Author: Lisa Fraisse

As part of Montpellier’s bid to become the European Capital of Culture 2028, and building on the proposals and enthusiasm generated by the first Call for Projects, the “Montpellier 2028” Association is launching a second Call for Projects with a view to enriching the creation and dissemination of art and heritage in the region.

Connect / Act / Celebrate and Water that connects us / Serial Futures / Trans, the projects should reflect the artistic directions and concepts of the bid to prefigure what 2028 could look like.

→ Download the press release of the Call for Projects 2023
→ Access the Call for Projects 2023

On Monday 17 October 2022, the presentation evening for Montpellier’s bid to become European Capital of Culture in 2028 was held at Fluctuart – a centre for urban arts.

In the presence of numerous personalities from the cultural world, Nicolas Dubourg, its Artistic Director, unveiled the three concepts: Connect / Act / Celebrate and the three artistic directions behind the bid: Water that connects us, Serial Futures, Trans?

To illustrate their richness and diversity, Christian Rizzo – choreographer and director of ICI-ICN Montpellier, Olivier Saccomano – author and co-director of the “Théâtre des 13 Vents”, Jacqueline Osty – landscape architect and Fanta Dramé – author, shared their experience and their vision through a series of interviews.

To show their full commitment, many elected representatives of the territory came to this beautiful Parisian evening… on water.

On Friday 14 October, the second General Assembly and Board of Directors meeting of the “Montpellier 2028” Association was held in Sète in the presence of all the founding members and representatives of the Montpellier 2028 Association.

During this meeting, the partner local authorities – Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole, the city of Montpellier, the city of Sète, Sète Agglopôle Méditerranée, the Occitanie region, the Hérault department, the Communauté de Communes du Grand Pic Saint-Loup, the Communauté de Communes Vallée de l’Hérault, the Agglo Hérault Méditerranée and the Communauté de Communes Pays de Lunel – once again demonstrated their full support and commitment to the Montpellier 2028 bid.

The elected Board of Directors represents the vital forces of the region: local authorities, associate members from the economic, educational and cultural sectors, and representatives of the colleges that will actively participate in the association’s activities.
A great mobilisation for Montpellier 2028

On 26 and 27 September 2022, thanks to support from Occitanie Europe, a delegation made up of Michael Delafosse and Agnès Robin for the city of Montpellier, Claire Fita representing the Occitanie region, François Commeinhes for the city of Sète and Zita Chevil-Sandin for the department of Hérault, the Montpellier 2028 team travelled to Brussels to present Montpellier’s bid for the title of European Capital of Culture 2028 to the European authorities.

On this occasion, they had the opportunity to exchange views with Nicolas Schmit, European Commissioner for Employment and Social Rights, Jean Paul Buffat, Head of Cabinet, European Committee of the Regions, as well as Pauline Rouch, Head of Cabinet for Commissioner Mariya Gabriel, Éric Andrieu, Member of the European Parliament and Cyril Piquemal, Deputy Permanent Representative of France to the EU.