Lublin has been awarded the European Capital of Culture! In 2029, proudly holding the prestigious title, we will implement a programme of activities, developed in cooperation with the residents. Ahead of us is an intense period of preparation, translating the ideas from our application into concrete actions.
The last two years have been a time of intense work for all of us, with many valuable projects and events realized in the spirit of the RE:UNION idea. Taking on the challenge of participating in the competition was easier because we already have valuable experience from our previous bid for the title in 2016. We also have a wealth of unique knowledge and ‘know-how’ from being another capital— the European Youth Capital in 2023. I want to thank all the communities involved for their collaboration and contributions to this great success. We have once again proven that Lublin’s culture and its creators have enormous potential – said Krzysztof Żuk, Mayor of Lublin.
Winning the title brings many positive changes, benefiting not only culture but also the economy and society. The experience of other cities shows that receiving the title has been a powerful boost for development. It means hundreds of events attracting thousands of tourists and enormous promotion within Poland and globally. It also increases opportunities for reaching out to European funds, to develop infrastructure and support social and cultural initiatives. This marks the beginning of many positive changes affecting the entire city in a long term, beyond the 2029. Additionally, it provides a chance to address the cultural and civilizational challenges facing cities, enhancing the well-being of residents.
The competition took place in two stages. All competing cities submitted their initial applications by September 15, 2023. Lublin’s 60-page bid book outlined the organizational and financial capacity for implementing the programme. After evaluation by an international panel of experts, a shortlist of cities advancing to the second stage was announced. This included Lublin, Bielsko-Biała, Katowice, and Kołobrzeg. The European Capital of Culture 2029 was selected based on the assessment of the final applications, which included full programme descriptions and presentations from the shortlisted cities.
Lublin’s final application for the European Capital of Culture 2029 is a 100-page comprehensive book detailing our programmatic, organizational, and financial plans, as well as our vision for the city. It was created in collaboration with the cultural community of our city: artists, activists, and social leaders. A key stage in the competition for our city was the visit of European panel experts to Lublin on September 18, followed by our presentation of the final application on September 24.
The most highly regarded programmes within ECoC are those showcasing Europe’s rich and diverse culture, highlighting key civilizational values important to the European Union, and strengthening the sense of community and integration. Our slogan— RE:UNION—fits into this trend, understood as an extraordinary meeting, dialogue, care for one another, and a new perspective on Lublin.
The European Capital of Culture competition was born 40 years ago in Greece. The annual celebrations in various European cities aim to strengthen European Union integration and showcase the cultural heritage of individual member states. Each European Capital of Culture prepares a year-long programme that highlights the cultural potential of the city, region, and country, as well as its international and European contexts. To date, over 60 cities have held this title. In Poland, the title has been awarded twice—Kraków received it in 2000 (in a non-competitive process), followed by Wrocław, which celebrated the European Capital of Culture in 2016.
