Three public calls launched to build Skopje 2028 programme

The Foundation "European Capital of Culture – Skopje 2028" has published three initial public calls that will form the backbone of the official Skopje 2028 programme: one for project proposals, one to recruit domestic and international experts for advisory and programming support, and one to appoint independent evaluators to assess submissions. The foundation says the three calls also establish a professional and independent mechanism for preparing and judging the programme.

The project call is open to artists, cultural organisations, public institutions, universities, civil society groups, creative professionals, cultural operators, representatives of the creative industries and local communities from North Macedonia, EU member states and other countries eligible to participate. Parallel calls invite independent domestic and international experts to join a Register of experts for advisory and programming support and a separate Register of independent evaluators.

Project grants are split into three categories by scale and value: small projects (3,000–9,999 euros), medium projects (10,000–24,999 euros) and large projects (25,000–150,000 euros). Detailed eligibility rules, selection criteria, deadlines and application procedures for all three calls are published on the Foundation’s official website.

Draft law and public reaction

On 28 July a draft law on the implementation of the "Skopje – European Capital of Culture 2028" project was submitted to the Assembly under a shortened procedure. The proposal foresees establishing the Foundation "European Capital of Culture – Skopje 2028" and exempts spending for the project from the Public Procurement Law. The overall envelope for the project is planned at 21 million euros, of which 95 percent are earmarked from the state budget and the City of Skopje budget and 500,000 euros from European funds. The Foundation will carry out the procedures; Mayor Orce Gjorgjievski appointed former MRT director Marjan Cvetkovski as director of the Foundation.

Those moves prompted swift criticism from a coalition of civil society organisations fighting corruption and from the Anti‑Corruption Commission, which called for the draft law to be withdrawn, arguing it would open the door to misuse of public funds. Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski announced on 31 July that the draft law had been withdrawn and would instead go to a public debate. Former minister Kostadinovska‑Stojchevska also voiced strong objections, saying that the proposed legal framework risks repeating past abuses.

Commenting on the calls, Marjan Cvetkovski, director of the Foundation, said: "With the launch of these three public calls one of the most important phases in preparing 'Skopje 2028' begins. I want to invite all artists, cultural workers, organisations and institutions to submit their ideas and projects, and for domestic and international experts to offer their knowledge and experience. Our goal is to create a high‑quality and modern programme that will make room for diverse ideas, artistic expressions and partnerships, but also clear professional criteria in the selection process. That is why, alongside the call for projects, we are opening calls for experts and independent evaluators. I believe that through an open process and by involving as many people as possible we can create a programme worthy of Skopje as European Capital of Culture in 2028 and of the European significance of this title."

Photo: K. Popov)