Shaping Europeanness in the European Capitals of Culture

Abstract This article investigates how Central and Eastern European (CEE) cities construct notions of Europeanness and articulate localized European identities through their participation in the European Capital of Culture (ECOC) programme. Focusing on the 17 CEE cities awarded the ECOC title between 2007 and 2028, the article argues that these cities use the ECOC platform not only to reframe their cultural narratives but also to reconcile and strategically re-narrate their communist pasts within a European framework. Employing a post-structuralist discourse analysis, the study identifies two interrelated discursive strategies – unity and diversity – through which cities position themselves in relation to a broader European identity. The findings highlight spatial and temporal variation in how Europeanness is mobilized. This analysis contributes to debates on cultural policy, memory politics, and identity-making in contemporary Europe.