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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) 16Bid book (final selection) 13Ex-post evaluation 5Strategy 1Action plan 1Research 4Other 4
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.

44 documents for “Heritage”

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

Found inside the documents

  • the_missing_pillar.pdf

Cultural heritage has been directly linked to the creation of green economies that enhance sustainability, employment opportunities that support poverty alleviation (SDG 1: No poverty), and the potential to unite people in furthering…

  • Siena 2019 — Final selection
    Siena · 2019
  • Siena 2019 — Pre-selection
    Siena · 2019

    The lega- cy of Siena 2019 is about transforming the contemporary notion of heritage – making it economically and politically relevant, visible, and deeply ingrained in European culture.

  • Skopje 2028 — Final selection
    Skopje · 2028

    To us, heritage is the most important as it is but a tool for connection and integration, given that many of the heritage practices are a flux of two, sometimes three cultural influences, taking into account that Skopje has always been at…

  • Magdeburg 2025 — Final selection
    Magdeburg · 2025

    Heritage #1: The Magdeburg Rights We see the Magdeburg Rights as one of the forefathers of the Constitution of the European Union. An oral, dialogic, dynamic statement of communal self-government and civic liberties: personal freedom…

  • Report Heritage Nights ENG.pdf
    Cáceres. Contributed by Cáceres and published to everyone.

    REPORT IN ENGLISH Cáceres 2031 at Heritage Nights 2026 Heritage Nights, held on 11 and 12 September, represented an important opportunity for citizen participation, public engagement and European connection for Cáceres 2031.

  • Évora 2027 — Final selection
    Évora · 2027

    Our vagar protects our heritage We believe that heritage tells a special story about European history, about its positive and negative aspects and its migrations, and that it has unique and symbolic value for strengthening our integration…

  • The Hague 2018 — Pre-selection
    The Hague · 2018

    That is why I believe heritage education should be part of the curriculum for all youngsters at all schools in Europe, including The Hague. Civil war in Yugoslavia My passion for international law eventually brought me to The Hague.

  • Luxembourg 2007 — final report (Richards)
    Luxembourg · 2007

    Guy Berg und Gilbert Haufs- Brusberg Heritage Luxembourg, Trier, Veldenz, Mettlach, Himmerod, Nennig LUX Drockkonscht - A arte da gravura de Tita do Rêgo Silva Kulturhuef Heritage Grevenmacher LUX Eglises et Culture - Kirchen und Kultur…

  • Hildesheim 2025 — Final selection
    Hildesheim · 2025

    WE CARE FOR OUR PAST AND FUTURE HERITAGE 4. WE CARE FOR OUR PAST AND FUTURE HERITAGE … is about reactivating our World Heritage Sites. CLUSTER 4.1 MOBILISING HISTORIES To build a future we need to understand the past.

  • A case study of Salamanca 2002
    Salamanca · 2002

    …place, a factor for richness and therefore economic development; and in the second place, a boost to the urban regeneration of cities, whose heritage recovery and new cultural facilities become a way to make them stand out from other areas…

  • Évora 2027 — Pre-selection
    Évora · 2027

    …artistic creation starts from the cultural migrations, new and old, that mark the history of the Alentejo; its projects will highlight the heritage left to us by the Arab and Roman civilisations.

  • Banská Bystrica 2026 — Pre-selection
    Banská Bystrica · 2026

    HERITAGE MINING The Depths of Culture In the city of Banská Bystrica and the whole region, the architecture of historic buildings and many sites breathe history and European heritage.

  • Hildesheim 2025 — Pre-selection
    Hildesheim · 2025

    To achieve an overall representation and interaction of diverse cultures and people, we will implement multilan- Heritage, History and Future Re[ru:]ting is about revisiting and re-establishing rela- tions to our cultural heritage.

  • Ljubljana 2025 — Pre-selection
    Ljubljana · 2025

    Ljubljana and its region are a picture of heritage par excellence: in the territory of the City of Ljubljana alone there are 365 officially recognised units of cultural heritage listed as cultural sites of local or national importance…

  • Dubrovnik 2020 — Final selection
    Dubrovnik · 2020

    Each of these programme streams refers to different aspects of contemporary European debates, as well as common European heritage and history. Highlighting the common aspects of European cultures, heritage and history, as well as European…

  • České Budějovice (Budweis) 2028
    České Budějovice (Budweis) · 2028

    CREATIVITY AND CRAFTSMANSHIP #TRADITIONS #LABORATORY Traditions and crafts are cornerstones of European cul- tural heritage and identities. Often connected with a low threshold and rural culturtal activities, they represent art that is…

  • Culture and Creative Industries Strategy 2026–2035
    Brno. Contributed by Brno and published to everyone.Brno · 2026

    Measure D.2.3 Ensuring accessible and broadly utilisable cultural heritage Brno boasts a number of historical buildings that strengthen its local brand and con- tribute to the development of tourism.

  • Leuven 2030
    Leuven · 2030

    …Stile Antico (UK), Tiburtina (CZ), University of Oxford (UK) CLTS 5, 9 BUDGET €€ Eight high-profile projects make it abundantly clear that heritage in Leuven & Beyond is centuries old but very much alive.

