As Chemnitz and Nova Gorica get ready to launch their European Capital of Culture year in 2025, it is time to review the significance of this EU initiative. After 40 years and 73 hosts to date, the ECoC programme offers key insights into the evolution of European cultures and narratives since 1985… and provides a critical platform to explore the future of Europe as a shared project.
In 2025, the European Capital of Culture (ECoC) programme will celebrate its 40th anniversary. Since its inception in 1985 by the then named European Economic Community (today’s European Union), 83 cities have held the prestigious title.
I have written extensively about the ECoC programme, focusing on its impact on host cities and European cultural policy as a whole. While many host cities struggle to effectively articulate the ‘European Dimension’ in their bid proposals—a challenge that persists throughout the evaluation process—there is no doubt that the programme has created lasting European legacies. These include the growth of knowledge exchange networks, the formation of trusted peer groups across the continent, the encouragement of cultural strategies, the development of cultural evaluation frameworks, and the facilitation of cross-border artist exchanges.
These European legacies, though rarely emphasized in ECoC proposals, have been invaluable in strengthening the professionalism and quality of European cultural programming and policy-making.
despite most cities struggling to articulate their ‘European Dimension’ in their bid proposals, the ECoC programme has generated significant European legacies: from international peer groups to improved cross-continental cultural policy making
In 2025, the two host cities—Chemnitz in Germany and Nova Gorica in Slovenia—are embracing particularly ambitious and challenging visions for what the EU defines as the ‘European project’. Chemnitz, which will formally kick off the year on the 18th January, has chosen the motto ‘C the Unseen,’ aiming to be a ‘European workshop for cultural democracy’. Nova Gorica, in partnership with the Italian city of Gorizia, presents the theme ‘Go Borderless,’ framing their efforts within the context of a single, cross-country urban conurbation.
Chemnitz 2025 is determined to address the concerns of many Europeans who feel unheard amidst rising political divisions and growing extremism, both on the right and the left. This takes place at a time when Germany is facing a national election, with populist parties increasingly challenging the very foundations of the European Union and the values the EU—and by extension, the ECoC programme—stand for.
GO! 2025 Nova Gorica · Gorizia , meanwhile, aims to tackle the administrative fragmentation that continues to hinder European unity. Communities that share the same streets or squares are often forced to navigate contradictory frameworks—a challenge that became glaringly evident during the Covid pandemic. This fragmentation is a fundamental issue that is central to Nova Gorica’s ECoC proposal and will test the resilience (and feasibility) of the programme’s objectives.
The ECoC programme has evolved over time, adapting to shifting legal frameworks. Its current legal framework is set for renewal after 2033, with discussions about its future beginning later this year. The current ECoC hosts, led by the Chemnitz 2025 team, will convene a conference and present \drawing on the experiences of past host cities. Other European networks and ECoC stakeholders will also contribute their perspectives and suggestions.
On my part, I recently led an international discussion on the need for a stronger, more clearly defined ECoC brand moving forward. I will continue to collaborate with colleagues to ensure our key insights are communicated effectively.
There are reasons to be optimistic. Four decades on, many of the recommendations I presented at the time of the previous, 30th year anniversary of the ECoC programme have been implemented, often through grassroots initiatives. These include ongoing peer-to-peer knowledge transfer and improvements in documentation and evaluation practices.
Chemnitz and Nova Gorica will be remembered for their bold choices in addressing some of Europe’s most pressing questions. As such, 2025 will undoubtedly serve as a watershed moment for the ECoC programme—a year that will not only celebrate European diversity and shared values, but also confront the serious challenges facing the continent. Cultural initiatives like ECoC provide critical platforms for exposure, dialogue, inspiration, and the resolution of conflicts, playing a vital role in the future of Europe.
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