European Capital of Culture explained

A European Capital of Culture is a city designated by the European Union (EU) for a period of one calendar year during which it organises a series of cultural events with a strong pan-European dimension. Being a European Capital of Culture can be an opportunity for a city to generate considerable cultural, social, and economic benefits, and it can help foster urban regeneration, change the city's image, and raise its visibility and profile on an international scale. Multiple cities can be a European Capital of Culture simultaneously.

In 1985, Melina Mercouri, Greece's Minister of Culture, and her French counterpart Jack Lang came up with the idea of designating an annual City of Culture to bring Europeans closer together by highlighting the richness and diversity of European cultures and raising awareness of their common history and values.

The Commission of the European Union manages the title, and each year the Council of Ministers of the European Union formally designates European Capitals of Culture: more than 40 cities have been designated so far. The current European Capitals of Culture for 2024 are Tartu in Estonia, Bad Ischl in Austria and Bodø in Norway.

Selection process

An international panel of cultural experts is in charge of assessing the proposals of cities for the title according to criteria specified by the European Union.

For two of the capitals each year, eligibility is open to cities in EU member states only. From 2021 and every three years thereafter, a third capital will be chosen from cities in countries that are candidates or potential candidates for membership, or in countries that are part of the European Economic Area (EEA)[1] [2] – an example of the latter being Stavanger, Norway, which was a European Capital of Culture in 2008.

A 2004 study conducted for the Commission, known as the "Palmer report", demonstrated that the choice of European Capital of Culture served as a catalyst for cultural development and the transformation of the city.[3] Consequently, the beneficial socio-economic development and impact for the chosen city are now also considered in determining the chosen cities.

Bids from five United Kingdom cities to be the 2023 Capital of Culture were disqualified in November 2017, because the UK was planning to leave the EU before 2023.[4]

History

The European Capital of Culture programme was initially called the European City of Culture and was conceived in 1983, by Melina Mercouri, then serving as minister of culture in Greece. Mercouri believed that at the time, culture was not given the same attention as politics and economics and a project for promoting European cultures within the member states should be pursued. The European City of Culture programme was launched in the summer of 1985 with Athens being the first title-holder.[5] In 1999, the European City of Culture program was renamed to European Capital of Culture.[6]

