The rhetoric of participation in the governance of culture: the case of European Capital of Culture

The recent pandemic has confirmed, once and for all, the importance of artistic expression and cultural engagement for citizens. The social confinement due to Covid-19 has generally highlighted that culture is of utmost importance for citizens’ well-being. Social engagement and participation can be fostered through physical spaces but also through digital platforms. Nevertheless, several studies have shown that participation often remains in the wording of the official documents and it does not translate into actual citizen engagement. By focusing on the European Capital of Culture programme, which has become widely recognized as one of the most prominent EU cultural initiatives, we offer a thorough analysis of the participatory practices and of the challenges to participation that unfolds over the development of the ECoC projects. Adopting a Systematic Literature Review, we discuss the variety of participatory practices in real cases of ECoC. We show how in many cases selective practices are hidden under the veil of inclusivity, and we explore how cultural citizenship could be assessed. These results are valuable both from a theoretical and a practical perspective.