Rouen Seine Normande 2028 has submitted its bidbook in its quest for the European Capital of Culture title.
On January 2, 2023, all French cities applying to be named a European Capital of Culture must have submitted their bidbooks to the Ministry of Culture. After three years of extensive groundwork and preparation, Rouen has now done so.
The Rouen Seine Normande 2028 team travelled to Paris to submit Rouen’s bidbook in its quest for the title of European Capital of Culture. It was a hefty tome of 60 pages answering 38 targeted questions, with responses restricted by precise parameters: excess text and small print prohibited and a mandatory minimum of 10-point font.
This bid sends a message to Europe: The dialogue of Europe’s rivers can and must become more open, as the Rouen Seine Normande bid emphasizes, to embrace the challenges of climate, transitions, and harmonious living from one riverbank to another, one people to another. This dialogue must begin to allow reconciliation to develop, forging a Europe that is strong in a world in the throes of upheaval. Residents and artists will be central to this Capital dialogue.
This first stage of the bid must also present concepts that can form a programme for the Capital year, a method of implementation and governance. These many subjects have been contemplated and resolved throughout the meetings and workshops with professionals and residents of the bid territory, from Vernon-Giverny to Le Havre and Honfleur, since 2019.
The twelve members of the jury now have two months to analyse the bidbook. At the end of February, each bidding team will be represented by a delegation of no more than ten people for an oral presentation before this jury of European professionals. This oral defence entails 45 minutes of presentation followed by 45 minutes of questions and answers to provide the final convincing arguments and allow a decision to be made between the candidates.
In early March 2023, the jury will designate the three or four cities that will remain in the running. Each city will then have until October to give its bid even greater depth and breadth before hosting the jury locally and undergoing a second oral defence. Finally, at the very end of 2023, the winning city will be designated.
