Six UK connurbations are on the short list to be European Capital of Culture in 2008, the Department for Culture, Media & Sport has announced.
The 2008 European Capital of Culture will be one of:
- Birmingham
- Bristol
- Cardiff
- Liverpool
- Newcastle/Gateshead
- Oxford
Six cities from the 12-strong long list have fallen out of contention: Belfast, Bradford, Brighton and Hove, Canterbury & East Kent, Inverness & the Highlands and Norwich.
The prime minister will name the winner in the spring of 2003.
A recent opinion poll rated Birmingham’s the public’s preferred option, followed by Cardiff and Newcastle/Gateshead.
The six short-listed cities are now eligible to apply for additional European Union (EU) and Lottery funding.
The Capital of Culture programme has been introduced by the EU to replace the City of Culture scheme, which began with Athens in 1985.
Cork in Ireland will be the first capital in 2005, followed by Patras in Greece in 2006 and Luxembourg in 2008.
Each EU member country will be given a chance to host the Capital of Culture in rotation up to 2019, with 2008’s capital definitely bein in the UK.
EGi News 30/10/02
