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02
Jul
Harrogate, Ripon and Knaresborough reveal their Town of Culture postcard designs
Harrogate and Knaresborough and Ripon have all revealed their very different postcard designs to support their bids to become a UK Town of Culture.
Entrants to the Town of Culture Competition, which is organised by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), were asked to create a postcard that captured the essence of their town.
It should include a bespoke, high-quality image that captures the town’s unique cultural identity and heritage, and up to 100 words of text, written in conversational tone, “as if the town itself is speaking to the reader, capturing its unique personality and local pride”.
Unsurprisingly, the three towns’ postcards are as different from each other as are the towns themselves.
Knaresborough's postcard
Knaresborough's Town of Culture postcard design, with images by Knaresborough photographer Charlotte Gale.
Knaresborough’s image is a composite of views and events from around the town, all echoed by the text on the reverse, which is written as if from a holidaymaker:
In Knaresborough, North Yorkshire. A beautiful town and wonderfully quirky too!
We arrived in time for the Wednesday market, which is apparently over 700 years old. There was even a traditional Town Crier.
We did a free walking tour and learnt all about Knaresborough's history. There's a ruined Royal castle with a gorgeous view of the river and Viaduct. Our guide said a prophetess called Mother Shipton was born close by.
So many community events here too. We watched the wacky ‘Bed Race’ on Saturday and hope to return for the FEVA arts festival in the summer. See you soon!
According to Hannah Read, community projects officer for Knaresborough Town Council, the request for a postcard to support Knaresborough's UK Town of Culture bid came "at the perfect moment" – just as the town was buzzing from the success of this year’s Great Knaresborough Bed Race.
She said:
Local photographer Charlotte Gale stepped forward, offering her creative talent and extensive archive of Knaresborough imagery to design a postcard that truly reflects the town’s character.
Featuring a vibrant mix of cultural highlights, heritage landmarks and community celebrations, the postcard captures the eclectic charm that makes Knaresborough unique.
The imagery brings together the colour, creativity and character of the town, offering a snapshot of why Knaresborough stands out as a genuine contender for the UK Town of Culture prize.
Ripon's postcard
Ripon, whose bid follows the theme ‘small city, big landscape’, has gone for a stylised rendering of its famous hornblower, created “in record time” by city resident and digital marketing consultant Antony Prince.
Ripon's Town of Culture postcard design.
He said:
The sound emanating from the horn symbolises sanctuary and connects Ripon, the place and people – it resonates from the horn outwards. The cathedral and obelisk are striking symbols of sanctuary and place – home.
Mr Prince had a very limited time from receiving the brief to creating the image, but he said:
I am pleased with how it’s come out. The mixed media look and the speed I have had to do it in has meant I have discovered a new ‘style’!
There isn’t time to make it ‘truly’ Ripon (shop by shop/angle by angle). This has resulted in more of an interpretation/artists impression – it ‘feels’ like Ripon, without being literal.
I am sure some people might say it’s not Ripon because the shops and buildings are not perfect, but that’s deliberate. The design process used all sorts of materials including my photos, paintings and watercolours.
Ripon’s text avoids a chatty postcard style of writing in favour of a calmer style more usually seen in tourism advertisements:
Ripon has a way of drawing people in. Pilgrims, poets, soldiers, families, walkers, artists, seekers. They arrive by ancient routes, through the Market Place, along the river or across the fields from Fountains Abbey. All find a small city held in a much bigger landscape.
Beneath the Cathedral, Wilfrid's 7th century crypt still waits for the next pilgrim to find it. At nine o'clock the Hornblower sounds, keeping watch, as the tradition has since 886.
We invite you to make your own pilgrimage here. The path is waiting.
The reverse side of Ripon's postcard.
Lilla Bathurst, manager of Ripon business improvement district (BID), said:
The words were chosen to encapsulate Ripon's bid in a couple of sentences but also to keep it simple and accessible to all which fits with our sanctuary theme.
At the heart of Ripon's bid is the idea of ‘pilgrimage’ – a unifying theme of journey, discovery, connection, growth, and healing – shaping a year-long, place-based cultural programme.
Pilgrimage also encompasses the idea of Ripon’s close connection to its hinterland, and this bid led by the Uredale Community Partnership reflects that connection.
Harrogate's postcard
Finally, Harrogate’s image uses a graphic art print style and “celebrates Harrogate through the people, places and experiences that shape its cultural identity”.
It features people and places in the town, including the Royal Pump Room, a guide dog user, a reader, a musician and families, while floral motifs and vibrant colours reflect the town's gardens and green spaces.
Harrogate's Town of Culture postcard design.
It also includes the words:
Water. Wellbeing. Welcome. Three words that tell Harrogate's story. A town built on healing waters, shaped by hospitality and ready to create a cultural future that belongs to everyone.
The postcard was created within a four-day deadline by designer Hattie Sayer, and according to the notes that accompany it, the composition “is designed to feel welcoming, optimistic and connected, communicating Harrogate as a place where culture is experienced through community, creativity and belonging”.
On the reverse, in handwriting-style script, it says:
Having a great time in this vibrant, enchanting town. Every day I pass beautiful architecture, vibrant downtown, expansive green spaces, and charming gardens everywhere – private and public.
Great bus and train network, and people are very friendly and approachable for a chat, opinion, or directions.
Great variety of restaurants, independent shops, and services to enjoy.
Joann Bourguignon, Visitor from America, June 2026
The reverse side of Harrogate's postcard.
The message was based on the genuine reflections of a visitor from the United States who stayed with the Mayor of Harrogate a couple of months ago.
The mayor, Cllr Viv Poskitt, said:
The words on the back of our postcard weren't written for a competition – they came naturally from someone experiencing Harrogate for themselves. She's my son's auntie who comes to visit regularly, and I simply asked her what she would write about a visit to Harrogate.
Her heartfelt comments perfectly capture the warmth, beauty and welcome that so many people experience here.
We wanted our postcard to tell Harrogate's story through genuine eyes, and I believe the finished design reflects the creativity, inclusivity, pride and collaborative spirit that make Harrogate such a special place.
The competition
Through the UK Town of Culture initiative, the government hopes to build on the success of the UK City of Culture scheme, which was introduced in 2009 and has seen winning cities Derry/Londonderry, Hull, Coventry and Bradford each enjoy a year in the cultural spotlight.
Each shortlisted town will receive £60,000 to work up full bids. A panel chaired by Sir Phil Redmond will then select finalists from each of the three categories – large, medium and small town – and from these an overall winner will be announced.
That town will receive £3 million to fund and develop its cultural life, and the two runners-up will each receive investment worth £250,000.
The postcards, and those of all the other places entering the UK Town of Culture competition, will not be assessed as part of their bids, but they will appear on an interactive digital map, and promoted across DCMS social media channels today (July 2).
They will also be added into the National Museums Liverpool collection as a lasting record of the competition and its participating towns.
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