Deadline: 11-Nov-22
The European Union (EU) has announced a Call for applications for 2028 European Capital of Culture for cities in EFTA/EEA-, candidate-, and in potential candidates for EU membership countries.
The European Capital of Culture (ECOC) action is an initiative of the European Union governed by Decision No 445/2014/EU1 for the titles 2020 to 2033, which aims at highlighting this richness and diversity as well as common cultural aspects in Europe with a view to contributing to bring the peoples of Europe closer together and improve mutual understanding. This Decision was amended by Decision (EU) 2017/15452 to open the action, subject to conditions, to cities from European Free Trade Association countries that are parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EFTA/EEA countries). Furthermore, the Decision was amended by Decision (EU) 2020/22293 to rearrange the ECOC calendar for the years 2020-2023 in light of the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Objectives
The general objectives of the European Capital of Culture action have been defined as follows: to safeguard and promote the diversity of cultures in Europe and to highlight the common features they share as well as to increase citizens’ sense of belonging to a common cultural area, on the one hand, and to foster the contribution of culture to the long-term development of cities at economic, social and urban level, in accordance with their respective strategies and priorities, on the other hand.
In line with these objectives, activities developed by the city that will be designated as European Capital of Culture will strive to enhance the range, diversity and European dimension of its cultural offering, including through transnational co-operation; to widen access to and participation in culture; to strengthen the capacity of its cultural sector and the links of the latter with other sectors and to raise its international profile through culture.
Aims
The aim of this call is:
- To trigger applications from cities in EFTA/EEA countries, candidate countries and potential candidates participating in the Creative Europe Programme4 ’ (at the date of publication of the call), which wish to bid for the “European Capital of Culture” title for the year 2028 and,
- To lead to the designation of one of these cities as European Capital of Culture 2028, that may be awarded the Melina Mercouri prize (funded from the respective Union programme supporting culture at the time of its award).
Funding Information
The prize is 1.5 million EUR.
Eligibility Criteria
- This call for submission of applications is exclusively addressed to the cities wishing to apply for the title of European Capital of Culture 2028 from the following EFTA/EEA countries, candidate countries or potential candidates:
- Albania (except the city of Tirana, as the city already submitted an application for the competition for the 2024 ECOC title),
- Iceland,
- Kosovo ,
- Liechtenstein,
- Montenegro (except the city of Herceg Novi, as the city already submitted an application for the competition for the 2021 ECOC title)
- North Macedonia.
- The title applies to a city. Cities may involve their surrounding areas if they wish so, but the title is awarded only to the city itself and not to the whole area. Therefore, where a city involves its surrounding area, the application shall be made under the name of the city.
- Every application must be based on a cultural programme with a strong European dimension. The cultural programme shall cover the year of the European Capital of Culture title and shall be created specifically for the title.
- For recollection, in case of claims relating to the activities carried out in the framework of the submission for applications, the sole liability of applicants can be invoked.
For more information, visit https://culture.ec.europa.eu/calls/ecoc-2028