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Research mapping / Annotated bibliography

Identifying research work (existing and ongoing), evaluation reports, books, articles, viewpoints, publications, etc.; discussing the catalysing effect of European Capitals of Culture (ECOC) on a local and regional level, for small- and medium-size cultural organisations and operators.

Focus: How ECOC contribute to local and regional cultural capacity (people not just buildings); What has been (and still exists afterwards) the connection between local arts and cultural activities and diverse audiences; How ECOC contributed to improving cultural cooperation between local communities across Europe.

Search criteria: Documents produced by former and current ECOC; Publications and online resources of European cultural networks; Documents and publications of the European Commission; Government documents – national and regional level; Country specific documents and publications; Academic publications (by universities, training centres, research institutes in Europe); Events of European networks, associations, government bodies.

Research methods: Internet searches – general search engines, online library catalogues, specific websites related to the topic; Short inquiry, distributed via email among 30 targeted experts, researchers and ECOC managers.

Search keywords used: European capitals of culture; ECOC and local development; Capitals of culture building regional capacities; ECOC and community development; ECOC impact on local communities; Evaluation of ECOC; ECOC and cultural cooperation; Capitals of culture: reports; Capitals of culture: impact; Capitals of culture: long-term effects.

Annotated bibliography

Many of the following publications are included in the LabforCulture database.The annotations of the resources marked with “*” are extracted from: European Cultural Capital Report (2007). Robert Palmer and Greg Richards. Arnhem, Atlas. With sincere thanks to Greg Richards for providing this information.

