- The bid is working with the European Capital of Culture 2030 and the German city, which bid for the title in 2025, on a European project supported by €60,000 in funding
- Carlos Gago has attended a working meeting in Hildesheim, where he also explored new opportunities for collaboration with the team responsible for the legacy of the city’s cultural bid
Cáceres’ bid to become European Capital of Culture 2031 is working alongside Leuven (Belgium), European Capital of Culture 2030, and Hildesheim (Germany), which bid for the title in 2025, to develop Erasmus 65+, a project aimed at giving people over the age of 65 the opportunity to take part in an international exchange experience inspired by the Erasmus programme, which many of them were unable to access when they were younger.
The initiative has received €60,000 in European funding through Erasmus+, under the Small-scale Partnerships in Adult Education scheme. It is coordinated by Kunst Leuven/LOV2030 in Belgium, with VHS Hildesheim and Cáceres 2031 as project partners.
Cáceres 2031’s Head of Cultural and Artistic Programming, Carlos Gago, attended a working meeting in Hildesheim from 13 to 15 October, where the three partner organisations began designing the mobility activities and exchange experiences that will take place between Spain, Belgium and Germany.
The meeting marked the launch of the project’s pilot phase and provided an opportunity to make progress on defining the profile and number of participants, local and international activities, support methodologies and the exchange schedule.
Three cities connected through European culture
The partnership brings together three cities with strong links to the European Capitals of Culture programme and shared interests in citizen participation, international cooperation and the role of culture in transforming communities and territories.
Leuven is preparing to become European Capital of Culture in 2030, while Hildesheim, which unsuccessfully bid for the 2025 title, has continued to develop cultural initiatives building on the legacy of its candidacy.
During his visit, Gago also met with the team responsible for Hildesheim’s cultural legacy to learn from their experience and explore potential avenues for collaboration with Cáceres 2031. The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange knowledge on how to sustain projects and cooperation networks developed during a European Capital of Culture bid, regardless of the outcome of the selection process.
The experiences of both cities also offer valuable learning opportunities for Cáceres 2031, which is working to ensure that its candidacy generates new initiatives and lasting European partnerships.
Una experiencia Erasmus a cualquier edad
Erasmus 65+ aims to promote active European citizenship and cultural participation among older people, particularly those who face greater barriers to accessing international experiences.
To achieve this, the project will develop inclusive methodologies, intergenerational learning activities and exchanges between participants from the three countries, using culture as a means of encouraging the sharing of experiences and mutual understanding.
Cáceres 2031’s involvement reflects the principles of Transcultura, the bid’s methodology, which seeks to make culture accessible to all citizens and build connections between people, generations and territories.
Through this project, Cáceres 2031 continues to strengthen its European partnerships and promote initiatives that create new opportunities for citizens while helping to build a lasting cultural legacy even before 2031.
