What is the European Capital of Culture?
The European Capital of Culture is an initiative of the European Union. Each year, 2 cities receive this title. These cities are from 2 different countries of the European Union. Every 3 years, 3 cities win the title. The third city is from a country that is not part of the European Union.
For example, in 2026 there will be two European capitals of culture – Slovak Trenčín and Finnish Oulu.
How did Trenčín become the European Capital of Culture?
In order for Trenčín to become the European Capital of Culture, it had to participate in the competition for the European Capital of Culture 2026. In 2026, there will be two European Capitals of Culture – in Slovakia and one in Finland. An international jury composed of independent experts evaluated the Slovak cities separately and the Finnish cities separately.
Preparation for the final took almost two years. In Slovakia, eight Slovak cities applied for the competition – Banská Bystrica, Hlohovec, Martin, Nitra, Prešov, Trenčín, Trnava, Žilina. In order for cities to participate in the competition, they had to submit a proposal, a plan. This plan is called a bid book. He talks about what will change in the city. The cities also had to present the plan and answer questions from the jury. The jury selected Nitra, Trenčín and Žilina for the second round.
All three cities received many questions that had to be better elaborated in their plan. The jury also told them what the weaknesses of their plan were and what else they should think about. In the second round, they had several months to ensure that their plan could be implemented and to answer all questions. They then presented an improved and clearer plan to the jury. The jury also came to the cities to see. Then teams of people for each city presented the improved plan and in turn answered questions from the jury. In the final, the jury agreed that the title European Capital of Culture 2026 will be won by our city – Trenčín with the slogan Cultivating curiosity.
What does the slogan Cultivating Curiosity mean?
Cultivating curiosity” is the name and slogan of Trenčín’s application, plan, bid book. It is also the main idea that connects all projects and events.
Under the term “Cultivating curiosity” we mean developing imagination, working in groups, meeting and discussing. Cultivating curiosity also offers impulses and reasons to change what no longer serves us into something beneficial.
Curiosity helps us to be creative – to ask questions, experiment and try new things and look for solutions for a pleasant coexistence with others.
What will the title European Capital of Culture bring to Trenčín?
The title European Capital of Culture means that Trenčín in 2026 will be the center of culture in the country, and also in Europe. There will be many events and discussions about culture and art in Trenčín and the Trenčín region.
The European capital of culture changes cities for the better. They always speak volumes about local communities, histories and identities. It is a chance to show people in Europe what is happening in the city and the region. It is also a chance to show the inhabitants of the city and the region what is important in European culture.
Preparation for the degree will take four years. A lot will change in Trenčín. Buildings will be repaired, public spaces will be modified. For example, the old railway bridge will be reconstructed and the river banks will be improved. This will create a new interesting space for culture. The gallery, library, County House will also be renovated, a container theater will be built, etc.
Events will start gradually. The year 2026 will be culturally very rich in the Trenčín region – exhibitions, concerts, discussions, events for everyone. Some of them will remain even after 2026.
But that’s not all. In order to be able to organize so many events and receive visitors from Slovakia and abroad, new job opportunities and places will be created.
In Trenčín, we will all have many opportunities to learn – to understand foreigners here, to be able to connect with artists and organizations from abroad, to expand our audiences, to know how to organize cultural events and to organize them as ecologically as possible .
What can be good for organizations to network with European partners?
All of us, through cooperation with European artists and organizations, will grow and bring something new and beneficial to Trenčín. As we learned, for example, when creating an easy-to-read version of our plan – bid book in cooperation with the organization Impact Foundation. Thanks to her, we discovered that even complex strategic documents can be written in such a way that they are really accessible to everyone.
Who will pay for all this?
The title does not mean a huge truckload of money from Europe. To build a modern European Capital of Culture 2026, all key actors will come together. The Trenčín City Council approved EUR 5.4 million for the period 2022-2027 to support the European Capital of Culture. The Regional Council approved EUR 5 million. The Ministry of Culture allocated EUR 40 million from European funds to support the investment projects of the European Capital of Culture. The activities of the European Capitals of Culture are also sponsored by companies and cities applying for funding from European and Slovak grant schemes.
How can Trenčín be the European capital of culture when it doesn't have a theater?
Even if Trenčín does not have a stone building that we would call a theater, it has many spaces for theater. In the Crew Club we have a theater hall for 600 spectators and also small halls for more intimate performances. New premises will be added – the renovated Hviezda will have two multifunctional halls for a total of 330 spectators. We are planning a capacity of 220 people in the container theater. We are also planning the construction of the Dlhé Hony Cultural Center, where there will be halls for 200, 100 and 80 people. There will be a small concert hall for 100 people in Studio Hviezdodvor.
The latest trend in Europe is not to build new large buildings for theaters. The New European Bauhaus initiative encourages the reconstruction and modernization of spaces that cities already have. If it is necessary to build, he recommends multifunctional spaces for various types of events. Previously forgotten places that can serve as stages are also beginning to be used for theater. In Trenčín, we want to use, for example, inner blocks, the Váha embankment and natural nooks and crannies.
In our plan, bid book, we write that we want culture to come closer to people. Already during the candidacy, we showed what it could look like. The Teleso dance performance took place in the city center. The dancers connected dance and architecture when they drew attention to historical monuments and newly built things in the square.
In October 2021, we again showed that culture can come to people, for example, even at the station. Pavol Seriš performed there a preview of his author’s comedy Pri kase. This will also happen in 2025-2026 as part of the New Circus project. Artists from Trenčín, Slovakia and abroad will bring theater and events outside, outside the center. Where people live and live.
Now what has happened so far?
Our city and the Trenčín self-governing region founded an independent non-profit organization Creative Institute of Trenčín. An international selection process for an executive director and an artistic director was held and a team was formed. The operation of the Creative Institute Trenčín (CIT), which will implement the European Capital of Culture project, is currently being set up. The implementation of projects is starting gradually according to the time schedule in the bid book.
What does the Creative Institute of Trenčín do?
Creative Institute Trenčín (KIT) is in charge of making sure everything goes according to plan – bid book. Most of the projects in the plan will only be coordinated by the organization, they will be implemented by organizations from Trenčín, the Trenčín region, from Slovakia or from abroad.
KIT has the task of creating good conditions so that the projects can be organized and also make sure that everything takes place in accordance with the goals and values of the Trenčín 2026 plan and the European Union.
We will gradually add more questions and answers. In the meantime, you can learn more in the Bid book – you can read it in Slovak, English in full version or easy-to-read version also in both languages.
How about the jobs, can I send you my resume?
We will publish vacancies on the website in the Pridaj sa section and inform about them on our social networks.
In the first half of 2022, an international selection process for new directors (executive and artistic) took place. The team gradually grew until the end of 2022. You can find out more about CIT’s organizational structure, composition and number of employees in the Slovak version of the Bid book at pages 85 to 88.
What is an open call?
In the Slovak translation, it is an open call for artistic or cultural projects according to specific criteria. In the field of culture, the English version is used, so we use both.
So what is it? An open call is an open call that determines specific criteria such as artistic genre, location, or topic. Unlike regular grant rounds, an open call works more like a competition and only a very limited number of applicants, often even one winner, are successful.
Open call is one of the answers to how to get involved in the Trenčín 2026 project. We have several open calls planned in the program until 2026, you can see their overview see also here.
