Italian
The Ministry of Culture announced today, March 18, the Capital of Culture 2028
Italy – The Selection Jury has indicated Ancona as the Italian Capital of Culture 2028. The announcement was made today, Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at the Collegio Romano by the Minister of Culture, Alessandro Giuli.
“I wish to express my congratulations to the city of Ancona for the quality of the project presented and for the achievement reached. I extend my heartfelt thanks to the Jury who, independently and sovereignly, chose the winning city. A sincere applause also goes to all the finalist cities — Forlì, Anagni, Catania, Colle di Val d’Elsa, Gravina in Puglia, Massa, Mirabella Eclano, Sarzana, and Tarquinia — who, with their participation, have provided an extraordinary testimony of cultural and project vitality“, declared Minister Giuli.
The project of Ancona convinced the Jury at the end of the selection process with the following motivation: “The dossier proposes a solid and coherent model of cultural enhancement, capable of combining territorial identity and international openness in a vision that connects cultural policies with broader dimensions of urban regeneration, social inclusion, and participation.
The program of events and interventions is solid and interdisciplinary, suitable for attracting a wide and diverse audience throughout the year. The investment strategy appears robust and consistent with the objectives, with a significant expected impact on the socio-economic fabric. Additionally, the integration between cultural institutions, the research system, associations, and local operators is appreciated, ensuring a structured, participatory network oriented towards growth.
Relevant is the attention to the European and Mediterranean dimension, which strengthens the international positioning of the project, as well as the active involvement of local communities and territorial entities, as well as young people, who are considered not only as users but as protagonists of creative and cultural processes. The dossier fully meets the indicators of the call, positioning itself as a model of innovative, sustainable, and shared cultural planning. The judgment is excellent. Therefore, the Commission unanimously recommends Ancona as the Italian Capital of Culture 2028.
The motivations
The Ancona Italian Capital of Culture 2028 project places culture at the center as a driver of regeneration and development. A port city and a park city, a crossroads of the Mediterranean, Ancona chooses to inhabit the present to build a sustainable, inclusive, and shared future.
The city of Ancona will receive a contribution of one million euros, intended for the implementation of the initiatives outlined in the candidacy dossier.
Since 2014, the year this initiative was established, numerous cities have seized the opportunity provided by the Ministry of Culture to enhance their artistic and cultural heritage and promote culture as a tool for economic and social growth.
The current Capital of Culture is L’Aquila, and Pordenone has already been designated for 2027.
Also for the Italian Capital of Culture 2028, the fifth edition of “Cantiere Città” is planned, the capacity building initiative that the Ministry of Culture and the National School of Heritage and Cultural Activities propose to the ten finalists to enhance and promote the projects devised by the competing cities during the candidacy phase, in order not to waste the ideas formulated, the relationships initiated, and the people involved.
