Bourges to be the European Capital of Culture 2028 in France
The chairperson of the European Capitals of Culture expert panel announced that the city of Bourges has been recommended for the European Capital of Culture 2028 title in France, reads a press release of the European Commission.
In accordance with the Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council governing the European Capital of Culture Union action, there will be three European Capitals of Culture in 2028: one in France, one in the Czech Republic and one in an EFTA/EEA country, a candidate country or a potential candidate.
Regarding the competition in France, the relevant French authorities invited applications from interested cities in December 2021.
Nine cities submitted applications by the deadline of 2 January 2023: Amiens, Bastia, Bourges, Clermont-Ferrand, Montpellier, Nice, Reims, Rouen and Saint-Denis.
During the pre-selection meeting the cities of Bourges, Clermont-Ferrand, Montpellier and Rouen were short-listed. They were given until 3 November 2023 to complete their applications.
The final selection meeting took place in Paris from 11 to 13 December 2023.
Each year, two to three cities hold the title of European Capital of Culture. Alongside Bourges, Budweis (České Budějovice) (Czech Republic) and Skopje (North Macedonia, pending formal endorsement) will also hold the title in 2028.
