The city of Skopje has made a decision to bid for the prestigious title
European Capital of Culture for 2028.
WHAT IS EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE (ECoC)?
The European Capital of Culture is a city designated by the European Union (EU) for a period of one calendar year during which it organizes a series of cultural events with a strong pan-European dimension. The European Capital of Culture intends to bring Europeans closer together by highlighting the richness and diversity of European cultures and raising awareness of their common history and values. It is strongly believed that the ECoC significantly maximizes social and economic benefits, especially when the events are embedded as a part of a long–term culture-based development strategy of the city and the surrounding region.
The European Capital of Culture programme was initially called the European City of Culture and was conceived in 1983, by Melina Mercouri, then serving as minister of culture in Greece. Mercouri believed that at the time, culture was not given the same attention as politics and economics and a project for promoting European cultures within the member states should be pursued. The European City of Culture programme was launched in the summer of 1985 with Athens being the first title-holder.
Every year, a panel of experts chosen by the European Commission, European Parliament, the Council of Europe and the European Committee of the Regions asses the candidate cities for ECoC and selects the cities to hold the title. Till now, more than 40 cities have been European Capitals of Culture (in 2020, Rijeka, Croatia and Galway, Ireland).
Since 2021, a new framework makes it possible for cities in candidate countries, potential candidates for EU membership or EFTA member states to hold the title every third year as of 2021. This will be selected through an open competition, meaning that cities from various countries may compete with each other. The decisions for 2021 and 2024 have been made, and cities of Novi Sad, Serbia (2021) and Bodø (2024) have been selected. The next year for non-EU city ECoC is 2028.
WHY SKOPJE 2028 - EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE?
Preparing a European Capital of Culture can be an opportunity for the city to generate considerable cultural, social and economic benefits and it can help foster urban regeneration, change the city's image and raise its visibility and profile on an international scale. This city programme seeks to create a clear developmental vision in which culture has a prominent place and in which economic, social, urban, social and cultural plans and goals intertwine into a new, urban, progressive philosophy. The ECoC functions as an amalgam that exists to unite and activate citizens and to restore the collective sense of belonging to the local community. The idea of an ECoC bid should be clear to all citizens and should involve all stakeholders from different sectors who can and should contribute to content creation and delivery.
The City of Skopje chooses to participate in this project because it offers the chance, through extensive bid preparation, to develop a rich and current cultural offer, to open self-examination processes and to strengthen the capacity to manage complex, ambitious cultural projects. In the process, the city will have the opportunity to emphasize its diversity, multiculturalism, transculturalism, multilingualism and European identity. Skopje will have the opportunity to unite people and their different interests, to initiate dialogue and create new positive energy. The project will focus on creating a new international image that will attract more artists, creators, cultural experts, and tourists who will improve the local economy. The EPC will affirm the city's cultural status in the wider European space, but more importantly - it will allow citizens through culture to act on collective co-existence themselves.
In 2014, the City of Skopje announced the idea of running for the ECoC title. In 2018, institutional conditions were created for the start of the bid development process. In 2019, the City Council of Skopje decided to enter the process of applying for ECoC for 2028.
