The City of Oulu has been named European Capital of Culture for 2026.
Oulu was chosen ahead of the two other shortlisted Finnish cities, Savonlinna and Tampere, by a European panel of arts and culture experts, Yle reported.
Being a European Capital of Culture can be an opportunity for a city to generate considerable cultural, social and economic benefits and it can help foster urbanisation, change the city’s image and raise its visibility and profile on an international scale.
According to Finland’s Ministry of Education and Culture, the European Capital of Culture initiative that began in 1985 is aimed at highlighting the diversity of cultures in Europe, to boost cultural exchange and to increase European citizens’ sense of belonging to a common cultural area.
Yle report states that Oulu will be Finland’s third European capital of culture, following in the footsteps of Helsinki in 2000 and Turku in 2011, and will share the accolade in 2026 with an as-yet-unnamed city from Slovakia. Two cities have been designated as capitals of culture every year since 2007.
