Évora, Portugal, July 29, 2025 (Lusa) - A panel of experts from the European Commission considered that the European Capital of Culture (ECOC) Évora 2027 has made “remarkable progress”, and looks forward to a relaxed implementation schedule and the prompt completion of the remaining important tasks.
These are some of the conclusions of the panel of experts in the second monitoring report on Évora 2027, dated 22nd of this month and consulted by the Lusa news agency on Tuesday on the European Commission’s website.
“Évora 2027 has made remarkable progress since the first follow-up meeting, particularly in setting up its core team, refining the artistic programme and establishing national and international partnerships,” it noted.
The experts highlighted that the managing association of CEC Évora 2027 “demonstrated resilience and adaptability” in the way it dealt with the “initial delays caused by changes in leadership and administrative restructuring”.
‘The appointment of the executive and artistic directors, as well as the gradual implementation of essential mechanisms such as monitoring, public tenders and communications, mark important turning points,’ they stressed.
However, the panel acknowledged that it viewed “the compressed implementation schedule and the number of important tasks still pending at this stage” as matters requiring prompt attention.
Among the experts’ concerns are issues related to “recruitment, finalisation of funding, delivery of infrastructure and meaningful involvement of the community and Europe”.
“The commitment of the public authorities, including political support at the national level, provides a solid foundation, and will now translate into accelerated implementation on all fronts,” they stressed.
Noting that the Recovery and Resilience Plan has completed, is carrying out, or is financing several projects included in the bidbook, the European experts noted that others also included “still require funding and await scheduling”.
This is the case for the Multipurpose Cultural Centre and the National Centre for Contemporary Dance, they pointed out, indicating that the association’s team has identified alternatives such as the use of existing spaces, such as the Arena, or temporary venues.
The Évora 2027 Association “is also preparing contingency strategies to ensure timely progress, including ‘B lists’ of adaptable projects and portable infrastructure,” they stressed.
The panel revealed that it had questioned the timetable for contracting, given that ‘85% of projects remain in the pre-contracting phase’, with the association’s team responding that they will sign all contracts by September this year.
The full programme will be announced in September 2026, it added.
As for confirmed international partnerships, the team told the experts about collaborations with Ars Electronica (Linz, Austria), iMAL (Brussels, Belgium), the Lyon Dance Biennale (France) and other CECs, such as Liepaja (Latvia) and Tartu (Estonia).
“However, the panel of experts stressed in the report that the team could verify only some of the mentioned partnerships.”
On the financial side, the report also notes that the “municipality has not yet transferred the promised 10.5 million euros to the association, and the two entities are still discussing the transfer.”
The panel highlights the importance of involving civil society organisations in the initiative and the relevance of the ECoC legacy beyond 2027, recognising “the intense and focused efforts of the team”. “Évora 2027 is on the right track,” it added.
The Évora 2027 Association, in a statement sent to Lusa, said that “this assessment reinforces confidence in the path taken and translates into motivation to continue the work with a great sense of responsibility.”
SM/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
