The announcement followed unanimous approval by the Municipal Council of Culture, in a session that gathered 40 representatives from associations, cultural institutions, educational entities, and other sector agents, the municipality stated.

In the note released by the City Council, Gonçalo Lopes explains that the project aims to "affirm Leiria and its region as a space for encounter, creation and future, placing Culture at the centre of human, social and territorial development."

For the Councillor for Education and Culture of Leiria, Anabela Graça, Leiria's candidacy "will be as strong as the mobilisation capacity of the community that supports it."

"We count on everyone to participate in this process and to help build a collective project capable of affirming Leiria and the region as a territory of creation, participation and future," she adds. Leiria, which was eliminated from the race to become the European Capital of Culture (ECoC) 2027, now aims to "project a territory recognised for its cultural identity, creative capacity, and dynamic participation," generating "a lasting impact on the municipality and the region," while also aspiring to "project the region in a national and international context."

The city values openness and inclusivity, grounded in a vibrant cultural ecosystem and a tradition of artistic innovation.

Leiria identifies key strengths: international standing as a UNESCO Creative City of Music, rich cultural heritage, and recent acknowledgement of the Lagar Velho Shelter/Lapedo Child with the European Heritage Label, which boosts its European cultural relevance.

In parallel, “particularly favorable conditions” are identified, such as the existence of the Municipal Strategic Plan for Culture, designed for the application for the European Capital of Culture (ECoC), the “qualified network of cultural facilities”, as well as “an active and recognized associative fabric, a strong articulation between culture, education and innovation, and a proven capacity for community mobilization”.

The application for Portuguese Capital of Culture 2028 is seen as “a collective challenge and an opportunity to reinforce the cultural positioning of Leiria and the region, mobilising institutions, creators, associations and citizens around a common vision for the future”, concludes the municipality's statement.

The Portuguese Capital of Culture project was announced in December 2022 by the then Minister of Culture, Pedro Adão e Silva, who named Évora the winning city for EoC 2027.

The government at the time indicated that the three finalist cities not chosen – Aveiro, Braga and Ponta Delgada – would, in turn, be the Portuguese Capital of Culture. The first edition took place in Aveiro in 2024; the second in Braga in 2025; and this year, Ponta Delgada, a city on the island of São Miguel, was chosen. The initiative revived a project from the beginning of the century, when Coimbra and Faro were national capitals of culture in 2003 and 2005, respectively.

Promoted by the Government, this competition challenges Portuguese municipalities to present ambitious, sustainable cultural programs with a lasting impact on their territories.

The application period runs for 150 days, starting on 30 April, and the winning city will be announced on 9 December, 2026.

As in previous editions, the Portuguese Capital of Culture will receive state funding of €1 million (Ponta Delgada will receive an additional €300,000 due to its insular location).