- en
Three Latvian cities in race for 2027 European Capital of Culture title
Culture is a strong part of people’s lives. The European Union works to protect Europe’s shared cultural heritage as well as to support and promote arts and creative industries across the Old continent. Numerous culture-related initiatives taking place throughout Europe best demonstrate this.
The European Capital of Culture was established to highlight the richness and diversity of European cultures, strengthen bonds between European citizens, and promote mutual understanding and tolerance. Many cities around Europe have had the opportunity to carry this flattering title over the years. A lot of them were able to build strong cultural infrastructures both during and after the project, and they were able to open themselves up to the rest of Europe and the world.
Melina Mercouri, the Greek Minister of Culture, and Jack Lang, the French Minister of Culture, came up with the idea of awarding the title of the European Capital of Culture to different cities 37 years ago. Since then, more than 60 cities in the European Union and beyond have held this title with pride. One of them is also the Latvian capital of Riga. Back in 2014, Riga was given a fantastic opportunity to showcase its creativity and charm when it was named the European Capital of Culture alongside the Swedish city of Umeå.
According to UNESCO, Riga is regarded as one of the most successful Capitals of Culture. The Latvian capital’s main goal was to expand the city’s cultural offer, as well as to enhance Riga’s reputation as a strong international tourist destination. Even prior to 2014, Riga had a thriving creative scene of young project creators, entrepreneurs, and artists. However, the prestigious award provided an additional boost to Riga’s up-and-coming cultural scene. Today, Riga is one of the most vibrant cities in the Baltics, and it is once again a booming center of the arts.
Cities from two EU Member States, Latvia, and Portugal, will be named European Capitals of Culture in 2027. Nine Latvian cities have submitted their application for the award: Cesis, Daugavpils, Jelgava, Jekabpils, Jurmala, Kuldiga, Liepaja, Ogre, and Valmiera. Recently, the three of them have been shortlisted in the race for the title of European Capital of Culture 2027. It has been revealed that Valmiera, Liepāja, and Daugavpils are preparing their final bids and will be competing for this prestigious award.
Culturally, historically, and geographically, the three cities have unique characteristics. According to the Latvian Public Broadcaster, the three cities’ bids will be evaluated by a panel consisting of ten international and two national jury members. The criteria that are taken into account include contribution to a long-term strategy, European dimension, cultural and artistic content, performance, public involvement, and governance.
According to the European Commission, being shortlisted for the title can result in significant cultural, economic, and social benefits for the cities involved, as long as the bid is part of a longer-term culture-led development strategy.
In parallel, a similar competition is being held in Portugal to select the second European Capital of Culture 2027. In order to be chosen, cities must demonstrate that they have the support of the relevant public local authorities as well as the capacity to carry out the project. The panel of independent experts is set to reconvene this spring to recommend the Latvian city as the European Capital of Culture for 2027.