SKOPJE 2028 TEAM
Project of the City of Skopje
Project holder: Public Institution Universal Hall Skopje
Team (2022-2023)
Gorjan Hristovski - Director of the University "Universal Hall"
Dr. Ivanka Apostolova - Program manager of the Skopje 2028 project/head of the bid book team
Adriana Bozhinoska – Chief Coordinator of the Skopje 2028 project,
(Department of Culture - Department of Public Activities of the City of Skopje)
Davor Buinjac (Slovenia) – Bid book editor; Consultant of the Skopje 2028 project
Dr. Filip Petkovski – Expert, cultural heritage and digital culture,
Skopje 2028
Ivona Zdravevska – Expert, marginalized groups, people with special needs,
Skopje 2028
Besfort Idrizi – Expert, cultural education,
Skopje 2028
Dragana Velkovska, Marjan Kalevski – Experts, environment,
Skopje 2028
Nasser Miftari – Expert, ethnic communities, children and youth,
Skopje 2028
Elena Boyadzieva – Expert, development of creative and cultural industries,
Skopje 2028
Aleksandar Kolekeski – Expert, European dimension and international collaborations,
Skopje 2028
Vesna Damchevska – Expert, pr and marketing strategy,
Skopje 2028
Susana Žilić-Fischer (Slovenia) – Expert, evaluation and monitoring,
Skopje 2028
Collaborator: Antonio Dimitrov (JU Cultural Information Center - KIC-Skopje),
Skopje 2028
Coordinating body
Danela Arsovska – Mayor of the City of Skopje
Zoran Gligorov - Secretary of the City of Skopje
Tanja Balać - Head of the Department for Public Activities of the City of Skopje
Robert Alagjozovski - Strategic coordinator of the Skopje 2028 project, National coordinator for interculturalism, one society, cultural development and interdepartmental cooperation in the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia
Irina Stavreva - Ministry of Culture of RSM
Collaborators (city of Skopje):Petar Gicharovski, Marija Arnaudoska, Vedat Alija, Alexandra Mihajlovska, Danche Sotiroska, Antonio Karalanov, Metin Hasanbegovic, Atina Cvetanoska, Sonja Cvetkovic-Colakova, Daniela Adamova, Aleksandra Djadzovska-Pandilovska, Maja Atanasijevic and Natasha Manevska.
Previous teammates and coordinating bodies/Skopje 2028
(2012-2021):Mayors (Koce Trajanovski (2012-2017), Petre Shilegov (2017-2021); Filip Avramchev (Director of JU Universal Hall 2018-2021); Violeta Kachakovska (Project Manager 2018-2021); Oliver Musovic (Concept Development Manager) of the project Skopje 2028 - 2018-2021); Davor Buinjac (EPK Consultant/Expert, Slovenia - 2012-2020); Sonja Stavrova (Assistant coordinator of the project Skopje 2028 - 2018-2021); Nikola Naumovski (Chief of Cabinet of the Mayor of the City Skopje 2018-2021); Antonio Pavlovski (Head of Culture Department - 2018-2021); Associates: Manja Velichkovska (2020-2021); Emil Lazarevski (2020-2021); Stefan Aleksandar Jovanovski ( 2020-2021); Vera Boškovska (Director of JU Universal Hall 2012-2017); Nada Pesheva (Department of Culture of the City of Skopje 2012 - 2017); Adriana Bozinovska (Project Coordinator JU Universal Hall, Skopje/City of Skopje 2014-2022); Ivanka Apostolova (External Project and Program Associate 2015, 2017); Team from the University of Universal Hall, the team of University of Museum of the City of Skopje, the team of University of MKC, Skopje.
DOWNLOADS
(2021; Macedonian, Albanian; PDF, 93КB)
("Texts and Presentations from the International Conference SKOPJE 2028 - European Capital of Culture Candidate City", Skopje, 2018; in Macedonian, Albanian and with English summary; PDF, 10.7MB)
Европска престолнина на културата - Можност за долгорочен развој на градовите
("European Capital of Culture - An Opportunity for Long-term Development of Cities"
2017; Macedonian; PDF, 20MB)
European Capital of Culture - An Opportunity for Long-term Development of Cities
(2017; English; PDF, 20MB)
Значењето на титулата „Европска престолнина на културата“ и нејзиниот придонес за културен и општ развој на градот / Тhe Meaning of the Title “European Capital of Culture” and Its Contribution to the Cultural and General Development of the City
(2015; Macedonian, English; PDF, 1.5MB)
TIMELINE
2022
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On December 16, 2022 the city of Skopje entered the second round for further selection for the EPK Skopje 2028 title in the category of EPK cities from EFTA/EEA countries.