List of European Capitals of Culture

! Year !! # !! City !! Country !! Notes/Links !! Candidate cities
1985
1986
1987
1988 City under Western Allied occupation until 1990; territory was claimed by the Federal Republic of Germany. The name "European City of Culture" was used instead of "Capital" in order to not provoke the East German government.[7] [8]
1989
1990 Glasgow Garden Festival
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000 The year 2000 was called the millennium year and treated in a special way, in order to emphasize the enduring heritage and contribution of European cities to world culture and civilization. Because of that, nine locations were chosen, including two cities of states that were to join the EU on 1 May 2004.[9]
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005 Galway, Limerick, Waterford[10]
2006
2007
2008 Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Newcastle and Gateshead (joint bid), Oxford[11]
2009
Linz 2009
2010 Representing the whole Ruhr as Ruhr.2010. Braunschweig, Bremen, Essen, Görlitz, Halle an der Saale, Karlsruhe, Kassel, Lübeck, Potsdam, Regensburg
2011 Turku 2011
2012
2013 Bordeaux
Lyon
Toulouse[12]
2014
2015
2016 Donostia 2016 Burgos, Córdoba, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Segovia, Zaragoza[13]
Gdańsk, Katowice, Lublin, Warsaw[14]
2017 Aarhus 2017 Sønderborg[15]
Pafos 2017 Limassol, Nicosia[16]
2018 Eindhoven, Maastricht, The Hague, Utrecht[17]
Valletta 2018
2019 Matera 2019 Cagliari, Lecce, Perugia, Ravenna, Siena[18]
Plovdiv 2019 Sofia, Varna, Veliko Turnovo[19]
2020 – April 2021 Rijeka 2020 Dubrovnik, Osijek, Pula[20]
Galway 2020 Limerick, The Three Sisters (joint bid Waterford, Wexford, Kilkenny)[21]
2022 Kaunas 2022 Klaipėda[22]
Esch-sur-Alzette 2022
Novi Sad 2022 (Coronavirus postponement)
20231 Veszprém 2023 Debrecen, Győr[23]
Timișoara 2023 (Coronavirus postponement) Baia Mare, Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca[24]
Eleusis 2023 (Coronavirus postponement) Kalamata, Rhodes[25]
2024 1 Tartu 2024 Kuressaare, Narva[26]
2 Salzkammergut 2024 Dornbirn, St. Pölten[27]
32 Bodø 2024 Banja Luka, Mostar[28]
2025 Nova Gorica/Gorizia joint bid
GO! 2025 Ljubljana, Piran, Ptuj[29]
Chemnitz 2025 Hannover, Hildesheim, Magdeburg, Nuremberg[30]
2026 Trenčín[31] Trenčín 2026 Nitra, Žilina
Oulu 2026 Savonlinna, Tampere[32]
2027 Liepāja 2027 Daugavpils, Valmiera [33]
Évora 2027 Aveiro, Braga, Ponta Delgada[34]
2028 1České Budějovice[35] České Budějovice 2028 Broumov, Brno, Liberec
2Bourges[36] Bourges 2028 Clermont-Ferrand, Montpellier, Rouen
32 Skopje 2028 Budva[37]
2029 Lublin[38] Lublin 2029 Bielsko-Biała, Katowice, Kołobrzeg[39]
TBA 6 December 2024[40] shortlisted:[41] Kiruna, Uppsala
2030 1 TBA deadline 13 December 2024[42]
2 TBA September 2025[43] shortlisted cities: Leuven, Molenbeek, Namur Bruges, Ghent, Kortrijk
32 deadline 16 October 2024[44]
2031 TBA Birgu, Victoria[45]
TBA potential candidates:[46]
Burgos, Cáceres, Granada, Jerez de la Frontera, Las Palmas, Toledo
2032 TBA
TBA potential candidate: Næstved[47]
2033 1 TBA potential candidate: Heerlen[48]
2 TBA potential candidates: Turin,[49] Pesaro/Urbino,[50] Viterbo[51]
32

1 The European Capital of Culture was due to be in the UK in 2023. However, due to its decision to leave the European Union, UK cities would no longer be eligible to hold the title after 2019. The European Commission's Scotland office confirmed that this would be the case on 23 November 2017, only one week before the UK was due to announce which city would be put forward.[52] The candidate cities were Dundee,[53] Leeds, Milton Keynes,[54] Nottingham and a joint bid from Northern Irish cities of Belfast and Derry and the town of Strabane.[55]

