Bidding process for European Capital of Culture 2018 starts tomorrow

The bidding process for the 2018 European Cultural Capital in Malta is to be launched tomorrow.

During the year Malta will host ECoC, which provides an opportunity for the country to create a long-term plan for culture which goes beyond 2018.

Addressing a news conference this afternoon, Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco said the government was encouraging councils to unite and submit applications as regions and as a nation.

The European Capital of Culture, he said, has proven to be a good injection of regeneration in the city chosen and a launch pad for new cultural artistic ideas.

In 2008, Liverpool made a big success out of the experience and moved to sixth place from being considered one of the worst places to live in.

Malta, he said, embarked on the bidding process a year early because the country was aware that seven years was not a lot and this time would be used to created the necessary cultural infrastructure to handle the project. Although the ECoC as such is not EU funded, the usual EU funds for particular projects could be applied for.

Bids will be received until October 17, 2011.

Artists are being encouraged to submit their ideas for inclusion in the guidelines.

David Felice, the chairman of the inter-ministerial commission for the European Capital of Culture in Malta in 2018 said projects were varied and Istanbul had organised a U2 concert as one of its activities.

He said that historically tourism increased by 12 per cent in European capitals and the competitive process for the bid ensured a high level of culture.

Dr de Marco said the ECoC was an opportunity which would enable Malta to fill the gap in the cultural sphere. He encouraged bidders to look beyond 2018 and see that lasting changes and improvements were made.

He pointed out that Malta could not be alienated from its Mediterranean dimension and as such the year had to include a Euro-Mediterranean theme.

The ECoC project follows the European Cities of Culture programme which was founded in 1985. The latter was founded by Melina Mercouri, then the Minister for Culture in Greece. The Cities of Culture programme format ended in 2004 and the Capital of Culture 2005-2019 was then established by the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers.