Cork has come out on top of a list of 168 cities to be named the most culturally vibrant in Europe.
The special European Report also included Dublin and Galway in its list. According to Hot Press, Cork beat off competition from the likes of Paris, Florence, Lisbon and Copenhagen for the prestigious honour.
The Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys TD said:
“This is a wonderful endorsement of the cultural vibrancy of Cork, Dublin and Galway, and indeed these findings tap into what we are trying to achieve with the Creative Ireland programme.
“The Report highlights the fact that successful European cities have found ways of using the potential of culture and creativity to drive development, innovation and job creation and improve the quality of life for citizens.
“It also proves that the size of a city doesn’t determine its performance in culture and creativity. Indeed, Cork is punching seriously above its weight, scoring top of the list for Cultural Vibrancy ahead of larger cities such as Paris, Copenhagen and Lisbon.
“Engagement in culture and creativity drives personal and societal wellbeing, and this report shows that Ireland has an extremely vibrant cultural ecosystem on which we will build through the delivery of the Creative Ireland programme.”
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