EU offers €300,000 for cultural development strategy in Georgia’s western Zugdidi city

The western Georgian city of Zugdidi has received an European Union grant of €300,000 to prepare a five-year cultural development strategy, the EU Delegation to Georgia announced on Tuesday.

The strategy outlines three main strategic themes that position it as a city of cultural heritage innovation, a creative city of arts and crafts, and a creative city of gastronomy, in the criteria for the grant.

This is a major opportunity for the city to animate its cultural ecosystem, boost its economic development through cultural activities and increase its regional and international visibility”, Catalin Gherman, the deputy head of cooperation at the EU Delegation to Georgia said.

Photo: EU Delegation to Georgia

Zugdidi and the Black Sea port city of Poti - both located in the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region - as well as the western hub city of Kutaisi each received a €30,000 EU grant for the purpose, however Zugdidi also received additional funding after its winning of the EU4Culture project grants call, the EU Delegation explained.

Implemented in the country by the Goethe Institute - as the lead institution - as well as the Danish Culture Institute, Czech Centres and the Institut Francais in Georgia, EU4Culture was launched in May 2021 and will run through 2024.

Particularly aimed at non-capital cities, the programme has targeted 27 sites and eight municipalities, with a total budget of €40 million.