At a press conference today at the Hôtel de Région in Rouen, Hervé Morin, President of the Normandy Region, announced the Region's €12 million support for the Public Interest Group (GIP) project.
This was announced in the presence of Marie Dupuis-Courtes, President of the Rouen Seine Normande 2028 association, and Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, Mayor of Rouen and President of the Rouen Normandy Metropolitan Area. This support confirms the unity of an entire region, the Normandy Seine Valley, stretching from Vernon-Giverny to Le Havre, via Rouen, the bid’s home port. This guarantee will consolidate the budget for the Rouen Seine Normande 2028 project, alongside the other partner local authorities.
Rouen Seine Normande 2028 is in the final to become European Capital of Culture, alongside Bourges, Clermont-Ferrand and Montpellier. The final results will be announced on December 13 by an independent European jury.
The Region’s support for the Rouen Seine Normande 2028 European Capital of Culture project, totalling €12 million, breaks down as follows:
- a grant of 8 million euros to support the overall architecture of the project, its highlights and the promotion of the region’s cultural establishments, which are constantly working to promote artistic creation and the cultural rights of the people of Normandy;
- a budget of €4 million dedicated to young people and their mobility in Europe. This funding will be used primarily to facilitate the geographical mobility of young people through the creation of an exceptional “Pass Europe 2028” scheme, echoing the Region’s Pass Monde scheme, which will enable young people in Normandy to discover European cities linked to the project. This mobility scheme will be complemented by a call for projects aimed at schools to encourage educational projects involving European mobility;
Access to events is also a major issue for the Region. It is responsible for all rail and non-urban road transport, and will be formulating attractive and very low-cost fare proposals to facilitate access to events organised as part of “Rouen Seine Normande 2028” for all sections of the public, especially young people.
Finally, the values defended by this project will also guide the organisation of the Prix Liberté in Rouen in 2028.
The GIP Rouen Seine Normande 2028 will be the collective governance framework for the European Capital of Culture project, with a budget of €80 million, including €36 million from the Metropole Rouen Normandie and the City of Rouen, and a contribution from the Normandy Region.
Each local authority that is currently a member of the association and finances it will be able to join at the beginning of 2024: Ville de Rouen, Métropole Rouen Normandie, Région Normandie, Département de Seine-Maritime, Département de l’Eure, Agglomération Seine-Eure, Seine Normandie Agglomération, Communauté de Communes Lyons Andelle, Communauté de Communes du Roumois Seine, Communauté de Communes Caux-Austreberthe, Caux-Seine Agglomération, Le Havre Seine Métropole, Communauté de Communes Pont-Audemer Val de Risle, Communauté de Communes Honfleur-Beuzeville.
