From 10 to 12 May, European Capital of Culture teams took part in an informal working meeting in Marseille. Representatives from the European Capitals of Culture from 2008 to 2016 used the opportunity to discuss their experiences.

Informal meetings between European Capitals of Culture take place twice a year. This time, it was Marseille-Provence 2013′s turn to play host. Next up will be Riga 2014 in autumn.

Discussion at this meeting focused on tourism, in particular the challenges and impacts for cities that have won the much-coveted title. Participants included Ann Branch, Head of Unit at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education and Culture, who presented the changes to the European Capital of Culture programme after 2019.

The meeting was also an opportunity for those present to learn more about Marseille-Provence 2013. The programme featured a visit of the waterfront area by ferry and a presentation on the GR 2013 project. This unique artistic hiking trail will pass through urban areas, including Marseille’s northern suburbs.

To coincide with the informal meeting, the European Commission’s Regional Representation organised a public conference on the theme “Marseille-Provence 2013: a comparative view of European Capitals of Culture”, where the experiences of Glasgow 1990, LInz 2009, Košice 2013 and Marseille-Provence 2013 were discussed.