The pre-selection report about Czech Republic you can find here. A few days ago, the pre-selection report with which the panel chose the shortlisted French cities was published on the European Commission's website.

In the report, you can read the panel's evaluations for each of the 9 French cities that submitted a dossier and the panel's recommendations to the four French cities still in the running.

Below are some of the recommendations.

Cultural and artistic content
The focus of the final selection is the operating programme between 2023, when the ECoC will be formally designated and, in particular, the ECoC year of 2028. The panel recommends the four cities to have an open minded and daring artistic approach and not be afraid of new, experimental ideas. Deeper considerations on the visions presented in the bids could offer more clarity overall, including unique elements that tie the concept specifically to the city in question (instead of being a generic one that could take place in any European city).

Consistency between the selected vision and all other elements of the bid must be ensured. Innovation and originality is required not only in theory but also – even more importantly – in practice. The panel will expect to see more details on the programme, its projects and partners. Indeed, the cities should set out more clearly not only their artistic vision, but also the programme and projects; differentiating between partners who have indicated firm interest and those who are still only potential or possible partners. ECoC programmes normally cover a wide range of art forms and include the increasing development of creative interventions in social issues.

An approximate budget should be shown for each major project for the panel to understand the relative balance of projects in the programme. The panel recommends a more focused and detailed approach to digital cultural content (not just social media promotions and interactions) as integral parts of the programmes. Furthermore, more attention should be given to the sustainability of the projects – including cultural, ecological, social and economic wise – so as to ensure an expected substantial legacy of the ECoC.

European dimension
The panel recommends that all four cities revisit this criterion with great care. Although with a promising approach to this criterion, the proposals failed to engage fully with the challenges. That a city aims to market itself in Europe is not in itself a strong interpretation of the European dimension. An ECoC enables a city to promote itself internationally, but that is only half of the story. European Capital of Culture 2028 in France - Pre-selection stage 45 March 2023 Developing European cooperation requires strategic approaches and actual partnership with artists as well as cultural organisations and institutions throughout Europe. It cannot be limited to relations with other, former and future ECoCs, existing European cultural networks or twin cities.

The European dimension has a two-way direction. It is of course to present to the rest of Europe the city's contribution to European cultural diversity. However, an equal focus is on seeking to broaden the understanding and awareness of the city’s own citizens on the diversity of cultures in Europe and linking through cultural and other projects with citizens in other countries. It is important to clearly demonstrate how the European dimension is translated into concrete projects in the cultural and artistic programme. It is this focus on other cultures that primarily differentiates an ECoC from a national city of culture.

An ECoC offers the opportunity for a city and its citizens to learn from others in an open way. One important legacy area is the creation of new and sustained partnerships between a city’s cultural players and those from other countries.

The panel expects to see a significantly increased focus on European partnerships: coproductions, co-curations, conferences, networking as well as visiting artists/performers. Most recent ECoCs have included European and international partners in well over half their projects. Cities should encourage their cultural operators to be active participants in European cultural networks.

One of the elements of the European dimension criterion for the ECoC title is the ability to attract visitors from the rest of Europe and beyond. The programme has to have its attraction and that is why it is something else than the usual tourist offers of the city and region.

The panel would expect to see these attractive programme ideas in the final selection’s bid for ECoC 2028. The panel advises to thoroughly consider building a strategic communication plan for the ECoC project as well as to make a connection between the cultural and artistic programme and an international marketing vision.

The evaluation panel was chaired by Rossella Tarantino (Italy, ex director of the Matera-Basilicata 2019 Foundation) and composed of Toni Attard, Jelle Burggraaff, Else Christensen-Redžepović, Jean de Loisy, Goda Giedraityte (Rapporteur) Suvi Innilä (Rapporteur) Anne Karjalainen, Hrvoje Laurenta (Rapporteur) Marilyn Gaughan Reddan, Anne Tallineau (Vice-chair).

All the report here.