Books, research work, project reports

  • Bekemans, L. (Ed.) (1994) Culture. Building Stone for Europe 2002: Reflections and Perspectives. Brussels, European Interuniversity Press.
  • Cogliandro, G. L. (2001) European Cities of Culture for the Year 2000. A wealth of urban cultures for celebrating the turn of the century. Final Report, Association of the European Cities of Culture of the Year 2000, AECC/AVEC and G.L.Cogliandro.
  • Deventer, K. (2004) Die EU und die Kulturhauptstadt Europas. Ein kulturpolitisches Gemeinschaftsprogramm zwischen Anspruch und Wirklichkeit. Opleiding Europese Studies, Universiteit van Amsterdam.
  • Directorate General – Internal Policies, Committee on Culture and Education (2005) Report on the Culture and Education Committee Delegation to Cork (13-15 July 2005).
  • Fridberg, T. and Koch-Nielsen, I. (1997) Cultural Capital of Europe, Copenhagen 96. Konsekvensanalyse af Kulturby 96. Copenhagen: Danish National Institute of Social Research.
  • Genova 2004 srl. (2003) Genova 04-Capitale europea della Cultura, Genova. (In Italian).
  • Gold, J.R. and Gold, M.M. (2005) Cities of Culture: Staging international festivals and the urban agenda, 1851-2000. Aldershot: Ashgate.
  • Impacts 08 – European Capital of Culture Research Programme (2008) Research Initiative. University of Liverpool and Liverpool John Moores University: http://www.liv.ac.uk/impacts08/index.htm
  • Kearns, G. and Philo, C. (Eds). (1993) Selling Places: The City as Cultural Capital, Past and Present. Oxford: Pergamon Press.
  • Labrianidis, L. (2001) European Culture Capital: Thessaloniki 1997. Social Science Tribune, 31: pp. 65–98 (in Greek).
  • Labrianidis, L. and Deffner, A. (2000) European Cities of Culture: impacts in economy, culture and theory, in: Delladetsimas, P., Hastaoglou, V., Hatzimihalis, C., Mantouvalou, M. and Vaiou, D. (Eds) Towards a Radical Cultural Agenda for European Cities and Regions. Thessaloniki: Kyriakidis, pp. 23–58.
  • Labrianidis, L., Ioannou, D., Katsikas, I. and Kalogeressis, T. (1998) Ex post Evaluation of the Anticipated Economic Implications from European City of Culture Thessaloniki 1997, Financed by European City of Culture Thessaloniki ’97 (in Greek).
  • Labrianidis, L., Ioannou, D., Katsikas, I. and Deffner, A. (1996) Evaluation of the Anticipated Economic Implications from European City of Culture Thessaloniki 1997, Financed by European City of Culture Thessaloniki ’97 (in Greek).
  • Luxembourg and Greater Region, European Capital of Culture 2007. Final Evaluation Report. (2008).
  • Moloney, R. (2006) An Economic Assessment of the Contribution of Tourism to Cork City and its Hinterland 2005. Cork City Council.
  • Myerscough, J. (1994) European Cities of Culture and Cultural Months. Final Report. Glasgow: The Network of Cultural Cities of Europe.
  • Myerscough, J. (1992) Measuring the impact of the arts: the Glasgow 1990 experience, Journal of the Market Research Society , No. 31: pp. 323–335.
  • Myerscough, J. (1991) Monitoring Glasgow. Glasgow: Glasgow City Council.
  • O’Connor, J. and Wynne, D. (1993) From the Margins to the Centre. Institute for Popular Culture, Manchester.
  • Palmer, R. and Richards, G. (2007) European Cultural Capital Report. Arnhem, Atlas: http://www.atlas-webshop.org/epages/61492534.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/61492534/Products/ATL_00048
  • Palmer, R. (2004) European Cities and Capitals of Culture: Part I. Study Prepared for the European Commission. Brussels: Palmer-Rae Associates.
  • Palmer, R. (2004) European Cities and Capitals of Culture: City Reports - Part II. Study Prepared for the European Commission. Brussels. Palmer-Rae Associates.
  • Quinn, B. and O’Halloran, E. (2006) Cork 2005. An Analysis of Emerging Cultural Legacies. Research Paper.
  • Richards, G. and Rotariu, L. (2008) Sibiu European Capital of Culture 2007, ATLAS, http://www.atlas-webshop.org/epages/61492534.sf
  • Richards, G., Hitters, E. and Fernandes, C. (2002) Rotterdam and Porto, Cultural Capitals 2001: Visitor Research. Arnhem: ATLAS.
  • Rotariu, I. (2007) An Outline on How to Boost the Communication of a Tourist Destination by the European Cultural Capital Program. Sibiu: Alma Mater.
  • Sassatelli, Monica (2008). The Europe and Cultural Space in the European Cities of Culture. In: European Societies, 20 (2). Pp. 225-245
  • Scott, A.J. (2000) The Cultural Economy of Cities: Essays on the Geography of Image Producing Industries. London: Sage.
  • World Tourism Organisation and European Travel Commission (2005) City Tourism and Culture, the European Experience. Brussels: http://www.etc-corporate.org/resources/uploads/ETC_CityTourism&Culture_LR.pdf
  • Zakarias, G., Gretzmacher, N., Gruber, M., Kurzmann, R., Steiner, M., Streicher, G. (2002) An Analysis of the Economic Impacts. Arts and Economics – Graz 2003 Cultural Capital of Europe. Commissioned by Graz 2003.
  • Zukin, S. (1996) The Culture of Cities. Blackwell, Oxford.

Official documents

  • European Commission (1985) Resolution of the Ministers Responsible for Cultural Affairs Concerning the Annual Event ‘European City of Culture’. Doc. 7081/84, 4th June, EC, Brussels.
  • European Commission (1988) Inventory of Cultural Tourism Resources in the Member States and Assessment of Methods Used to Promote Them. DGVII, EC, Brussels.
  • European Commission (1998) Culture, the Cultural Industries and Employment. Commission staff working paper, SEC (98) 837, EC, Brussels.
  • Independent Advisory Panel for the UK nomination for European Capital of Culture 2008, Report on the short-listed applications for the UK nomination for European Capital of Culture 2008 (2003) Department for Culture Media and Sport, UK
  • Report on the Nominations from Luxembourg and Romania for the European Capital of Culture 2007, issued by the Selection Panel for the European Capital of Culture 2007 (2004): http://ec.europa.eu/culture/pdf/doc670_en.pdf

Articles, papers, viewpoints, blogs

Virtual libraries and websites

Special thanks also to: Kathrin Deventer, Jordi Pascual, Lia Ghilardi, Liz Melany, Priska Pschaid, Dr.Grabensberger, Dea Vidovic and Cristina Farinha for their professional contribution and help during the process of resource mapping.


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