The Highlands are bringing together some of their most influential cultural and community voices in a bid to secure one of the UK’s most prestigious cultural titles, with a new leadership board established to guide Inverness and the wider region towards 2029.

The Creative Highland Board has been formed to lead Beò! 2029, the Inverness and Highland bid for UK City of Culture, ahead of an announcement later this month confirming which contenders have reached the competition’s shortlist.

Inverness and the Highlands are the only Scottish entry in the competition and the first bid in its history to represent both a city and a wider region.

They face competition from Blackpool, Ipswich, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Portsmouth, Sheffield, Swindon and Wrexham.

The new board brings together people from the arts, education, tourism, business, heritage and public services, with the ambition of establishing a cultural legacy that extends well beyond the competition itself.

Highland Council Convener Bill Lobban and Visit Inverness Loch Ness Chief Executive Ellen Fogel Walker will initially serve as joint chairs, supported by Highland Council Chief Executive Derek Brown and University of the Highlands and Islands Principal Vicki Nairn as vice chairs.

Their work will include developing a long term arts and culture strategy, recognising the contribution of creativity to communities across the Highlands.

The board will work alongside the newly established Highland Cultural Assembly, which recently brought together more than 100 artists, cultural organisations and creative practitioners to help shape the region’s ambitions.

The bid aims to celebrate a living Highland culture, bringing together traditional music, Gaelic language, storytelling, contemporary art, heritage and the creativity flourishing across towns, villages, islands and rural communities.

Councillor Bill Lobban said:

“The Creative Highland Board brings together a wealth of experience, insight and passion to create a lasting cultural legacy for the Highlands.

“Ellen is a highly respected leader with expertise working across the tourism and heritage sectors, along with a deep commitment for the people, places and communities of the Highlands.

“I look forward to working closely with her as Co-Chair, and our fellow board members, to support the ambitions of the bid and develop a shared cultural vision for the Highlands for years to come.”

Ellen Fogel Walker said:

“I am honoured to take on the role of Co-Chair alongside such an experienced and diverse Board, bringing together people who share a commitment to the cultural future of Inverness and the Highlands.

“Our bid to become the UK City of Culture represents a defining opportunity for our region.

“It is not simply about celebrating our extraordinary cultural heritage, but about reimagining the place culture holds in our communities, our identity and our future.

“Throughout my career, my work has focused on protecting social memory, recovering histories at risk of being lost and understanding the relationship between people, place and cultural identity.

“From working with some of Scotland’s earliest ancient monuments, to helping shape the understanding and care of Culloden Battlefield, and now leading one of Scotland’s most iconic visitor destinations, I have seen first-hand the importance of ensuring that communities remain at the heart of how we understand and celebrate our heritage.

“As we look towards the future, I am determined that this bid reflects the voices, experiences and ambitions of the people who make our region what it is.

“We have an opportunity not only to tell our stories, but to shape the cultural legacy we leave for generations to come.

“I look forward to working with my fellow Co-Chair, the Board and our communities to realise that ambition.”

Among the board’s members are representatives from Fèis Rois, Eden Court, Lyth Arts Centre, MG ALBA, the Isle of Eigg Trust, Creative Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and High Life Highland, alongside artists, producers and youth representatives.

The ambitions extend beyond hosting a year of events, with organisers believing investment in culture could help strengthen communities, encourage participation and address challenges such as depopulation.

For the Highlands, the opportunity is to demonstrate that culture is not something confined to theatres, galleries or major events, but something living within communities and passed between generations.

Whether Beò! 2029 ultimately secures the title remains to be seen, but the new board has been given a wider purpose of helping ensure Highland creativity continues to flourish long after the competition is decided.