September 25th will be remembered as a milestone in our city’s history, marking the day Lublin was officially named the European Capital of Culture for 2029.
In 2029, Lublin will proudly carry this prestigious title, executing a comprehensive cultural program developed in close collaboration with its residents. Securing the title not only promises a wealth of unique cultural initiatives, projects, and events, but also the development of sectors related to tourism and the promotion of the city on an unprecedented scale. This recognition will bring a series of positive transformations, contributing to growth in areas beyond culture and tourism. Furthermore, the European Capital of Culture title can enhance opportunities for securing European funding, which will support infrastructure development as well as social and cultural initiatives. It also paves the way for new partnerships and the exchange of expertise with other cities across Europe.
“The past two years have been a period of intense work for all of us, with many valuable projects and events realized in the spirit of the RE:UNION idea. We now have several years of preparation ahead, focusing on turning the ideas from our application into concrete actions. I want to thank all the involved communities for their shared effort and contribution to this great success. We have once again proven that Lublin’s culture and the people behind it possess immense potential,” said Krzysztof Żuk, Mayor of Lublin.
The selection process for the European Capital of Culture title was conducted in two stages. Participating cities submitted their initial applications by September 15, 2023, with twelve Polish cities entering the competition: Bielsko-Biała, Bydgoszcz, Jastrzębie-Zdrój, Katowice, Kielce, Kołobrzeg, Lublin, Opole, Płock, Pszczyna, Rzeszów, and Toruń.
Following the first evaluation, a shortlist of cities advancing to the final stage was announced, which included Lublin, Bielsko-Biała, Katowice, and Kołobrzeg. The final decision on the European Capital of Culture for 2029 was based on a thorough assessment of the shortlisted cities’ final applications, which provided comprehensive details of their cultural programs, and in-person presentations to the evaluation panel.
Lublin’s final application, a detailed 100-page document, outlines the city’s cultural, organizational, and financial strategies, as well as its vision for the future. This application was the result of collaboration with local residents, artists, social activists, cultural organizers, and community leaders. An important part of the process was the visit of the European panel of experts to Lublin on September 18, followed by the city’s formal presentation on September 24.
The central theme of our application is RE:Union, which symbolizes an extraordinary gathering, dialogue, mutual care, and a fresh perspective on Lublin.
The concept of the European Capital of Culture has a history spanning over four decades. It was first proposed in the early 1980s, with Athens becoming the inaugural titleholder thanks to the initiative of Melina Mercouri, then the Greek Minister of Culture. In the following years, cities such as Florence, Amsterdam, West Berlin, and Paris held the title. In 1999, the selection process was revised to designate two cities each year, with the exception of the year 2000, when nine cities, including Kraków and Prague, were named as Capitals of Culture.
In 2029, Lublin will share the title with one of two Swedish cities—Kurina or Uppsala. The results of the competition are announced several years in advance to allow ample preparation, which is why the cities selected this year will hold the title in 2029.
