That's seven years away, but the engines have already started because the nomination is expected to come in 2026. And then there will be 6 years to prepare for the European Capital of Culture year. 

In Malta working for the selection is Valletta cultural agency, legacy of Valletta European Capital of Culture in 2018.

The Valletta Cultural Agency has received two applications in response to a call for Expressions of Interest for towns and regions in Malta and Gozo to hold the European Capital of Culture title in 2031.

The Expression of Interest was launched in November 2020 and closed on the 31st March of this year, by which deadline two submissions were received; one from Birgu for Reġjun Xlokk and one from Victoria for the region of Gozo.

Soon we will delve deeper into the work of these two candidate cities.

In Spain there are currently six cities that have decided to apply for European Capital of Culture: Burgos, Granada, Las Palmas de gran Canaria, Jerez, Caceres, Toledo. 

Segovia had also announced his candidacy, but no concrete signs are seen at the moment. 

Gijón had also announced its candidacy, but as reported in Spanish newspapers decided to withdraw in the face of the work of cities that are already far ahead in the process.

This was announced by the councilor responsible for Culture of the City Council of the Asturian city, Montserrat López, in an interview in La Nueva España. The councilwoman assures that "the investment is unaffordable and that other cities are too far ahead".

 "Right now who takes the race is Burgos," he said in a statement in which he says that the capital of Burgos is "the favorite" because it has taken steps such as launching a website and because it has the experience of having applied for the candidacy in 2016.

In fact, the other 5 cities in the race are also catching up both in terms of communication and the process of engaging local communities.

Burgos

They are involving all the collectives and assosiations in the hole process making them protagonists. They have already launched two Open calls in arts and they are going to present soon another one for graffiti artists doing the projects in an industrial zone in some facades of 3 factories. They are having a lot of meetings with experts in different areas, always taking care of inclusion, sustainability, participation and social economy. And paying attention to the culture industry in all disciplines. They are getting recognition creating visibility in mass media. They invited over 30 well-known and respectful people in Spain, as journalists, actors, writers, artists, and influencers. As well, they are updating everyday their website and social network.

Caceres 

The Governing Council of the Junta has authorized the signing of a collaboration agreement with the City Council of Caceres and the two provincial councils, for the creation of the Consortium Caceres European Capital of Culture 2031, which has been described as "a decisive step for the cultural promotion and socio-economic development" of this city and the whole region. The Government of Extremadura, he said, considers culture as "a vital industry for the development and social cohesion of our region".

The signing of this agreement, for which the Junta de Extremadura will provide 200,000 euros, will be materialized this days in Cáceres with the presence of the president of the Junta de Extremadura, María Guardiola, the mayor of Cáceres and the presidents of the two provincial councils, Bazaga announced.

Jerez

The city of Jerez lived on last weeks the launching of the candidacy for the European Capital of Culture 2031 in an event held in the multimedia space of the Museums of the Watchtower and chaired by the mayor of the city, María José García-Pelayo, was attended and participated, as members of the steering committee of the project, the rector of the University of Cadiz, Casimiro Mantell, the president of the Provincial Council, Almudena Martinez, and the president of the Chamber of Commerce, Javier Sanchez Rojas.

Before the conclusion, the Chamber of Commerce, the Provincial Council and the University of Cadiz were the first three institutions, together with the City Council, to sign the letter of support for the candidacy. In the rector's opinion, the UCA must respond "with gratitude and commitment" and must rise to this challenge. At the same time, he advanced that the more than 23,000 people who make up the university community are a value and a support to strengthen the candidacy.

Granada

Granada has taken a step forward in its desire to become a European City of Culture in 2031. In the last days the city's City Council hosted the first meeting of the Commission that will henceforth prepare the path that will lead Granada to hold the top European recognition in that year. And it did so with the unanimous support of all of Granada's institutions.

Currently, three working groups have already been formed that will focus on the role of the Athenaeum in addressing this anniversary; the one on infrastructure, which will be headed by the Junta de Andalucía, and the last one, with the name "Granada in 2031," will address the city's cultural programming by the municipal institution.

Toledo

The European Capital of Culture Advisory Committee for Toledo in 2031 held its third meeting, at which the creation of a Foundation to manage the Castilian-Manchurian capital's bid was announced.

Mayor Carlos Velázquez explained that previous commissions had been working to find the best way to manage a large number of initiatives, not only budgetary but also social, institutional and business, and that the conclusion was reached that "the best way was to launch a Foundation.

This will be named after the same official motto of the candidacy, 'Toledo, Light of Europe' and will include public institutions and private companies , "with the advantage of participating in a Foundation to make Toledo a major candidate."

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

The City of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, through the Department of Culture, has published the regulations of the competitions to be determined by the General Directorate, Programming and Communication Management Directorate of the Technical Office of the city's candidacy for European Capital of Culture 2031.

This implements the plenary agreement of July 30, 2021, and the unanimous decision of the Board of Directors of the Society for the Promotion of the City of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, which met on last weeks to establish a technical group to plan and coordinate the work necessary for the 2031 European Capital of Culture bid.

Councilman in charge of the Culture Area, Adrián Santana, indicated that "This is an important, decisive and necessary step in the city's commitment to become European Capital of Culture 2031, understanding culture as a tool for the transformation and international projection of our city."