Around 40 participants and stakeholders from current, former and future European Capital of Culture (ECoC) cities gathered in Leeuwarden from 13 to 15 April 2026 for the ECoC Echo Knowledge Transfer Seminar. Through a combination of expert presentations, discussions and site visits across Friesland, participants deepened their understanding of how cultural legacy can be built and sustained beyond the title year.

In Netherlands, as in Italy, only a handful of cities have announced their intention to compete to become European Capital of Culture in 2033.

The fourteenth Culture Next conference will be held in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, European Capital of Culture in 2018. It is focused on the theme “Cultural Participation” and gathers representatives from 50 European cities and their young representatives (aged 18–27), together with local artists and cultural organizations from Leeuwarden.