Dundee, Hull, Leicester and Swansea Bay have all made the final shortlist to name the 2017 UK City of Culture.
The four cities beat off competition from Chester, East Kent, Hastings, and Bexhill on Sea, Plymouth, Portsmouth and Southampton, and Southend-on-Sea.
The final cities in contention will discover whether or not they have been selected come November when the winner will be announced.
The chosen area will succeed Londonderry, which is UK City of Culture 2013 and the first place to be awarded the title.
UK Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, Ed Vaizey, said "I want to congratulate the four short-listed cities who have made it this far, and indeed all 11 cities who put time and great effort into submitting bids.
"The events in Derry-Londonderry over recent weeks highlight just how much of an impact being 'City of Culture' can have. It brings together communities, encourages economic growth, and inspires social change and the short-listed cities should be very proud of the bids they have put together so far."
