The Culture Next network of European cities, of which Braga is a founding member, argues that European governments should create National Capitals of Culture to enable cities that have not been successful in their bid to become European Capital of Culture to carry out the cultural projects developed in that context.
The proposal is contained in a declaration approved at the Culture Next autumn conference, which took place between October 14 and 17 in the city of Bieslko-Biala, Poland. The formula is based on the example of the Portuguese government’s decision to create the title of Portuguese Capital of Culture and award it to the three finalist cities that were not chosen as European Capital of Culture in 2027. Braga is the Portuguese Capital of Culture in 2025.
Culture Next believes that the European Commission should provide the terms of reference for a National Capital of Culture, which the national governments of European partners can implement in order to support the development of national competitions for the title of European Capital of Culture. The intention is not to waste the work involved in developing the application dossiers for the European title.
This policy proposal, inspired by the Portuguese example, is part of the contribution of Culture Next, the largest European network of cultural cities, to the new reference framework for the next generation of European Capitals of Culture, which is currently being discussed at EU level.
The declaration was approved at the end of the Culture Next conference in Bielsko-Biala, a city in southern Poland, which will be the first Polish National Capital of Culture. The initiative was created following the award of the title of European Capital of Culture 2029 to the city of Lublin, in a process similar to that which made Braga the Portuguese Capital of Culture this year.
The Culture Next network was created in 2017, bringing together cities that are candidates for European Capital of Culture, current or former, awarded or not, with the mission of supporting the implementation of culture-led urban development programs and policies.
Braga is one of the founding cities of this network and Joana Meneses Fernandes, executive coordinator of Braga 25 and executive administrator of Faz Cultura – Empresa Municipal de Cultura de Braga, EM, has been part of the Culture Next board since the beginning of the year, with a mandate for the next three years.