Yesterday, 29 December, marks the deadline for the submission of bids to become European Capital of Culture in 2031. A few days ago, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria formally submitted its candidacy to the Ministry of Culture, providing all the required documentation, including the Bid Book, the 60-page document outlining its Artistic and Cultural Programme.

The formalisation of the bid concludes more than a year of collaborative and participatory work, during which all sectors of the city have been given a voice—not only those belonging to the cultural ecosystem, but also from the social, educational and artistic spheres. In addition to receiving more than 200 proposals through its website, www.lpgc2031.com, the LPGC’31 project also incorporated many initiatives submitted through the Participatory Budgeting call. The bid enjoys broad institutional, social and cultural backing, as well as support from sports organisations.

The Mayor of the capital of Gran Canaria, Carolina Darias, accompanied by the Councillor for Culture, Josué Íñiguez, expressed her gratitude at the City Hall to the multidisciplinary teams that have shaped the cultural proposal over recent months, through which the city aspires to become European Capital of Culture 2031, as well as to the different political groups represented in the Municipal Corporation for their support.

Mayor Carolina Darias stated: “We have submitted a very solid bid that highlights the true cultural potential of our city. We do so with great enthusiasm and full confidence in our possibilities. We aspire to lead a genuine Rebellion of Geography that places ultra-peripheral cities and regions at the heart of European culture.”

In the coming days, after reviewing the documentation submitted, the Ministry of Culture will announce the cities that will be officially recognised as candidates for European Capital of Culture 2031.