How do the European Capitals of Culture contribute to the European Mobility? Empirical issues and theoretical challenges of the cultural institutions renewal in cities elected ECC

International audienceThis article argues that societal transformation in post-industrial countries may be understood through the analysis of the most recent cultural changes occurring in those societies. It uses as a relevant example the case of the Marseilles-Provence 2013 ECC event and the data derived from the case study performed on that program. In this framework, the role of the European Capitals of Culture would be to bridge the cultural gaps between European cities and facilitate cultural communication across Europe. The empiric study of institutional manifestations of culture is crucial to understanding the process of change in cultural practices all over Europe. The attractiveness of a city will thus be evaluated in the future based on its ability to produce new forms of practice and urban consumption identified with European unity in diversity