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Creation of a bid book for pre-selection, under the motto CULTURE AGAINST DIVISIONS, for Skopje 2028. Download
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The new edition of the cultural event 18. Bela noč, 2022 has been realized.https://www.facebook.com/universalna.sala
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The new edition of the 5.Skopje Light Festival, 2022 has been realized. https://www.instagram.com/univerzalnasala/
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Forming a management and bid book team, hiring a consultant, for the Skopje 2028 project.
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Formation of a new coordinating body of the City of Skopje, for the Skopje 2028 project.
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Approval and preparations of the Skopje 2028 project for the pre-selection process (deadline: November 11, 2022).
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Creation of a bid book for pre-selection, under the motto CULTURE AGAINST DIVISIONS, for Skopje 2028.
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The new edition of the cultural event 18. Bela noč, 2022 has been realized.
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The new edition of the 5th Skopje Light Festival, 2022, has been realized.
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Forming a management and bid book team, hiring a consultant, for the Skopje 2028 project.
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Formation of a new coordinating body of the City of Skopje, for the Skopje 2028 project.
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Approval and preparations of the Skopje 2028 project for the pre-selection process (deadline: November 11, 2022).
2021
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Realized photo essay on AMOK Radio - an urban and modern space and an online music platform.
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Signed letter for cooperation with Trencin 2026 within the candidacy for European Capital of Culture and established cooperation. The first realized cooperation was the participation of the Slovak artist Matej Crvenan at the International Art Colony "Skopje 2021".
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The team of SKOPJE 2028 actively participated in the preparation of the Long-Term Strategy for Cultural Development of the City of Skopje for the period 2021 - 2030 which was accepted by the Council of the City of Skopje in September.
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The coordinating body "Skopje 2028 - candidate for European Capital of Culture" has been established. This body aims to assist the work of the SKOPJE 2028 team and provide support in activities related to the candidacy of the City of Skopje for EPC 2028.
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Realized sessions for capacity building, transfer of knowledge, and examples of good practices in the preparation, implementation, and evaluation of the program of European Capitals of Culture for the team of Skopje 2028, the city of Skopje, and associates from the local context led by Franco Bianchini (Italy / England) and Jonathan Goodacre (England).
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Established contacts and realized online meetings with representatives of Daugavpils 2027, Latvia and Eleusis 2023, Greece
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Realized series of cultural events (concerts, film screenings, performances of DJs) in May and June on the green roof of House of Culture "Koco Racin" in partnership with Universal Hall and YCC
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The third online newsletter of SKOPJE 2028 has been published and distributed
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Realized two volunteer actions, surveying the audience satisfaction with the cultural offer in the city related to specific cultural events: mini Earthquake #9 festival for fresh domestic music and the Festival for Cfeminist Culture and action Firstborn Girl #9.
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Realized international cooperation for knowledge transfer, good practices, and networking of SKOPJE 2028 as part of the residential session European Diploma in Cultural Project Management in Northern Macedonia, in partnership with the Marcel Hicter Foundation from Brussels and the City of Skopje.
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Presentation of the candidacy of Skopje 2028 for ECoC and the work of the team on the three-day cycle of public events titled "Creative Europe - Home" organized by the Ministry of Culture and the Office of Creative Europe - Culture.
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Realized photo essay on the Skopje urban beekeeping.
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A delegation of Skopje 2028 and the City of Skopje had a working visit to Nitra and Trencin, Slovak candidates for ECoC 2026.
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Designation of a new legal wall in the municipality of Kisela Voda with an action for drawing graffiti "Kisela Voda graffiti jam" organized in cooperation with Graffiti Shop Chrome, with the participation of 20 local artists and several street artists from Germany and Belgium.
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Designation of the first two legal walls in the city and action of drawing the legal wall on Vojvoda Vasil Chakalarov Street on the occasion of July 26, 2021, on the Day of Solidarity, a remembrance of the catastrophic earthquake in Skopje, with the participation of seven local street artists.
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Conducted research on Skopje street art and the need for legal walls. Initiated the initiative to designate legal walls in the city and conducted research on possible locations at the suggestion of street artists from the city.
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Realized photo essay for the digital library at the Skopje’s City Library "Miladinovci Brothers".
