The project behind Uppsala’s bid for the 2029 European Capital of Culture has placed significant emphasis on European cooperation, as evidenced by its extensive dialogue and exchange with a variety of European cities. The Between the Lines II conference, held in January 2023, focused on European exchange and how Uppsala can approach Europe in the future. Among the participants were representatives from three previous European Capitals of Culture: Umeå 2014, Rijeka 2020, and Tartu 2024. The project team has maintained extensive and in-depth communication with a wide spectrum of cultural capitals, both past, present, and future, and has kept a close dialogue with most cities vying for the title for the years 2028, 2029, and 2030. This dialogue has included cities such as Bodø, Kiruna, Umeå, Oulu, Uppsala, Tartu, Aarhus, Leeuwarden, Kolobrzeg, Kaunas, Kortrijk, Lille, Gent, Leuven, Brussels, Rouen, Bourges, Clermont-Ferrand, Lublin, Katowice, Rzeszów, Bielsko-Biała, České Budějovice, Montpellier, and Matera. An essential part of the application process has been visits to other European cities that have been or are applying to become European Capitals of Culture (ECoC). These meetings and discussions about shared challenges have expanded Uppsala’s network and opened up new opportunities for collaboration. Uppsala has learned from cities like Umeå (ECoC 2014) and its sister city Tartu (ECoC 2024).
Uppsala and Kiruna, both candidates for 2029, have also maintained continuous dialogue during the preparatory phase and have agreed on a joint cooperation agreement regardless of the competition outcomes. This strategy to create connections between Uppsala’s cultural program and other European Capitals of Culture is based on time, geopolitics, and the Swedish-Polish cooperation, with a particular focus on collaboration with Northern and Eastern Europe, as well as the Baltic region, which has become even more critical in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. By deepening this European cooperation, Uppsala aims not only to enrich its own cultural program but also to contribute to a more cohesive and dynamic cultural landscape in Europe. This ambition to engage in broad and meaningful dialogue across the continent underscores the project’s long-term goals of strengthening cultural ties and promoting intercultural understanding and cooperation.
Steering committee Uppsala municipality
City Manager: Joachim Danielsson
Deputy City Manager: Ola Hägglund
Deputy City Manager: Ingela Hagström
Chief Executive Officer, Cultural affairs, Sports and Leisure: Sten Bernhardsson
Chief Executive Officer of Urban Planning: Christian Blomberg
Chief Executive Officer of Business Development: Charlotte Skott
Chief Executive Officer of Communications: Marta Tiberg
Project and Application Team Head
Executive producer/Project Manager, City of Uppsala: Patric Kiraly
Program Development and Project Design Chris Torch & Daniel Werkmäster, Museum Director, Uppsala Art Museum
Editor-in-chief: Veronica Hejdelind
Forum 2029 Co-creative Process Management: David Ershammar & Jesper Hök
Strategic Urban and Regional Planner, City of Uppsala: Anton Bergman
Design Team, City of Uppsala: Kicki Liljeblad & Conny Pousette,
Design Agency: Kurppa Hosk
Collaborators and Advisors
Head of the Department of Culture, Region Uppsala: Annika Eklund
Culture Affairs Officer, Region Uppsala: Johannes Ehnsmyr
Regional Development Officer, Region Uppsala: Andres Metcalfe
Deputy Vice Rector of Humanities and Social Sciences: Mattias Martinson
Collaboration Manager, Innovation Partnership Office, Uppsala University: Anna Wallsten
Innovation Business Advisor, Uppsala University: Mathias Blob
Full Professor in Conservation, Uppsala University: Christer Gustafsson Business Development
Manager and Sustainability Manager, Bjerking: Fredrik Frensborg