The Rouen Seine Normande 2028 project, European Capital of Culture, attracted the attention of the European jury.
The Normandy Seine Valley thus enters the second sequence of the candidature for the title of European Capital of Culture, with Bourges, Clermont-Ferrand and Montpellier.
The work undertaken since 2019 and the creation of the association that is presenting the city of Rouen’s bid for the title of European Capital of Culture 2028 have borne fruit. After a diagnostic phase that made it possible to establish the territory of application at the scale of the Normandy Seine Valley, all communities were involved in a structuring project submitted to the European jury on January 2, 2023.
”This is a first victory! We built a solid project, the accuracy of which was recognized by the jury, explains Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, mayor of Rouen and President of the Rouen Normandy Metropolis. It is a convincing project, which takes into account climate and social challenges, and places culture at the heart of the answers to be provided. Now, I call on all actors, artists, citizens, businesses, associations, elected officials, communities, to join our dynamic to go for victory!”
For Rebecca Armstrong, General Delegate of Rouen Seine Normande 2028 :
“We are very pleased with this result, proof of the involvement and commitment of a team and an entire territory at the service of a unifying project. Our responsibility is now to continue the work to finish convincing the jury of the interest for Europe in designating the Normandy Seine Valley as European Capital in 2028. What we will do here will take place in exchange with the other European valleys, in a real dialogue of rivers. »
On Thursday, March 2, 2023, a delegation defended the project before a jury at the Ministry of Culture, a jury composed of 12 European cultural professionals, including two French. The delegation was composed of:
- Rebecca Armstrong, CEO – Rouen Seine Normande 2028
- Joséphine Billey, landscaper at the Urban Planning Agency – Le Havre-Seine Estuaire
- Christophe Bouillon, Mayor of Barentin and President of the Association of Small Towns of France
- Danaë Castro-Perez, In charge of youth and international initiatives at the Maison des jeunes et de la culture – Elbeuf
- Delphine Crocq, Managing Director of Rouen Normandy Tourism and Congress
- Marie Dupuis-Courtes, President of Rouen Seine Normande association 2028
- Jean-Gabriel Guyant, European dimension and interantional relationship RSN2028
- Philippe Kauffmann, Artistic advisor for RSN 2028
- Thomas Malgras, Secretary General and Community Relations for RSN 2028
- Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, Mayor of Rouen and President of the Métropole Rouen Normandie
Presentation complemented by video messages from:
- Benoit Laignel, Member of the International IPCC and Vice-President of the University of Rouen Normandy
- Catherine Morin-Desailly, Vice-President of the Normandy Region and Senator
- Edouard Philippe, Mayor of Le Havre and former Prime Minister
The day after this oral which took place at the National Heritage Institute, the jury designated Rouen among the cities that entered the second phase of the candidacy that will lead, at the end of 2023, to the designation of the city European Capital of Culture 2028.
The sequence that opens consists of preparing a detailed file for the jury, refining and enriching the project. Following this handing over of the file, after the summer of 2023, a delegation of jurors will come to Rouen to gauge on site the solidity of the candidacy. Then, after a new oral, the jury will make its final choice.
