Become a host city

Every two years we invite European cities to develop a Bid for a future edition of Manifesta. Then, Manifesta selects a new Host City after a competitive bidding process, four to six years in advance of the edition taking place. The bidding process is open to any European city, region, island or multiple-city candidate. Our bidding process enables extensive dialogue and knowledge exchange between Manifesta and the potential Host City. This explores the cultural and urban needs of the city, as well as the willingness of the local cultural producers to pro-actively invite Manifesta.

In the bidding process, we emphasise the importance of embedding the biennial within a challenging political, social or environmental context to ensure the project strengthens the social-cultural ecology of the Host City and leaves a sustainable legacy. We visit the candidate cities and invite them to create a Bid Book with a proposed thematic approach and relevant economic factors. The successful candidate to host Manifesta is selected by the board of Manifesta Foundation and its Director based on an evaluation of social, political and geographical aspects, financial considerations, infrastructure, institutional stability, local expertise and, of course, the general artistic and intellectual context.

For further information about how to host Manifesta and to express your interest, please contact us directly at [email protected].