The official event is scheduled to take place in Chemnitz on 4 April. But the debate of experts and cultural managers is open on EcocNews.

Below is the intervention of Sylvia Amann, director of InfoRelais.

European Capital of Culture celebrates 40 years this week! Reflecting on the future of the initiatives must be based on concrete needs and opportunities. I invite you to consider some concrete visions I shared in a debate moderated by Kulturpolitische Gesellschaft e. V. Germany.

European Capitals of Culture (ECoC) is a success story for cultural development, it is a brand and it has brought thousands of Europeans from local contexts to experience European cooperation. You will also find sad stories and problems. No initiative is perfect and there is always room for improvement. Furthermore, after 40 years and current rules in place since 2015, modernisation is required.

I don’t want to go in details, but to provide some big lines which I feel crucial for cultural development and Europe in a wider context – and for a new type of ECoC:

Europe still needs formats providing Europeans of all strata of societies to meet. This is especially true for local-to-local encounters beyond the capital cities and the big urban centres. Future ECoCs should therefore mainly cover the areas outside city centres. We know how to develop centres and creative quarters with culture. However, we have big challenges to involve all kinds of (perceived) “peripheries” and with a strong European dimension. A functional regions approach integrating centre with wider context and with substantial European dimension would be most promising for a new type of ECoC.

Culture still needs professionalisation of local ecosystems. Cultural strategies have proven to be a good tool to moderate local culture development processes – if done well. Future ECoCs should therefore further professionalise cultural planning and investments in local ecosystems. We will have substantial challenges ahead for local culture ecosystems due to budget constraints, digital disruptions as well as effects of geopolitical changes on cultural organisation (e. g. access to resources). Exchange of good practices as well as solidarity will be crucial for local culture development – a central area of attention for new ECoCs.

Global relations are not on good track. European Capitals of Culture underexploit their potential for international (cultural) cooperation. Future ECoCs should therefore be supported to enhance their outside Europe culture programmes and internationalisation strategies. We have experimented the potential for Europe-Africa cooperation with ECoCs and a wide range of formats are feasible (e. g. residencies, artistic production, touring, policy). Lacking are local-to-local internationalisation strategies as well as support programmes for local governments to connect their populations with other parts of the world – an ideal focus for a new ECoC.

You have access to the Webtalk of the Kulturpolitische Gesellschaft e. V. (in German): https://youtu.be/6pMiWzM-XAo.