  • Larissa 2021 — Pre-selection
    Larissa · 2021

    What follows is a conceptual map, showing how common aspects of European heritage, culture and history are reflected in diverse forms of cultural expression and respective activities in the artistic programme, as well as how human and…

  • Action Plan No. 1: Culture and Creative Industries Strategy 2026–2027
    Brno. Contributed by Brno and published to everyone.Brno · 2026

    Activity 11 DIGITISATION AND PROMOTION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE Priority Important Activity description This initiative aims to support the digitisation and accessibility of the City of Brno’s cultural heritage.

  • Corfu 2021 — Pre-selection
    Corfu · 2021

    Key heritage buildings in the cen- tre of Corfu will be occupied in the Corfu Art Hub for the duration of the project to provide a sociable, creative and multi-use environment to demonstrate and try out work.

  • 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

    …title in the same year; (d) the range and overall artistic quality of the activities, highlighting the common aspects of European cultures, heritage and history, as well as European integration and current European themes; (e) the capacity…

  • Perugia 2019 — Pre-selection
    Perugia · 2019

    …sary to increase such degree; 37II - Structure of the programme for the event Although the strategic enhancement of the intangible cultural heritage is extremely and equally important, the need for the conservation and enhancement of the…

  • Lublin 2029
    Lublin · 2029
  • Ghent2030: Toopen Together. Cultural recharge for a common future
    Gent. Contributed by Gent and published to everyone.Gent · 2024

    …of today and tomorrow (from alienation to a lack of space), transformations are needed within the city administration, in the culture and heritage sector, and in the collaboration with other sectors.

  • Istanbul 2010
    Istanbul · 2010

    …as: initiating a process to bring together agencies and authorities responsible for the protection and development of the city’s cultural heritage whereby sustainable and creative utilisation of the city’s cultural heritage can be achieved…

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

    Brno City Museum The organisation is a scientific, professional and cultural educational institution that cares for the cultural heritage of the City of Brno and promotes the development of its culture, especially by collecting…

  • Erice 2019 — Pre-selection
    Erice · 2019

    In fact , we have now created networks between public and private entities for the development and management of cultural heritage and the promotion of cultural tourism .

  • Brugge 2030 — Pre-selection
    Brugge · 2030

    In 2022, the Government of Flanders designated Musea Brugge as a Flemish cultur- al heritage institution, a title reserved only for muse- ums operating on a European and international level.

  • Leuven 2030 — Pre-selection
    Leuven · 2030

    Whereas previ- ously it was a challenge to make heritage climate-proof, our monuments are now becoming a key element in our sustain- ability policy.

  • Ljubljana 2025 — Final selection
    Ljubljana · 2025

    …while one has even become the home of the “National Wet Wood Depository” which plays an important role in international research on preserving heritage in the form of wet wood.

  • Rokiškis 2022 — Pre-selection
    Rokiškis · 2022

    In regional cultural heritage objects (manors, mills, etc.) Is provided in the craft centers, historical entertainment, gaming and leisure centers, artists' residences development.

  • Pula 2020 — Final selection
    Pula · 2020

    …artistic realm and steers it more freely in new directions, towards new audiences and without losing focus of the importance of respect for heritage and high artistic excellence.

  • Gera 2025 — Pre-selection
    Gera · 2025

    The oldest existing stone-built heritage to- day includes the ruined city walls, St Mary’s Church (Marienkirche) in Untermhaus and the keep of Osterstein Castle.

  • Ioannina 2021 — Pre-selection
    Ioannina · 2021

    …they can be divided into facilities and infrastruc- ture of cultural heritage, modern artistic output and pa- rameters associated with culture in the more general sense.

  • Rouen 2028 — Final selection
    Rouen · 2028

    …gives us a new dimension for rethinking the question of patrimony, which today can no longer be limited by its sole etymological meaning: “heritage of our fathers.” Patrimony, more commonly called architectural heritage in English, is no…

  • Córdoba 2016 — Final selection
    Córdoba · 2016

    …im- proving the city’s tourist signage and the permanent visitor information infrastructure; refurbishment projects in parts of the World Heritage Site Old Town; the resto- ration and conservation of monuments; improvements in the lighting…

  • Liverpool 2008 — Baseline Report
    Liverpool · 2008

    The Use of the Heritage Environment This sub-theme will explore the way in which Liverpool‟s World Heritage Site and other heritage buildings are incorporated within the cultural city.

  • Also matching the title, city or themes

    Maribor 2012 — Final Report

    Maribor · 2012

    EC Ex-Post Evaluation — Essen Ruhr, Pécs, Istanbul

    Essen/Ruhr, Pécs, Istanbul · 2010

    Luxembourg City 2007 — Evaluation Report

    Luxembourg & Greater Region · 2007

    Palmer/Rae Associates — European Cities and Capitals of Culture 1995–2004, Part II (city reports)

    Cross-city (Palmer Report Pt II) · 2004

    European Cities of Culture. Oct 1994

    Cross-city (Network of Cultural Cities of Europe) · 1994