In 2026, the cities of Trenčín, Slovakia and Oulu, Finland will jointly hold the title of European Capital of Culture. On Tuesday, November 4, the two cities presented their title-year programmes together at the Council of the European Union in Brussels.

Trenčín 2026 launches TrenAir, the very first international residency program in Trenčín. With this initiative, they are opening the city to new creative impulses and collaborations, transforming it into a vibrant space of cultural exchange, dialogue, and artistic innovation. 

In just 100 days, Oulu and its 39 partner municipalities in Northern Finland will open their year as European Capital of Culture. Excitement is building across the region as final preparations are underway – and the official event calendar, featuring thousands of cultural experiences throughout 2026, has just been published.

Four months to go until the start of the European Capital of Culture year. More than 500 operators are working together to create a year in which northern Finland will be the new cultural center of Europe.

Under the umbrella of Smart Tourism, the European Commission has launched two competitions to promote smart and sustainable tourism in the EU, network and strengthen destinations, and facilitate the exchange of best practices.