winner will be announced early next year, following in the footsteps of Bradford and Hull.

Coun Fran Belbin, leader of Sheffield City Council, said this was a proud moment for all involved.

"Sheffield is a city built on creativity, innovation and community spirit,” she said, citing its music heritage, arts scene, festivals and all its theatres and galleries.

"This recognition reflects the incredible talent, energy and ambition.”

The City of Culture competition attracts huge investment, a year in the cultural spotlight for the winner with hundreds of events, tourism growth and a boost to community pride.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said every place has a story worth telling of its own unique history, identity and contribution.

“Great culture is everywhere, but the opportunity to showcase it, to put it on display and to show how it is woven into our national story is not,” she said.

“That is the beauty of the UK City of Culture competition, it is an undiluted celebration of what makes our largest towns and cities so brilliant.”

The competition is aimed at boosting cultural pride and driving economic growth, and each of the four cities will now receive at least £125,000 to take forward elements of their bid.

It is delivered by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), from a longlist including Inverness-Highland, Ipswich, Middlesbrough, Portsmouth and Swindon.

Advisory panel chair, Sir Phil Redmond, said the shortlist now shows the strength of creative ambition. He said: “Once again there is a hard choice ahead. Each place represents a different view, or aspect, epitomising what culture is, the sum of all we do together.

“And while each approaches it differently, they all share the common aim of reminding the rest of the UK of who they are, where they are and why they are worth visiting.”

The DCMS highlighted a “showstopping” cultural programme of more than 6,500 events in Bradford last year through its time as UK City of Culture.