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The second online newsletter of SKOPJE 2028 has been published and distributed.
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A photo essay about the people of Skopje and the love for pigeons has been realized.
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Realized "ECoC Talk" with the Finnish light artist Kari Kola, a world-renowned artist who has produced more than 2,000 installations, including "Wild Beauty" which opened Galway 2020.
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The first online newsletter of SKOPJE 2028 is published and distributed.
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The YouTube channel of SKOPJE 2028 is launched. The cannel will present videos from SKOPJE 2028 own production. Starting with three video interviews from the “ECoC Talks” serial whose purpose is to exchange knowledge and to share good practices for the ECoC candidature of other city candidates and title carriers. Our interviewees were: Vuk Radulovic, Manager of the Sector for International Collaboration of the “Novi Sad 2021 - ECoC” Foundation, Irena Kregar Šegota, Executive Director of Rijeka 2020 ECoC and Simona L. Neumann, Executive Director of the Timișoara ECoC 2023 Association;
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А photo-story about Skopje’s graffiti art and murals on SKOPJE 2028 social media.
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SKOPJE 2028 gives its contribution to the development of the Youth Strategy of the City of Skopje for 2021 - 2025.
2020
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Thematic surveys of the cultural workers and other experts on themes relevant to the Skopje 2028 bid took place with aim to collect ideas, to gain insight into various problems and to gather suggestions in various fields.
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First meeting with the Skopje 2028 volunteers.
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A survey of resources and capacities of the cultural institutions in the city of Skopje.
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Members of the SK2028 team took part in the organization of activities of the project of the City of Skopje "Culture in Time of Corona", that aimed to support artists who were left without regular revenue due to the restrictive measures in the fight against the virus.
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Workshop on the next steps of the Skopje 2028 candidacy with Davor Buinjac.
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Skopje delegation at the opening of Rijeka 2020 European Capital of Culture.
2019
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'Skopje 2028' at a ECoC presentation and networking event organized by Japan-EU Fest in Berlin.
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Working visit to Plovdiv 2019 ECoC.
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Workshop for developing the methodology of conceptualizing ECoC, setting organizational structure, and planning further activities with Davor Buinjac.
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First online questionnaire for introducing the idea of ECoC and gathering information on the cultural needs in the city from the general public.
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Website and social media accounts of Skopje 2028 are established.
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Publication "Texts and Presentations from the International Conference SKOPJE 2028 - European Capital of Culture Candidate City"
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Skopje City Council unanimously decided to bid for the 2028 European Capital of Culture title.
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Skopje delegation at the opening of Plovdiv 2029 ECoC.
2018
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International Conference SKOPJE 2028 - European Capital of Culture Candidate City held in Skopje.
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Work team consisting of independent experts from the field of culture and sustainable development formed.
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Skopje Mayor supports the idea of the city's candidacy for the 2028 ECoC title.
2017
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'European Capital of Culture - An Opportunity for Long-term Development of Cities' brochure published.
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'European Capital of Culture - An Opportunity for Long-term Development of Cities' workshop with Davor Buinjac.
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Presentation of programme selection from San Sebastian 2016, Pilsen 2015 and Mons 2015 in Skopje.
2016
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'Skopje on the Road to Becoming European Capital of Culture' brochure published.
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'Skopje on the Road to Becoming European Capital of Culture' workshop with Davor Buinjac.
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Working visit to San Sebastian 2016 ECoC
2015
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The textbook from the international workshop “The meaning of the title European Capital of Culture and its contribution for cultural and general development of the city" has been published.
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International workshop was held in Skopje on the topic of “The meaning of the title European Capital of Culture and its contribution for cultural and general development of the city".
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The Council of the City of Skopje voted in favor of a decision to create an Initiative board for the European Capital of Culture candidacy.
2014
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The Council of the City of Skopje undertook actions for the needed activities in order for Skopje to be nominated for the title European capital of culture.
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The City of Skopje announced the pursuit of a candidacy for the title European Capital of Culture, as part of the commitments for European integration of the country.