The ECoC evidence base

The Archive

Forty years of European Capitals of Culture in their own words: what cities promised, what they did, and what the evaluations found.

documents: 472
cities: 190
evaluations: 53
bid books: 182; 1985–2031

9 documents of type bid book (pre-selection) for “City image”

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Ask Encore: “City image”An answer from across the Archive, every claim cited to its document.

Found inside the documents

Eindhoven 2018 — Pre-selection

What the document types mean

Bid book (pre-selection): A city's first application for the title, judged by the selection panel to make the shortlist.; Evidence of intent: what a city promised, not what it delivered.
Bid book (final selection): A shortlisted city's full, final application for the title, with its programme, budget and plans.; Evidence of intent: what a city promised, not what it delivered.
Selection panel report: The EU expert panel's assessment of the bids in one competition, with its reasons and its recommendation.; Context: useful background, not a city's own evidence of what happened.
Monitoring panel report: The EU expert panel's report on a designated city's preparations before its title year, with its advice.; Context: useful background, not a city's own evidence of what happened.
Ex-post evaluation: An assessment, written after the title year or a programme, of what it actually achieved, usually by independent evaluators.; Evidence of outcome: what actually happened.
Monitoring or progress report: A city's own report on how its programme is going, written while it runs, with the figures it has tracked.; Evidence of outcome: what actually happened.
Strategy: A city's long-term plan or policy for culture, including legacy strategies and council decisions.; A plan: how a city meant to deliver and keep going.
Action plan: A concrete plan of what a city or organisation will do, by when and with what resources.; A plan: how a city meant to deliver and keep going.
Guide or toolkit: Practical how-to material that others can reuse: guides, toolkits, handbooks and templates.; Context: useful background, not a city's own evidence of what happened.
Research: Studies, frameworks and papers across one or more cities, written by researchers rather than by a city.; Context: useful background, not a city's own evidence of what happened.
Other: Anything else: news, memos, programme brochures and documents that fit no type above.; Context: useful background, not a city's own evidence of what happened.

But the city’s history goes back a long way. Eindhoven was granted city rights in 1232. In the 19th century it grew steadily, partly due to the rise of the leather and textile industries, drawn by a supply of cheap skilled labour.

Nürnberg 2025 — Pre-selection

Nürnberg · 2025

Or is it the city’s castle, seated proudly atop sandstone rock, looking down on the medieval city below? Or perhaps you picture the angel-like figure of the Christkind, her golden locks flowing over her shimmering dress as she officially…

Ioannina 2021 — Pre-selection

Ioannina · 2021

…aims at creating a permanent Image Museum (photos and ﬁlm) depicting the city of Ioannina in a buil- ding about to be restored. The permanent collection for the Image Museum will initially be enriched by digi- talisation of archived…

The Hague 2018 — Pre-selection

The Hague · 2018

That was in the 1980s, when things were dismal here, with lots of empty buildings in the city centre. The bleak, stern atmosphere of the 1930s that Bordewijk depicts in his stories was still dominant.

Jonava 2022 — Pre-selection

Jonava · 2022

Introduction - General considerations Why does your city wish to take part in the competition for the title of European Capital of Culture? Participation in the competition for the title of European Capital of Culture stimulated the wish…

Veliko Tarnovo 2019 — Pre-selection

Veliko Tarnovo · 2019

To achieve the project objectives, an image communication strategy must be developed and implemented. Purpose: To validate the image of Veliko Turnovo as a destination, by skillfully combining the cultural and historical heritage and the…

Utrecht 2018 — Pre-selection

Utrecht · 2018

October 2012Trust the Future, Create your City 66 The city of Utrecht is the capital of the province of the same name. City and province are closely linked, both geographically and historically.

Bourges 2028 — Pre-selection

Bourges · 2028

Exchanging on the Bourges 2028 prototypes, adopting them for their own city, sharing their good practice. This is an informal capacity building organisation dedicated to innovation, prototyping and the deployment of common and grouped…