In 2025, Slovenia was one of two European countries to host a European Capital of Culture, alongside Germany’s Chemnitz. Nova Gorica was awarded the title, which it shared with the Italian city of Gorizia: a symbolic and powerful choice, as the entire cultural programme was built around the idea of overcoming the border that had divided the two cities for decades. An urban, physical and mental border, transformed into fertile ground for projects capable of fostering dialogue between artists, communities and creatives from both countries.

Nova Gorica and Gorizia are still all dressed up, as elegant as ever, but in a shade somewhere between green and turquoise that is still clearly visible on the branded buses, in shop windows and on information pillars.

Xcenter and Nova Gorica, European Capital of Culture 2025, have launched an international call for young artists working in the field of intermedia art. The deadline for submitting applications is 16 August 2026. Number of places available: 3. Production support: up to €800 per project Duration of the programme: from September to early December 2026.

An institutional delegation comprising representatives of the 2025 European Capitals of Culture – including the Mayor of Gorizia, Rodolfo Ziberna; the Mayor of Nova Gorica, Samo Turel; the director of ECoC projects in Chemnitz, Josephine Hage – took part in a day of meetings and institutional activities in Skopje in recent days, with the aim of sharing the results achieved and making expertise and experience available to support Skopje’s bid for the title of European Capital of Culture 2028.

GECT GO, the entity responsible for relations between Slovenia and Italy, has published the third call for proposals under the Small Projects Fund, financed by the Interreg VI-A Italy-Slovenia Program 2021-2027.