The city of Palermo has been named the ?Italian Capital of Culture? for 2018 by Italy?s Ministry of Culture, following the city?s selection of host for ?Manifesta 12?, the European Biennial of Contemporary Art, this past November. With the decision, Palermo will receive a million euro award for promotion and public investment, which will likely result in a surge of tourism in the next year.

Palermo. Image © Flickr user madeva71. Licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0

The city of Palermo has been named the ?Italian Capital of Culture? for 2018 by Italy?s Ministry of Culture, following the city?s selection of host for ?Manifesta 12?, the European Biennial of Contemporary Art, this past November. With the decision, Palermo will receive a million euro award for promotion and public investment, which will likely result in a surge of tourism in the next year.Home to a wealth of historical and cultural sites, Palermo was selected from a shortlist of eleven cities including: Alghero, Aquileia, Comacchio, Ercolano, Montebelluna, Recanati, Settimo Torinese, Trento, and a joint Elima-Erice bid.?We saw that this virtuous competition creates a system of communal participation,? said Culture Minister Dario Franceschini, ?Being on the shortlist is a bit like receiving an Oscar nomination: it allows them to do a lot of work, in terms of planning and promotions.?The European Biennial of Contemporary Art, Manifesta 12, will be led by ?Creative Mediators? OMA, who will investigate the rol...