Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin, Minister of Culture, announces this Thursday, February 3, 2022 the opening of the call for applications for the designation of the second French Capital of Culture, labeled for the duration of 2024.
Distinguishing every two years the cultural project of a municipality or a group of municipalities of 20,000 to 200,000 inhabitants, the label “French Capital of Culture” is awarded after a selection that has two stages: a pre-selection of a maximum of 10 applications by an independent jury from the cultural and event sector, after the opinion of the Regional Cultural Affairs Directorates (DRAC) and the Overseas Cultural Affairs Directorates (DAC), then the selection of the «capital» winner by the jury according to eight criteria:
- The innovative nature of the project;
- Artistic and cultural transmission;
- The participation of the inhabitants;
- Outreach and international cooperation;
- accessibility to persons with disabilities;
- Territorial solidarity;
- Capacity for implementation;
- Registration in the long term.
The first edition of the call for applications was a great success and demonstrated the dynamism and richness of the cultural life of our territories. The first to receive this distinction in 2022 and selected from 29 cities, Villeurbanne organizes more than 800 original events throughout the year, and brings together all its inhabitants around the project "Place aux jeunes!" whose programming involves all disciplines and all artistic forms.
The Minister of Culture will designate in December 2022 the commune or the group labeled «French capital of culture» for the year 2024. Municipalities or groups of municipalities are invited to apply before 14 May 2022 on the dedicated website: www.capitale-culture.fr.
The label “French Capital of Culture” is a device managed by the Ministry of Culture and implemented by the Réunion des musées nationaux-Grand Palais (Rmn-GP).