Ancona Named Italian Capital of Culture 2028 Amid Calls for Competition Reform

Ancona has been selected as the Italian Capital of Culture for 2028 after impressing the evaluation committee with its presentation. The title, introduced on October 17, 2014, by Dario Franceschini, was first given to five cities for 2015 after Matera was designated the European Capital of Culture for 2019. In the 2014 selection, finalists included Siena, Lecce, Perugia-Assisi, Cagliari, and Ravenna. The Italian approach requires 2-3 years of preparation with a budget of 3-5 million euros, contrasting with the European model, which demands a decade of planning and a budget of 40-60 million euros. Most Italian capitals have minimal long-term effects, except for Palermo and Pesaro. Presently, nine cities with center-right mayors are in contention, prompting concerns about the selection process. In the UK, the City of Culture title is awarded every four years, attracting interest from 230 cities recently.