Every year since 1985, the cultural grand poobahs of the European Union have designated one to three of the continent's cities as Capitals of Culture, focusing not only on their own cultural offerings but also allowing them to organize a series of wider cultural events (many with a strong pan-European dimension) - which bring in considerable additional revenue; foster urban renewal; and raise their international profiles and images. Since the first was Athens (then Greek minister of culture Melina Mercouri was a driving force behind the program) most of the better-known cities have already had their years in the sun, and recent ECoCs have been more "under the radar." That's certainly true of this year's dup. Here's a quick look:
On the country´s northwestern coast where the Oulujoki River meets the Baltic Sea´s Gulf of Bothnia, a six-hour drive and one-hour flight from Helsinki, this city of around 210,000 (lower image at top, and pronounced "OO-loo") is set in a beautiful landscape of coastal forests and a smattering of small islands. Founded in 1605 by King Charles IX of Sweden, Oulu began as a trading post and important tar-export hub. Over the centuries it grew from a maritime town into a modern city, today known for its strong technology sector alongside a lively student population that brings youthful energy to everyday life.
The architecture here is a mix of 19th-century neoclassical and modern, with major landmarks including the also neoclassical Oulu Cathedral, rebuilt in 1816, and the waterfront Market Square (Kauppatori), where historic red storehouses line the harbor, visitors can check out the colorful doings at the 125-year-old Oulu Saluhalli covered market, and the Toripolliisi statue is an unofficial symbol of the city. The main pedestrian street is Rotuaari, with a mix of shops, cafes, restaurants and public squares, making it a lively meeting place for both citizens and visitors.
Speaking of visitors, for them Nallikari Beach is a highlight, offering sandy shores, seaside walking paths, and even winter sea swimming. Many also take day trips to Hailuoto Island, known for its dunes, birdlife, and quiet villages. There´s a bit of history here, too. In Linnansaari Park, located near the city center, traces of the 17th-century Oulu Castle can be seen in the island’s landform and buildings. Only a former chancellery cellar and a piece of rampart remains of the castle which was built in the 1600s today. On top of the cellar stands a handsome observation tower of a maritime school built in 1875, today housing the Tähtitorni Café.
Just as important is the vibrancy of Oulu’s cultural scene. The city is home to institutions such as the Oulu Museum of Art and the Tietomaa Science Centre, which blend art, design, and interactive exhibitions. The Northern Ostrobothnia Museum, meanwhile, showcases the culture and history of the surrounding region. There are also several notable festivals. Oulu is known internationally for hosting the tongue-in-cheek Air Guitar World Championships in late August, and the Oulu Music Video Festival, also in late August, celebrates music and visual culture. Together with galleries, live music venues, and seasonal events, these festivals give Oulu a creative, youthful atmosphere that surprises many first-time visitors.
Oulu 2026
And it´s that heritage and talent Oulu is now drawing upon in its year in the Cultural Capitals spotlight, with the overarching theme “Cultural Climate Change” leveraging culture as a force for creativity, community, sustainability and regional vitality. The program brings together hundreds of cultural creators from Oulu as well as across Finland and Europe to present a diverse mix of art, performance, music, food culture and public experiences linking Arctic nature, innovation and heritage. Thousands of exhibitions, concerts, and other events will take place across the city as well as 39 nearby partner municipalities. Examples include expect regional flavors at Arctic Food Lab; the Climate Clock, a citywide public art trail highlighting environmental themes; and June’s Solstice Festival. And yes, that quirky air guitar competition is of course part of the lineup as well.
Nestled in the scenic Váh River valley in western Slovakia near the Czech border, this charming midsize city (pop. around 55,000, its name pronounced "TREN-cheen") can be reached by car from Bratislava in about an hour and a half to two hours, depending on traffic. Its history stretches back to antiquity, with its earliest name, Laugaricio, appearing in a Roman inscription dated to 179 CE, and it became a significant medieval stronghold and grew under the influence of regional nobility, especially in the 13th and 14th centuries, and later gained status as a free royal town. Trenčín’s layout and appearance reflect its layered history. The inviting, very walkable city center features a historic Staré Miasto (Old Town) with narrow streets, elegant townhouses, and a rectangular main square (Mierové Námestie) lined with cafés, restaurants, and shops. It´s a blends of architectural styles, with Gothic and Renaissance features in churches and stairways (such as the Parish Stairway), elegant historic tenement houses around the square, and distinctive buildings like the Trenčín Synagogue (Synagóga v Trenčíne), built in 1913 in a neo-Byzantine style and now used as a cultural space. The skyline is dominated by Trenčín Castle (Trenčiansky Hrad), a vast 11th-century fortress perched atop a limestone cliff overlooking the Váh River. This iconic structure, one of Slovakia’s most impressive castles, offers panoramic views and houses exhibits on local history. Besides the castle, Mierové Square, and synagogue, other historic landmarks include the City Gate (Mestská Brána), scenic stairways linking the castle to lower town streets; and the early-16th-century Executioner’s House (Katov Dom), a stone, fortresslike affair in Gothic/Renaissance-style which indeed used to be the residence - and, um, workplace - of the town executioner/torturer; these days it less bloodily houses exhibitions on medieval crime and punishment as well as everyday urban life back in the day. The city museum has been closed for renovations since 2023, but you might want to check out the M. A. Bazovský Gallery (Galéria M. A. Bazovského), named after one of the country´s most influential 20th-century painters (1899-1968) and home to a collection of Slovak art of that century (including, of course, Bazovský´s).
Trenčín is also culturally humming, with vibrant year-round arts, theatre, and music scenes. One of its most famous annual events is the Pohoda Festival, held each July, a multi-genre, open-air music and arts festival extravaganza drawing tens of thousands of visitors with diverse performances spanning rock, electronic, folk, visual arts, theatre, and discussions.Smaller festivals, concerts and exhibitions take place across various galleries and public spaces.
Its opening weekend scheduled for February 13-16, this bold program has also adopted “Cultural Climate Change” as its theme, celebrating creativity as a catalyst for social and environmental and regional. It brings together hundreds of artists from the city, across Slovakia and throughout Europe, working in music, dance, visual art, theatre and participatory public art. Organisers expect hundreds of thousands of visitors over 2026, with cultural experiences staged in venues across the city centre, parks, historic sites and out in the region. The packed calendar includes thousands of events and activities, from performances and exhibitions to workshops and community projects. Among its multidisciplinary public art installations, experimental theater and digital arts showcases, and music and food events celebrating local and international creativity, signature events include Light Art Festival (light installations and immersive artworks) in April; June´s Splanekor 2.0 with competitions, performances, workshops and creative gatherings along the Váh River; and the Glocal Equality and Hospitality Exhibition in August, a major art and cultural exhibition curated by international artists and exploring themes of identity, inclusion, diversity and social responsibility in a European context. Trencin 2026 also involves regional partners in dozens of municipalities, bringing culture into urban and rural settings alike. It´s worth noting, by the way, given all this "woke" stuff about inclusion, diversity, and social responsibility, Trenčín 2026 is somewhat countercultural in Slovakia at the moment, which since elections last year is being governed by the nationalistic populist régime of Robert Fico. But hey, as they say, it is what it is.
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