Cities urged to cooperate on culture

Date: 26/06/1997

WOULD-be European 'cities of culture' will in future have to work with one another and organise events of lasting value.

Culture Commissioner Marcelino Oreja will tell ministers next week that, until now, some cities of culture have been like pretty fireworks with no follow-up.

A working document, yet to be approved by the full Commission, suggests allocating 300 million ecu over five years to three different cities of culture each year after the turn of the century.

But that figure is unlikely to be confirmed until next month after the European Commission has agreed its long-term spending forecasts for early next century.

The power to nominate cities rests with member states, but criteria proposed by the Commission would favour projects which boost economic growth, in particular in jobs and tourism.

Oreja says cultural events should be about more than a concert or an exhibition and include themes such as, for example, the environment or technological advance.

In the past, cultural events have been restricted to the country or city organising them. The new plan would encourage cities to make joint bids centred on common activities. Oreja will tell culture ministers next Monday (30 June) that this cooperation should be extended after the event to boost exchange networks between the cities.

Cities whose proposals involve young people or reinforce social cohesion may also find themselves nearer the top of a long list of candidates eager to receive money.

The EU funding available will only contribute a small amount of the total needed by cities to organise the events, with the rest to come from private sponsors.

The programme will also be open to countries which have association agreements with

the Union containing culture clauses, and to Cyprus, as well as EFTA and EEA countries.