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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

documents

cities
190

cities

evaluations
53

evaluations

bid books
182

bid books

1985–2031

title years covered

All shelvesEvaluations 53Monitoring and progress reports 1Bid books 182Selection and monitoring reports 111EU framework and official documents 27Strategies and action plans 5Research, guides and frameworks 33Shared by cities 1Sent in by members 59Published by cities 12
TypeBid book (pre-selection) 10Bid book (final selection) 7Ex-post evaluation 9Strategy 2Action plan 1Research 7Other 4 Any type
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.

4 documents of type other for “City image”

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

Found inside the documents

  • OK Analyza brnenske kulturni sceny ENG 2025_WEB
    Brno. Contributed by Brno and published to everyone.Brno

    Audiovisual Audiovisual is a very diverse sector, encompassing all forms of audiovisual production that combine image and sound. This mainly includes film and video or video clips, series, podcasts and radio, but there is often an overlap…

  • DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL renewing a Union action for the European Capitals of Culture for the years 2034 to 2047 and repealing Decision No 445/2014/EU
    Cluj-Napoca. Contributed by Cluj-Napoca and published to everyone.Cluj-Napoca · 2026

    Second, even though the assessment of city applications involves a ‘contribution to the long-term strategy’ criterion, some cities did not experience the long-term impact as fully as expected.

  • How Will We Know If LOV2030 Makes a Real Difference?

    Leuven

    Context

    How Will We Know If LOV2030 Makes a Real Difference?
    Leuven. Contributed by Leuven and published to everyone.Leuven

    These conversations brought together a broad range of partners, including the City of Leuven, KU Leuven, regional municipalities, tourism organisations, cultural policy actors and data partners.

  • Grant Programmes in the Field of Culture (2026)
    Brno. Contributed by Brno and published to everyone.Brno · 2026

    …promotional materials of all kinds, websites, even in the case of online transmission): a. text: With the financial support of the Statutory City of Brno b.