Liepaja awarded title of 2027 European Capital of Culture

RIGA - Liepaja has been awarded the title of a 2027 European Capital of Culture, the organizers of the competition said at a press conference on Tuesday.

In Latvia, three cities vied for the title of a 2027 European Capital of Culture in the final round of the competition: Daugavpils, Liepaja and Valmiera.

The three cities were visited by a delegation made up of representatives from Spain, Croatia, Latvia, as well as the European Commission and Latvian Culture Ministry.

The Latvian cities participating in the first round of the competition included Cesis, Daugavpils, Jelgava, Jekabpls, Jurmala, Kuldiga, Liepaja, Ogre and Valmiera. For three days, a group of independent experts selected by the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, the European Commission and the European Committee of the Regions, as well as two national experts nominated by the National Culture Council and the Culture Ministry, assessed the applications presented by Latvia's cities online.

Four cities were then shortlisted for the next and final round of competition: Daugavpils, Jurmala, Liepaja and Valmiera. Jurmala withdrew its bid in the fall of 2021.

As reported, the European City of Culture program was launched in the summer of 1985 with Athens being the first title-holder. In 1999, the program was renamed European Capital of Culture. In 2027, the European Capital of Culture will be hosted by two European Union member countries, Latvia and Portugal.

The Latvian capital Riga was chosen a European Capital of Culture in 2014.