2 A new framework makes it possible for cities in candidate countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine), potential candidates for EU membership (Kosovo) or EFTA member states (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland) to hold the title every third year as of 2021. This will be selected through an open competition, meaning that cities from various countries may compete with each other.[56]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Decision No 445/2014/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 . 3 May 2014 . 24 November 2017 . 21 December 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171221010255/http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32014D0445&from=EN . live .
  2. Web site: European Capitals of Culture 2020 to 2033 — A guide for cities preparing to bid . European Commission . 24 November 2017 . 3 June 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190603064047/https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/creative-europe/sites/creative-europe/files/capitals-culture-candidates-guide_en.pdf . live .
  3. Web site: Palmer . Robert . European Cities and Capitals of Culture . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150405174502/http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/creative-europe/actions/documents/ecoc/cap-part1_en.pdf . 5 April 2015 . ec.europa.eu. Study prepared for the European Commission
  4. Web site: Brexit blow to UK 2023 culture crown bids. BBC News. 23 November 2017. 23 November 2017. 26 March 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180326214722/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-42095477. live.
  5. Kiran Klaus Patel, ed., The Cultural Politics of Europe: European Capitals of Culture and European Union since the 1980s (London: Routledge, 2013)
  6. Web site: History – UNeECC. 2021-02-25. en-US. 17 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210717134431/https://uneecc.org/european-capitals-of-culture/history/. live.
  7. Web site: From a divided city to a capital city : Berlin's cultural policy frameworks between 1945 and 2015. 5 December 2016. 10.58079/mreh . chmc1 .
  8. Web site: Tanz im August | International Festival Berlin | Berlin - European Capital of Culture 1988. www.tanzimaugust.de.
  9. Web site: Association of European Cities of Culture of the Year 2000 – KRAKOW THE OPEN CITY. 2021-02-25. krakow.pl. 1 March 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210301081559/https://www.krakow.pl/krakow_open_city/international_organisations/8370,artykul,association_of_european_cities_of_culture_of_the_year_2000.html. live.
  10. Web site: Galway & Cork make culture shortlist. 1 November 2024 . RTÉ. 10 September 2001 .
  11. News: Liverpool named European capital of culture. 1 November 2024 . The Guardian. 4 June 2003 .
  12. Web site: Marseille named Europe's culture capital for 2013. 1 November 2024 . France24. 16 September 2008 .
  13. Web site: The European Capital of Culture in Spain in 2016 will be San Sebastián. 1 November 2024 . euroalert.net . 29 June 2011.
  14. Web site: Wrocław Chosen as European Capital of Culture 2016. 1 November 2024 . culture.pl . 28 June 2011.
  15. Web site: Sønderborg, Denmark: EU Capital of Culture 2017?. 1 November 2024 . The Avid Cruiser . 13 March 2012.
  16. Web site: Nicosia and Paphos outbid Limassol for European Capital of Culture 2017 . 1 November 2024 . Cyprus Mail . 22 June 2011.
  17. Web site: Who What When Where Why: LF2018 . 1 November 2024 . The Northern Times. 11 June 2018.
  18. Web site: Matera to be 2019 European Capital of Culture in Italy . 1 November 2024 . International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism. 20 October 2014.
  19. Web site: Four cities shortlisted for Bulgaria’s European Capital of Culture 2019 . 1 November 2024 . The Sofia Globe . 12 December 2013.
  20. Web site: The Final Shortlist of European Capital of Culture Announced . 1 November 2024 . Council Journal. 24 November 2015.
  21. Web site: Galway to be European Capital of Culture 2020. 1 November 2024 . Visual Artists Ireland. 15 July 2016 .
  22. Web site: Kaunas is shortlisted for the title of European Capital of Culture 2022. 1 November 2024 . Kaunas City Municipal administration. 27 June 2016 .
  23. Web site: Veszprém formally named 2023 European Capital of Culture. 1 November 2024 . Budapest Businesss Journal . 6 March 2019.
  24. Web site: Timisoara 2021. 1 November 2024 . European Capitals of Culture Ποιειν Και Πραττειν - create and do.
  25. Web site: Eleusis 2023. 1 November 2024 . Aeschylia Festival.
  26. Web site: Tartu win not a 'unanimous' decision for European Capital of Culture 2024. 1 November 2024 . ERR.ee. 29 August 2019 .
  27. Web site: FAQs. 1 November 2024 . Salzkammergut 2024.
  28. Web site: Bodø recommended for the European Capital of Culture 2024 title beyond the EU . 5 November 2024 . European Commission.
  29. Web site: GO! 2025 - European Capital of Culture Nova Gorica-Gorizia 2025. 1 November 2024 . GECT GO / EZTS GO.
