Victoria (Gozo) in Malta has been recommended as the European Capital of Culture 2031, with a final decision expected in September 2026. It will share the title with a city in Spain, for which a pre-selection round is scheduled for February 2026. Victoria was selected from a shortlist that included Birgu.
The award was presented in recognition of the development of a high-quality volunteer programme in preparation for Liepāja – European Capital of Culture 2027, supporting cultural events in Liepāja and across the South Kurzeme and Kuldīga municipalities.
What are the European Capitals of Culture in 2026?
The number of European Capitals of Culture varies by year, and has seen as many as nine cities hold the title at once. For 2026, there are two: Oulu, and Trenčín in Slovakia.
Shanaz Gulzar, Bradford 2025 creative director, said: "Bradford 2025 has created a powerful new narrative for the city and district, and I am delighted to see the rise in civic pride as a direct result of our year as UK City of Culture.
Participation in the ECoC competition is also an opportunity to face cultural and civilizational challenges, to revitalize life culturally and to increase the well-being of city residents. The European Capital of Culture title changes hands each year; Lublin will be the one to hold it in 2029.
Securing the title will give Plymouth the opportunity to celebrate the people and places that make the city so vibrant, while supporting the city's wider ambitions for inclusive growth and regeneration. Plymouth City of Culture 2029 will celebrate our proud city shaped by the sea and its dynamic histories.
The news is official, L'Aquila is the Italian capital of culture 2026. The Minister of Culture Sangiuliano made the announcement, but the city was elected by a special commission which chose it from among ten finalists.
Bradford's 2025 City of Culture programming runs through December, but the best time to visit is in the summer and autumn. The city is well connected by train from the rest of the UK, with frequent direct services running from London, Manchester and the nearby city of Leeds.
Paris. Historically a cultural hub of Europe and no doubt one of Europe's most culturally rich cities, Paris has long been frequented by countless artists, philosophers, and of course, eloping lovers.
Who are the candidates for the European cultural capital 2030?
On October 24th 2024 the cities of Leuven, Molenbeek, and Namur were shortlisted to become the European Capital of Culture in 2030. The final selection meeting was held from September 22nd to September 23rd 2025 and on September 24th 2025 Leuven was announced as the host city for the 2030 title.
From 1 January 2026, the cities of Oulu in Finland and Trenčín in Slovakia are European Capitals of Culture. The initiative is supported by the EU through the Creative Europe programme.
In 2025, cities in Germany and Slovenia are scheduled to host the title, with one locality coming up with a unique arrangement. The 2025 European Capitals of Culture are Chemnitz, in Germany, and Nova Gorica and Gorizia, two twin towns on the border of Slovenia and Italy.
Up to 8 cities will be longlisted by March 2026 and will be invited to submit a full bid in the summer 2026. Up to 4 cities will then be shortlisted and will receive a visit from the judging panel to be interviewed in Autumn 2026. The winner will be announced by Winter 2026.
1. London. Unsurprisingly, London took the top spot, beating Liverpool in second place by a whopping 191%. 258 creative and cultural organisations in the capital are expected to receive a total of £143.7million of funding between 2023 and 2026.
Bradford – long celebrated as Britain's curry capital – put food centre stage in 2025 with the return of the World Curry Festival, a two-week celebration of food, culture and community as part of Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture.
Bradford, County Durham, Southampton and Wrexham County Borough have been unveiled as the four areas shortlisted to be UK City of Culture 2025. The four locations were approved by Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries based on independent advice made to the government by a panel of experts led by Sir Phil Redmond.
