Do European Capitals of Culture Influence Attitudes Towards and Identification with the European Union?

Abstract The European Capitals of Culture (ECoC) programme, a cornerstone of EU Cultural Policy, is designed to foster a sense of Europeanness amongst citizens and is described as a legitimizing tool for the EU. Although ECoCs cumulatively form the largest cultural event in Europe, their effectiveness in achieving these goals remains understudied. I contribute the first assessment of the effect of ECoCs on attitudes towards and identification with the EU by comparing ECoC regions before and after the event to non‐winning competitors. Results from difference‐in‐differences regression on Eurobarometer data show that positive effects of ECoCs on attitudes towards and identification with the EU are limited both spatially to the hosting region and temporally to the immediate aftermath of the event. Thus, ECoCs are a tool to bring the EU closer to its citizens, but their effects could be amplified further by strengthening the European dimension of the events.