  30. Web site: Chemnitz to be European Capital of Culture 2025. 1 November 2024 . DW . 28 October 2020.
  31. Web site: Trenčín to be the European Capital of Culture 2026 in Slovakia. 2021-12-10. 2021-12-29. europa.eu. 29 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211229093203/https://ec.europa.eu/culture/news/trencin-to-be-the-european-capital-of-culture-2026-in-slovakia. live.
  32. Web site: Oulu named European Capital of Culture 2026. 1 November 2024 . The Barents Observer . 9 June 2021.
  33. Web site: Liepaja is the European Capital of culture for 2027. 1 November 2024 . EcocNews.com . 10 May 2022.
  34. Web site: Évora named 2027 European Capital of Culture . 1 November 2024 . Portugual Resident . 7 December 2022.
  35. Web site: České Budějovice to be the European Capital of Culture 2028 in the Czech Republic . European Commission . 1 July 2023.
  36. Web site: Bourges to be the European Capital of Culture 2028 in France . European Commission . 15 December 2023.
  37. Web site: Skopje 2028, is online the Panel’s Decision . ecocnews.com . 31 October 2023 . 2 November 2024.
  38. Web site: Lublin has been awarded the title of European Capital of Culture 2029! . White Mad . 25 September 2024 . 25 September 2024.
  39. Web site: Lublin has been awarded the title of European Capital of Culture 2029! . White Mad . 25 September 2024 . 1 November 2024.
  40. Web site: Blir det Kiruna eller Uppsala? . Swedish . Kulturrådet . 18 November 2024 . 26 November 2024.
  41. Web site: Kiruna och Uppsala vill bli kulturhuvudstad . Swedish . Kulturrådet . 21 February 2024.
  42. Web site: Πολιτιστική Πρωτεύουσα της Ευρώπης για το έτος 2030 . 24 January 2024 . Cyprus Ministry of Culture.
  43. Web site: European Capital Of Culture 2030 Belgium . ECOC2030BE . 25 October 2024.
  44. Web site: Call for applications for the 2030 European Capital of Culture title for cities in EFTA/EEA countries, in candidate countries and in potential candidates for EU membership . European Commission . 24 January 2024.
  45. Web site: European Capital of Culture 2031 Candidates .
  46. Web site: Spain 2031, six cities want to be Ecoc . ecocnews.com . 21 July 2024 . 23 October 2024.
  47. Web site: Vild plan: Vil gøre Næstved til europæisk kulturhovedstad . 11 January 2022 . 8 February 2022 . 8 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220208102643/https://www.sn.dk/naestved-kommune/vild-plan-vil-goere-naestved-til-europaeisk-kulturhovedstad/ . live .
  48. News: Heerlen wil culturele hoofdstad van Europa worden. Paul van der. Steen. NRC . 8 March 2023. www.nrc.nl.
  49. Web site: Torino Capitale europea della Cultura nel 2033? Il Consiglio comunale dice "sì" alla candidatura. Torino Oggi. 19 April 2021 . 21 April 2021. 21 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210421194322/https://www.torinoggi.it/2021/04/19/leggi-notizia/argomenti/politica-11/articolo/torino-capitale-europea-della-cultura-nel-2033-il-consiglio-comunale-dice-si-alla-candidatura.html. live.
  50. Web site: Pesaro e Urbino insieme per la candidatura a Capitali europee della cultura 2033. Progress . 2 November 2024.
  51. Web site: Viterbo candidata a Capitale Europea della Cultura 2033. Italia Economy . 6 March 2024 . 2 November 2024.
  52. News: Brady . Jon . Brexit destroys Dundee's hopes of being European Capital of Culture in 2023 . Evening Telegraph . 23 November 2017 . 23 November 2017 . 23 November 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171123120510/https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/fp/brexit-destroys-dundees-hopes-european-capital-culture-2023/ . live .
  53. News: Lorimer . Scott . The latest news and sport from Dundee, Tayside and Fife . Evening Telegraph . 25 June 2017 . 19 June 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150619100940/http://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/news/local/dundee/dundee-sets-sights-on-european-capital-of-culture-bid-1.884745 . live .
  54. Web site: European Capital of Culture . Milton Keynes Council . www.milton-keynes.gov.uk . 12 January 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170606182941/http://www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/leisure-tourism-and-culture/european-capital-of-culture . 2017-06-06.
  55. News: Meredith . Robbie . NI councils make bid for European Capital of Culture title . . 5 July 2017 . 5 July 2017 . 9 July 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170709131314/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-40499143 . live .
  56. Web site: 6 Feb 2021. European Capitals of Culture. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210302143222/https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/creative-europe/content/european-capitals-culture-2026-slovakia_en. 2 March 2021. 6 Feb 2021. European Union.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "European Capital of Culture".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2025, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.