“Since the first edition of the European City of Culture in 1985 in Athens a great deal has been published about the programme, the candidates and the cities. This archive aims to bring as many records together for the benefit of researchers, candidates and those interested in cultural policy and cities.
The programme has changed considerably over time. The objectives, the scope and the processes are now, in the 2020s, far different from the early days or indeed from the 2010s.
At its core is the “European Dimension”. A strange term but in brief it means that an ECOC is not only an opportunity for a city to highlight and celebrate its own culture but to raise the awareness of its own citizens of the diversity of cultures in Europe. This objective makes the ECOC stand out compared to the increasing number of national city of culture titles coming in its wake.
The changes reflect over 30 years development and awareness of the roles culture can play in a city´s wellbeing and prosperity. They also reflect how the scope of culture has evolved. It now encompasses the creative industries, the arts in social settings and urban regeneration. It is no longer a simple, although large, arts festival.
The Archive seeks to provide users with enough information to identify the trends. It will grow not only as the competition continues to 2033 but as more records are identified. A particular area of growth will be more information on the programmes of ECOC.
My thanks to the many people who have contributed records and developed this Archive.
Steve Green
Former Chairman of the European Capital of Culture Selection Panel
Thank you to everyone who has helped us to develop the ECoC Archive.
If you have other ECoC documents which can make this archive complete, please contact us at hello@culturenext.eu. All contributions are welcome.