European Capitals of Culture European Capitals of Culture infoinfo--dayday

Friday 25 February 2011

Jacqueline PacaudEuropean Commission - Culture Programme and

Actions Unit.

1. What is an ECOC?2. Who can be one?3. Why should you want to be an ECOC? What are the

benefits?4. How to become one?5. What can go wrong? What are the risks?

AgendaAgenda

WhatWhat is an ECOC?is an ECOC?

A large A large scalescale cultural programme cultural programme

• awarded to one city in 2 MS p.a.• lasts a full year• very strong European dimension• based principally on cultural cooperation• designed specifically for the year• Not about what a city looks like,

but what it does during the year

A simple A simple ideaidea ……..

« to highlight the richness and diversity of European cultures and the features theyshare, as well as to promote greatermutual understanding betweenEuropean citizens »

…… but an but an ambitiousambitious eventevent!!

• One of the most visible European cultural events, substantial in scale and scope

• Very high artistic and cultural qualityrequirements

• Considerable financial investment (1995-2004):– Total operating expenditure: between 8 and

74 million euros– Total capital expenditure: between 10 to 220

million euros

WhoWho cancan bebe one?one?

WhichWhich citiescities willwill bebe one?one?

• 2011: Turku and Tallinn• 2012: Guimaraes and Maribor• 2013: Marseilles and Kosice• 2014: Umeå and Riga• 2015 : Mons and Pilsen

WhichWhich citiescities cancan becomebecome one?one?

• 2016: Spain, Poland• 2017: Denmark, Cyprus• 2018: Netherlands, Malta• 2019: Italy, Bulgaria

WhyWhy shouldshould youyou wantwant to to becomebecomeone? The one? The benefitsbenefits

Cultural benefitsCultural benefits

• New audiences for culture, more vividcultural life

• New cultural infrastructure• New cultural management skills and

more international cooperation

Economic benefitsEconomic benefits

• Regeneration and urban development• Tourism: +12% on average compared to previous

year,• Knock-on effects for other sectors, new jobs• Improved image for the city, (« creative » city,

welfare environment)

Social benefitsSocial benefits

• Social cohesion and interculturaldialogue

• Outreach programmes– Children, young people– the elderly– minorities– the disadvantaged

• Volunteer programmes

How to How to becomebecome one?one?

A competition in 2 stages at national A competition in 2 stages at national levellevel

• The competition starts 6 years beforethe event : in 2011 for 2017

• Proposals assessed by an international panel (13=7+6 members) against the criteria

• 2 stages : pre selection and final selection

One example : the 2017 titleOne example : the 2017 title• Cyprus and Denmark• 2010 : call for submission of applications to

be published by the MS • End 2011 : pre selection panel’s meeting

=> list of pre selected cities• Autumn 2012 : final selection panel’s

meeting => one recommended city • 2013 : Designation by the EU Council of

Ministers

Evaluation based on criteriaEvaluation based on criteriaThe European dimensionThe European dimension• 2 aspects• The themes : role/links of the city in Europe,

European identity, participation in European cultural life;

• The way of implementing : cooperation, trans borders projects

• Examples in the Guide for cities applying for the title

Evaluation based on criteria Evaluation based on criteria City and citizensCity and citizens

• 2 aspects• Attractivity at European scale and

participation of people• Sustainability/ long term cultural and

social development of the city

How to applyHow to apply

• Reply to the call for submissions of applications filling in the « ProposedApplication for the title » (in EN) : overview of the programme

• Completed by a file for further details• The pre selected cities will have to

provide the same documents to complete/go further

MonitoringMonitoring

• After designation, 2 meetings with a panel of 7 international experts (in 2014 and 2016 for the 2017 title)

• 3 objectives : assessing the progress/giving guidance/checkingcompliance with the commitments

• A prize « in honour of Melina Mercouri »(1.5 millions euros?) to reward the qualityof the preparation.

Keys to success : conceptKeys to success : concept• Devising clear objectives and concept for the event on

the basis of the criteria (European dimension etc.) and the specificities of the city

• A forward looking programme• An attractive programme at European scale• A sustainable project for the city

(thinking together urban and cultural problems)• Consulting and associating cultural operators and

the socio economic world from the beginning

Keys to success :implementationKeys to success :implementation

• Public commitment to the programme and the budget must be firm and constant

• Seeking for sponsorship well in advance• Independence from the political authorities

of the artistic director• A clear and strong communication strategy

Keys to success :ethic rulesKeys to success :ethic rules

• The title cannot be hold by a group of cities nor a region

• The title cannot be hold before the formaldesignation by the Council (important to specifycandidate city)

• A logo to be used• A clear visibility of the EU

Keys to success Keys to success Information and best practicesInformation and best practices

• The Guide to the cities applying for the title• http://ec.europa.eu/culture/our-programmes-

and-actions/doc629_en.htm• The Palmer study• The ECOC library in Brussels• Sharing of good practices

What can go wrong?What can go wrong?What are the risks?What are the risks?

RisksRisks• Instability in governance structures• Weak public commitment• Financial deficits• Delays in getting sponsors• Weaknesses in cultural content • Delays in building infrastructure• Weaknesses in communication:

lack of European visibility• Disappointment• → Need excellent concept and planning, time, money,

political consensus

ThankThank youyou!!

http://ec.europa.eu/culture/our-programmes-andactions/doc413_en.htm