Budweis
European Capital of Culture 2028
News
Community (Un)Conference 2024
On Tuesday, November 19, the first edition of the Community (Un)Conference took place at Žižkárna. Organized as part of the Kul.turista project, the event aims to support local communities in the city and region by connecting them, strengthening their initiatives, and fostering their activities.
The CreArt network is launching two new calls!
The CreArt network, which connects artists across Europe, is offering two unique opportunities for artists from České Budějovice and other partner cities. Join the CreaVA 2025 festival in Valladolid or participate in a residency at the Frozen People festival in Oulu, Finland. Don't miss the chance to showcase your talent and contribute to prestigious international projects!
České Budějovice successfully completed the first monitoring meeting!
On November 12, 2024, a meeting of the international panel of the European Capital of Culture (ECoC) under the European Commission took place with representatives of the České Budějovice 2028 team, led by the city’s mayor, Dagmar Škodová Parmová.
ARS BIOLOGICA: Summer school 2025
ARS BIOLOGICA is an international transdisciplinary platform connecting experimental art, design, technology and science with a focus on permaculture thinking and practice. The project forms one of the main pillars of the Budweis European Capital of Culture 2028 and involves artist residencies, an independent study programme, an annual symposium and other events, culminating in the Ars Biologica festival in 2028.
Ars Biologica Summer School 2025 - Prague AVU
ARS BIOLOGICA is an international transdisciplinary platform connecting experimental art, design, technology and science with a focus on permaculture thinking and practice. The project forms one of the main pillars of the Budweis European Capital of Culture 2028 and involves artist residencies, an independent study programme, an annual symposium and other events, culminating in the Ars Biologica festival in 2028.
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Kul.turista
Who supports us
Why do I support the candidacy for ECoC 2028? To make culture work in our city. It should not be an ash heap, but it should be perceived as an integral part of the quality of our city and perhaps even as an engine of its development. And the candidacy for the ECoC 2028 is again such an engine for conceptual work on the development of culture across the public space, the city and the region. And this is a huge opportunity that we must seize.
Budweis has all the prerequisites to become a European Capital of Culture: a rich cultural heritage, a committed local government, a dynamic social and cultural structure and citizens open to the world and Europe. The Alliance Française South Bohemia and its Board of Directors fully support the candidacy of Budweis, especially since in 2028 the selected French city will also have this status of Capital of Culture, which will symbolise the Franco-Czech cooperation and friendship that we strive for on a daily basis at the local level.
Budweis lives! We are the southern gateway to Europe and a place where young people from all over the world meet to study, research, learn about the traditions and culture of our country, make friends and enjoy life.
Timeline
April 2021
Assignment of the Budějovice 2028 Association to the preparation of the candidacy
Budweis residents have always been the driving force of Budweis.
May 2021
Approval of candidacy by the City Council
The candidacy for ECoC 2028 as an opportunity for cultural transformation in the city is approved by the political representation and we get to work.
summer 2021 – summer 2022
Analytical, design and preparation phase
We involve key figures from the city and the region in the preparation of the bid. We distribute 1.5 million CZK in grants. We implement the main accompanying programme of the Kul.turista candidacy and get to know the different city districts, neighbourhoods and communities. We create space for new visions and functional cultural concepts for a 21st century city that reflect the needs of its residents.
September - October 2022
Submission of the application for Round 1 and its presentation
We're submitting the application! In the first round, we answer 26 questions on 60 pages, detailing the artistic concept of the application and demonstrating the city's capacity to host the title of European Capital of Culture 2028. The content of the application remains confidential to the public until mid-October, when all candidate cities present their candidacies to the international jury.
October 2022 - January 2023
2nd round of candidacy
On October 14, 2022, we will find out which of the candidate cities will advance to Round 2 and thus have the chance to further develop and defend their concept. In the second round, we already have something to build on. We can continue what we started and deepen our cooperation with partners in the city and region, implement concrete projects, but also travel across Europe and visit the cities that hold the title of ECoC. And we're bringing one of you with us!
June 2023
Announcement of the winners and awarding of the ECoC title
We believe that the journey to the title can also be the destination. Nevertheless, our goal is winning. Together with you.
The benefits of candidacy in numbers
These are the results the title of ECoC 2015 brought to Pilsen.
We can expect similar impact here.
580
organized events
1.2 million
million visitors
580 million
crowns spent by visitors
255.000
overnight stays
388
new jobs
1
shining city in Europe
Source: Tereza Raabová et al., Economic impacT v.o.s: European Capital of Culture
Pilsen 2015: impacts of visitor spending on the economy, 2016
Ideas and questions
Would you like to share your thoughts on how to take our culture a step further? Or are you struggling to find answers to your questions? This is the place to start.
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