Cities
Bidding for the European Capital of Culture title requires a high level of commitment, investment and cooperation among various local actors, making this process a rather unique development opportunity for participating cities.
90% of the bidding cities are not awarded the title. However, all these cities develop strong cultural strategies and establish mechanisms for cultural planning and citizen participation. Moreover, these cities manage to raise significant budgets for the implementation of their programme: a multiannual integrated plan contributing to local and European development. These efforts are usually lost after not gaining the title.
How can candidate cities – be them in the preparation phase, title holders or former candidates that did not make it through pre-selection or selection for the title – make the most of this exceptional mobilising of talents, ideas and resources? Culture Next members are cities committed to continuing the legacy of the ECoC bidding process in long-term strategies and programmes putting culture at the center of urban development.
