The future of Limassol 2030 will be decided on Thursday evening as the Municipal Council meets to approve the city’s 2026 budget and determine whether the cultural capital organisation will remain in operation. The session is scheduled for 18.00 and is expected to draw significant attention, as councillors outline their position on the body created to support Limassol’s bid for European Capital of Culture 2030. Limassol reached the final stage of the competition, where Larnaca ultimately secured the title.
During a preparatory meeting on Wednesday between the Limassol Municipality and the Limassol 2030 board, several scenarios were discussed. Members of the organisation signalled willingness to assist during a transition period until the municipality decides whether the entity will continue, transform into a new cultural agency or be replaced entirely. Limassol 2030 is legally a company with the municipality as its sole shareholder. Its board, chaired by Andreas Pittas, consists of volunteers who were appointed specifically to guide the city’s candidacy.
If the council opts to maintain the organisation, its mandate and structure will need to be revised. Several European cities have taken similar steps following unsuccessful bids, shifting temporary cultural-capital teams into permanent cultural development bodies.
A central question for councillors today is whether the 2026 municipal budget will allocate funds to Limassol 2030. Mayor Nicos Nicolaides has proposed retaining €400,000. Had Limassol won the title, the municipality had planned to reserve €800,000.
However, a number of councillors, including the deputy mayor of Mesa Geitonia, Marios Protopapas, favour closing the organisation. They argue that the effort “failed” and raise concerns about transparency in relation to the funds spent so far. This view is contested. According to information available to Politis, Limassol and Larnaca received very close scores from the evaluation panel, whose report will be published in January. There is also reported irritation within the organisation over public comments by Mr Protopapas that imply mismanagement.
At present, Limassol 2030’s operating costs, including staff salaries, amount to roughly €150,000. Any remaining funding would be used exclusively for cultural programming and for implementing components of Limassol’s cultural proposal. Since 2023, the municipality has allocated approximately €550,000 to the organisation. Those involved maintain that all spending is fully transparent.
This article was originally posted on Politis' cultural page Parathyro