An Inclusive Programme

Celebrating Peterborough’s vibrant creative energy.

Emerging Themes

Our campaign is at an early stage, but initial themes we have suggested in our propsal:

  • Belonging and home – stories of arrival, identity and connection

  • Making and industry – celebrating craft, labour and creativity

  • Faith, food and festival – culture as lived experience

  • Young voices and future culture – creativity shaped by the next generation

  • Nature and place – waterways, landscape and green spaces

However, if Peterborough is longlisted for UK City of Culture, then we believe the themes for the year-long programme should be developed collaboratively with communities, artists and partners.

A group of local residents collaborating on a colourful mural that reflects Peterborough’s cultural tapestry.
A group of local residents collaborating on a colourful mural that reflects Peterborough’s cultural tapestry.
Cultural Roots

Cultural Roots in Peterborough are not fixed or nostalgic. They are living, evolving and shaped by the people who have built lives here across generations. From ancient settlement and medieval craftsmanship to industry, engineering and post-war migration, the city’s culture has always been defined by making, movement and contribution.

We believe the programme for Peterborough 2029 should explore these roots through contemporary creative practice. Artists and communities should be given the space to reinterpret heritage through music, digital work, performance, food and storytelling, creating new connections between history and everyday life. By placing lived experience alongside historic narratives, we can celebrate where Peterborough comes from while opening space for new stories to emerge.

A vibrant street scene in Peterborough with diverse people gathering around colorful cultural installations.
A vibrant street scene in Peterborough with diverse people gathering around colorful cultural installations.
Contact

Reach out with your questions or ideas.

Email: hello@peterborough

© 2026 Junaid Bhatti. All rights reserved.

Ours is an independent, grass-roots campaign. This website and our campaign are NOT affiliated with Peterborough City Council or the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.