Kiruna to be European Capital of Culture in 2029

Today it was announced that Kiruna will be European Capital of Culture 2029. The concept Movement. Below Ground. On Earth. In Space. impressed the jury who were on a final visit on Monday.

It was in May 2023 that the municipal council of Kiruna decided to apply to become European Capital of Culture in 2029. Kiruna went to the final together with Uppsala and today it was clear that it will be Sweden’s Arctic region that will have the honor of having a Capital of Culture in 2029.

“This is a big deal, both for the region and for the tourism industry. We have worked a lot with cultural tourism in recent years and see an increased interest among both national and international visitors. A Capital of Culture year will have a ripple effect in all our municipalities in Norrbotten. We look forward to continued strong cooperation,” says Annika Fredriksson, CEO of Swedish Lapland Visitors Board.

From Kiruna municipality, cultural strategist Sofia Lagerlöf Määttä and growth strategist Emma Jonsson have driven the intensive work on the application

“We are so grateful for all the support in terms of budget and cheers along the way. Cultural experiences are what build new memories and create the character of a place, but they don’t happen by themselves. With this award, we can begin to build an organization that will lead the cultural movement forward in the community. It’s an honor that comes with a responsibility, and this puts the focus on the power and importance of culture in community development,” says Emma Jonsson.

“A European Capital of Culture year is a major collaborative project and during the process we have seen that the more people contribute, the more we can achieve, from each unique person, associations, local actors to the municipality, region, state, EU and business. It is together that this becomes a reality!” says Sofia Lagerlöf Määttä.

The support for the Capital of Culture application has been broad. Utveckla Norrbotten/Region Norrbotten and Sparbanken Nord have been involved throughout the process and have contributed with project support. Support has also come from, among others, Norrbotten’s municipalities, the County Administrative Boards of Norrbotten and Västerbotten, the local business community, Luleå University of Technology, cultural organizations, the independent cultural sector and networks in Kiruna and Norrbotten.

The second European city to receive the 2029 designation is Lublin in Poland, which has already started its work. And now it’s full speed ahead for Kiruna too.

“Now we will start to appoint the organization, which will be an important part of the journey towards the Capital of Culture year. With the right people in the right place, we hope this will create sustainable and long-term structures to generate commitment, drive, creativity and cultural experiences in various forms for all ages throughout the municipality,” says Emma Jonsson.