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Three cities in Finland bidding for title of the 2026 European Capital of Culture

Ministry of Education and Culture
Publication date 16.6.2020 15.14
Press release

Tampere, Oulu and Savonlinna are bidding to be nominated as Finland’s candidate for the European Capital of Culture for 2026. The independent panel will convene on 23 and 24 June in Helsinki. At their meeting, the panel will hear the plans of the applicant cities and decide which cities will continue in the race for the next decisive round.

The applications submitted by the cities will be evaluated by a panel of 12 members, composed of independent European experts in the field of arts and culture. The Finnish members of the panel are FT Riitta Vanhatalo and FM Kai Amberla. Other members include Sylvia Amann, Jelle Burggraaff, Cristina Farinha, Paulina Florjanowicz, Beatriz Garcia, Dessislava Gavrilova, Alin Nica, Pierre Sauvageot, Jiří Suchánek and Agnieszka Wlazel.

The selection procedure will then continue during the panel's visits to cities. The panel's second meeting will take place in summer 2021, when the name of the European Capital of Culture in 2026 will be revealed.

The cities that have reached the next stage will be announced at a press conference on Wednesday, 24 June at 14.00 at Helsinki Central Library Oodi. Representatives of the Ministry of Education and Culture, the European Commission and the panel will attend the event.

Summaries of the applications submitted by the three cities can be found on the website of the Ministry of Education and Culture.

European Capital of Culture

The European Capital of Culture initiative is among the most widely known actions of the European Union. The event highlights the richness of the cultures of the Member States, emphasising their common features and strengthening cohesion among citizens.  The city designated as the European Capital of Culture aims to increase the scope, diversity and European dimension of its cultural resources and to raise the city's international profile.

Inquiries: Iina Berden, Ministerial Adviser, tel. + 358 295 330 069

Related links

European Capital of Culture 2026, Ministry of Education and Culture