Galway has joined 31 cities and 18 countries in the EU Cultural Network called Culture Next.
Established in 2017, Culture Next is dedicated to European Capital of Culture (ECoC) candidates, current or former, awarded or not. Culture Next works towards achieving wider European acknowledgement and recognition of culture as sustainable development and towards extending the existing European cultural cooperation frameworks. The network also contributes to the ECoC programme legacy by facilitating the implementation of more ECoC programmes in Europe.
The network focuses on capacity building, organising conferences and annual meetings, and on developing a platform for promoting member cities, as well as facilitating collaborations among them. The network also aims to become a voice in shaping European cultural policies.
Culture Next’s mission is to contribute to having more European Capital of Culture programmes implemented in European cities and regions and to define a long-term European vision on local development through culture and creativity. Building on the experiences, processes and collaborations established during the ECoC bid, they support all cities, awarded or not, to implement culture-led local development programmes and policies. They are committed to delivering a sustainable impact and meaningful legacy of the ECoC programme.
More information can be found here: https://culturenext.eu/about/
