Corby Town of Culture 2028 bid boost with Tresham College student’s artwork design

The winning artwork has been selected to feature as a graphic element within the campaign and the potential to become a lasting piece of public art in the town.

Students were challenged to create an original design that celebrates Corby's history, culture, people and places, bringing their own creativity and personal connections to the town into their work.

Following the competition Regina, who studies digital media, animation and graphics at Tresham College, was selected as the winner, with her design bringing together Corby’s steelworks heritage, wildlife, community and creativity.

Regina said: “I wanted my design to reflect not only the town’s heritage but also its future, creativity, and people who make it special.

“My logo combines stylised typography with symbolic illustrations, each telling a different part of Corby’s story. The letter C incorporates the raven, symbol of intelligence and loyalty, which I felt completed the identity of my design.

“The Cube reflects a place where I stand and feel comfortable, representing community and belonging. The steelworks pay tribute to Corby’s industrial heritage, while the boating lake and surrounding leaves represent the town’s natural environment, wildlife and childhood memories.

“Overall, my aim was to bring together history, the future and community in one design, creating a logo that reflects both Corby’s shared identity and my personal connection to the town.”

Corby is one of just 15 towns shortlisted for UK Town of Culture 2028, a new national competition celebrating the heritage, creativity and communities of towns across the UK. Shortlisted in the medium towns category, Corby will submit its final bid on November 30.

The overall winner will receive £3m to deliver a six-month cultural programme in 2028, while two finalists in each category will receive £250,000 to help deliver elements of their proposed programmes.

Regina’s eye-catching design also incorporated people, music and a piano, representing how ‘creativity and shared experiences can bring communities together’.

Despite putting so much thought into her artwork, Regina admitted she was surprised to be selected as the winner.

She said: “I was pretty surprised because I know there were a lot of people competing and a lot of designs went through. I didn’t expect it, but I was overjoyed.”

Dan Burns, vice-principal at Tresham College added his support for the bid.

He said: “Being a member of the community of Corby is of vital importance to us, and we are proud to be aligning with and supporting Corby’s bid to be UK Town of Culture 2028. The opportunities this brings to our students to be at the heart of this journey are fantastic and allows for student talent, innovation and achievement to be showcased.”

Cllr Mark Pengelly, chair of the Town of Culture Board, added: “Young people’s voices are an important part of Corby's UK Town of Culture 2028 bid, and their creativity, ideas and aspirations are helping to shape our plans.

“We’re excited about the possibility of bringing Regina’s winning design to life as a piece of public art, creating something lasting that celebrates the talent of Corby’s young people.”

Regina’s winning design will be used in the campaign, and the artwork could be used in a piece of public art.