Abstract

This study aims to shed light on a significant EU action such as the European Capital of Culture, giving particular attention to ten cities which have been awarded this title: from Umeå and Riga in 2014 to Valletta and Leeuwarden in 2018. It concerns large-scale projects where culture, translated in different forms, is at the core of an urban and territorial regeneration process. Various visions and interpretations of the term «culture» are encapsulated in concepts and slogans clearly expressed by each city's "bid book", like "Open Up" (Pilsen 2015), an openness towards European cultural diversity, "Culture to Overcome Violence" (San Sebastián 2016) or "Re-think" (Aarhus 2017), where culture is seen as a catalyst for a transformation process, and are then expanded through a consistent cultural programme planned throughout the year. But all this lies on a concrete investment on behalf of the city and the region involved in the bid, which is analysed in greater detail in terms of operating and capital budget as well as public and private funding.