The Ponta Delgada - Azores bid book is now available

The Ponta Delgada, Azores, candidacy to European Capital of Culture (ECoC) in 2027 has published its pre-selection phase bid book on its website.

 The document answers 38 questions and six evaluation criteria: Contribution to the Long-term Cultural Strategy, Artistic and Cultural Programme, European Dimension, Outreach and Audience Development, Management and Capacity of Delivery.

Besides the bid book, you can also find here the jury’s pre-selection report.

This candidacy was built under the "Human Nature" motto, which explores the culture of a place made of the relationship between Nature and Culture, Geography and History, by the vibrant landscape, by the richness of the traditions and the ability to remain open to the world as an authentic living laboratory of experimentation and innovation.

The project is about a city, an island and an archipelago — several, even, because Europe is an archipelago.

It's from that vision that we've developed our program, divided into four lines, each an archipelago: of Multiplicity, of Participation, of Nature and of Europe and the World.

All archipelagos are interconnected and complementary, and tell a story of Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, the Azores and Ponta Delgada.

It's about a narrative of social, cultural and ecological sustainability, that approaches European themes and values around central questions of the Azorean present and future.

The cultural and artistic content doesn't represent the final program to be developed, should Ponta Delgada — Azores get the title of ECoC in 2027, but rather directs towards the scope of its strategic development.

The final program will be continuously defined throughout the five years of preparation of the 2027 ECoC, through a sustainable work of auscultation, invitation and openness to the spirit of the time and the state of the world.

Ponta Delgada was selected by the jury, along with Aveiro, Braga and Évora, for the final phase of the candidacy.

Each city now has the opportunity to work on and expand the bid book, answering new questions that arise from the six evaluation criteria. The final bid book must be submitted by October 21st. Afterwards, the European jury will visit the cities, and, finally, the teams will make a last presentation before this same jury in December 2022.