Update: Beò! 2029, the Inverness-Highland bid for UK City of Culture 2029
Beò! 2029, the Inverness-Highland bid for UK City of Culture 2029, has announced Scotland international football Ryan Christie and award-winning fashion designer Siobhan Mackenzie as its latest bid ambassadors.
The ambassador programme was launched in June 2026 to help champion the bid and build support across the region and beyond.
Ryan and Siobhan join award-winning folk singer Julie Fowlis and Ivor Novello-nominated singer-songwriter Katie Gregson-MacLeod as Beò! 2029 ambassadors.
Born and raised in Inverness, Ryan began his football career with Inverness Caledonian Thistle before moving to Celtic and, more recently, English Premier League side Bournemouth.
Siobhan, originally from the Black Isle, is one of Scotland’s leading contemporary fashion designers. Since launching her self-named label in 2014, she has built an international reputation for reimagining traditional tartan and Highland craftsmanship through contemporary design.
Ryan, who has earned 71 caps for the Scotland National Team, said: "I grew up in Inverness and developed my career as a young footballer at Inverness Caledonian Thistle. I'm immensely proud to be from Inverness and to call myself a Highlander.
"Football is about much more than what happens on the pitch. It's part of the culture and identity of communities across the Highlands. It brings people together, creates a sense of belonging and connects generations through shared experiences.
"Sport has a unique ability to reach and inspire people from all backgrounds. Securing UK City of Culture status would be a fantastic opportunity for Inverness and the Highlands, and I'm delighted to play a small part in supporting the bid."
Siobhan, whose previous clients include Team Scotland-Commonwealth Games, Justin Bieber, Allan Cumming, Shania Twain, and Sam Heughan, added: "I am immensely proud of my Highland roots and the influence they have had on my career. My designs are inspired by Scotland's landscapes, heritage, craftsmanship and culture, and I've been fortunate to be able to share that with audiences around the world.
"The Highlands are home to some incredible creative talent and cultural traditions. Culture is woven into our communities and continues to inspire new generations of artists, designers and makers.
"I'm delighted to become a Beò! 2029 ambassador and to help raise the profile of a bid that has the potential to celebrate everything that makes the Highlands such a special place."
Convener of The Highland Council, Cllr Bill Lobban, said: “Ryan and Siobhan are outstanding ambassadors for the Highlands, each having achieved success on a national and international stage while remaining deeply connected to their Highland roots. Together, they reflect the breadth of culture in the Highlands, from sport and fashion, to music, language, heritage and creativity, demonstrating the many ways culture enriches our lives and communities. I am delighted to welcome them as ambassadors and grateful for their support as we continue our journey towards UK City of Culture 2029.”
Beò! 2029
Beò! means ‘alive’ or ‘living’ in Gaelic and was chosen as the name for the bid to reflect the Highlands as a place of living culture - dynamic, welcoming and contemporary, while rooted in the region's rich Gaelic heritage and traditions.
In August 2026, the Beò! 2029 bid team submitted its detailed submission for UK City of Culture in 2029. Inverness-Highland will compete against Blackpool, Ipswich, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Portsmouth, Sheffield, Swindon and Wrexham for the title. A panel of judges will assess all nine longlisted submissions before announcing a shortlist of up to four locations in October 2026.
As the only Scottish entry in the competition and the first in its history to represent both a city and wider region, Beò! 2029 showcases the Highlands as place of living culture - ancient and modern, rooted in the region’s people, place, language, landscape and creativity.
The bid highlights the richness and diversity of culture across Inverness and the Highlands, while demonstrating the vital role culture plays in supporting thriving, resilient and sustainable urban, rural, coastal and island communities.
It sets out how cultural investment can help address challenges such as depopulation, increase participation, strengthen wellbeing and build confidence in the region as a place to live, work, study and create.