Online newspaper based in Matera
EcocNews is registered at the Court of Matera in the press register n. 2/2021
Editor in chief: Mariateresa Cascino. Founder and editorial director: Serafino Paternoster
via San Francesco, 1 - 75100 Matera (Italy)
Capitals
Capitals
Tartu 2024, The Story of Survival
Editorial staff
Martedì, 23 Settembre 2025
The organisers of Tartu 2024 presented a digital book entitled Tartu 2024: The Story of Survival at the Kultuurikompass Forum, which recounts Tartu and Southern Estonia's year as European Capital of Culture.
Oulu 2026, 100 Days to Go
Press release
Lunedì, 22 Settembre 2025
In just 100 days, Oulu and its 39 partner municipalities in Northern Finland will open their year as European Capital of Culture. Excitement is building across the region as final preparations are underway – and the official event calendar, featuring thousands of cultural experiences throughout 2026, has just been published.
Italy 2033, Few cities have started the engines
Luigi Paternoster
Lunedì, 08 Settembre 2025
Something is beginning to stir in the two countries that will host the European Capital of Culture in 2033: Italy and the Netherlands.
European Capital of Smart Tourism, 7 cities in shortlist
Editorial staff
Giovedì, 04 Settembre 2025
Under the umbrella of Smart Tourism, the European Commission has launched two competitions to promote smart and sustainable tourism in the EU, network and strengthen destinations, and facilitate the exchange of best practices.
Netherlands 2033, four cities in the competition (maybe)
Serafino Paternoster
Mercoledì, 03 Settembre 2025
In Netherlands, as in Italy, only a handful of cities have announced their intention to compete to become European Capital of Culture in 2033.
EDITORIAL. Kiruna 2029, when cities are living organisms
Serafino Paternoster
Venerdì, 29 Agosto 2025
I have always believed that cities are living organisms, with their streets acting as arteries in the human body, transporting blood and lives. Cities – as I wrote in my book Le città invincibili – L’esempio di Matera 2019 (Invincible Cities – The Example of Matera 2019) – are not immobile urban agglomerations. If that were the case, they would be doomed to certain death, a bit like what is happening in small villages where everything has remained as it once was and perhaps for this very reason they are destined for a future with few prospects.
Evora 2027, online the Second Monitoring Report
Editorial staff
Mercoledì, 30 Luglio 2025
The European Commission has published the Second Monitoring Report on the progress of Évora_27 – European Capital of Culture, stating that the management of the initiative “is on the right track.”
Lviv 2030, "Responsibility to Be" during the war
Serafino Paternoster
Giovedì, 24 Luglio 2025
There will be three European capitals of culture in 2030. One will be designated by Cyprus, the other by Belgium, and the third will be chosen between Nikšić (Montenegro) and Lviv (Ukraine). For all three countries we have entered the shortlist phase and therefore the cities have been working around their cultural projects for some time.
Trencin 2026, Disobedience Archive
Editorial staff
Venerdì, 04 Luglio 2025
After being presented at the Venice Biennale last year, the site-specific project “Disobedience Archive” makes a stop in Trencin, European Capital of Culture 2026 in a Site specific installation, designed by Zbyněk Baladrán.
Granada 2031, more than 1,300 proposals collected
Editorial staff
Venerdì, 27 Giugno 2025
The Spanish city's bid plans to move along 9 thematic axes: Cultural and Digital Innovation; Heritage and Sustainability; Creative and Sustainable Tourism; Social Cohesion, Inclusion and Multiculturalism; European Dimension; Spaces for Culture; Training and Education; Dissemination and Awareness; Employment and Cultural Entrepreneurship.
Oulu 2026, Nine Countries for the ECoC Legacy
Serafino Paternoster
Martedì, 17 Giugno 2025
There is a lot of excitement surrounding the European Capitals of Culture. In fact, there are an increasing number of initiatives, both at national level, in individual countries, and at international level, involving several countries, aimed at exploring individual aspects of the European Capital of Culture programme in greater depth.
Italy 2033, to date only 5 cities in the running
Serafino Paternoster
Giovedì, 29 Maggio 2025
The engines are warming up of some cities that have decided to run for the title of European Capital of Culture 2033. They are still few in number and can be counted, to date, on the fingers of one hand.
Matera Mediterranean Capital of Culture and Dialogue 2026, the start
Editorial staff
Venerdì, 16 Maggio 2025
12 months of meetings, art and dialogue, with a launch event on 28 November 2025 on the Mediterranean Day, the opening on 20 March on the International Day of Happiness, and then festivals, reviews, international forums on the themes of environment and territories, digital transformations, human development and quality of life, relations and social ties, which will make the Mediterranean a platform for experimentation.
Matera 2019, Airfare project: art curatorship in the digital age
press release
Martedì, 13 Maggio 2025
Starting on Friday 16 May, a cycle of online meetings open to the public will kick off, dedicated to the challenges and opportunities of curating in the digital age, promoted by the Fondazione Matera Basilicata 2019, leader of the Basilicata Digital Academy network, in collaboration with CNA Matera and Confapi Matera, as part of the TOCC ‘Airfare’ project.
Altro...
Liepāja 2027, Youth proposals for the programme
by website of Liepaja 2027
Lunedì, 12 Maggio 2025
Over the weekend, 30 young people from Liepāja, South Kurzeme and Kuldīga took to the stage to present their culture venue development ideas as part of the Liepāja 2027 youth development pilot programme. After a day of pitching, the jury awarded the main prize of €1,000 to the team behind “Ravegrieži”, a summer solstice rave set to take place in Kuldīga on 20 June.
Bourges 2028, at the heart of the fight for the Rights of Nature
Press release
Mercoledì, 07 Maggio 2025
On April 30th, at the National Assembly, three citizens' bills to enshrine the "Rights of Nature" were presented to French MPs. This was a strong signal and recognition of a growing citizen mobilization across Europe to ensure sustainable rights and protection for our living and non-living environments. Bourges 2028 played its full part in this historic first, held in the Palais Bourbon, the French National Assembly.
Kiruna 2029, a tribute to the power of design in northern Sweden
Editorial staff
Venerdì, 02 Maggio 2025
With Formbärare spotlighting the period 2013-2023, Svensk Form Norrbotten takes a holistic approach to the most influential designers of the past decade in the country's northernmost county. The group exhibition highlights the winners of the Design Bearer of the Year award in Norrbotten and at the same time offers a multifaceted picture of the design and design industry in the north, from crafts to contemporary design.
Larnaka 2030: Care, Interdependence and Cultural democracy
Mariateresa Cascino
Lunedì, 28 Aprile 2025
There will be three European capitals of culture in 2030. One will be designated by Cyprus, the other by Belgium, and the third will be chosen between Nikšić (Montenegro) and Lviv (Ukraine). On the short list are three cities for Belgium: Leuven, Molenbeek, and Namur. Larnaka and Lemesos have been shortlisted for the title of European Capital of Culture 2030 in Cyprus.