As Oulu prepares to kick off its European Capital of Culture (ECoC) year, Eurocities is contributing to the European Commission’s call for evidence on how to strengthen the ECoC action.
In our submission, we set out practical recommendations to improve key elements of the current scheme, propose new components to reinforce its long-term impact, and highlight why cities need a strong capacity-building programme that supports peer learning and cooperation across Europe.
This contribution builds on Eurocities’ ongoing work with local authorities and on targeted input gathered through one-hour meetings held in August–September 2024 with representatives from former and future ECoCs, cities with unsuccessful bids, and cities currently preparing applications. It also reflects the direct experience of our members: 43 have already held the title, at least 60 have submitted bids or are preparing applications, and three are current or future ECoCs (Oulu, Lublin and Leuven).
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