Deputy of Culture: Enormous challenges for European Capital of Culture 2030
The first phase of pre-selection of the two most successful proposals will be completed in December 2024, and the second and final selection phase will be completed in late 2025. The Cultural Capital of Europe institution creates enormous challenges and opportunities for both the city that will receive the title and the member state. The title of European Cultural Capital for 2030 will be awarded to a city in Cyprus, a city in Belgium, and a city from a third country that is a candidate or potential candidate for EU membership. The Ministry of Culture is responsible for organizing the competition and selecting the city, and the selected city will receive a contribution of €6.5 million for its operational expenses. The title also includes the possibility of receiving the "Melina Mercouri" award, which includes a cash prize of €1.5 million. The Cultural Capital of Europe institution reminds us that culture must always have a significant place in the strategy of each state, as it can contribute to sustainable development, social inclusion, creativity, and innovation. The selection process includes formal criteria, exclusion and selection criteria, and questionnaires that cities must answer. The criteria for selecting a city are divided into six categories: contribution to the city's long-term strategy, European dimension of the application, cultural and artistic content, implementation capacity, promotion, and management.