3 Finnish cities aspire to be European Capital of Culture for 2026

Three cities in Finland –Tampere, Oulu and Savonlinna – are bidding to be nominated as Finland’s candidate for the European Capital of Culture for 2026.

An independent panel will convene on 23 and 24 June in Helsinki to hear the plans of the applicant cities and decide which cities will continue in the race for the next decisive round, said a government press release.

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 24 June at the Helsinki Central Library Oodi.

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.