Cáceres 2031 was introduced to the tool during a Culture Next conference held last May in Larnaca (Cyprus), European Capital of Culture 2030. Since then, the bid team has been working continuously with Encore, sharing information about its activities and projects and using the platform's resources to enrich its cultural proposal.

The collaboration works both ways. On the one hand, Cáceres 2031 contributes to Encore's knowledge base by sharing experiences and initiatives developed through the bid, making them part of a wider European exchange. On the other, it receives analyses and recommendations on its work and gains access to experiences from other cities that have held or are bidding for the European Capital of Culture title.

To support this process, the bid team regularly prepares reports in Spanish and English on Cáceres 2031 initiatives. These documents are uploaded to Encore, which provides feedback and analysis that are subsequently shared with the different departments involved in the bid.

Marian Rosado, a member of the Cáceres 2031 Communications team and responsible for working with Encore, explains that "this tool is helping us harness the potential of artificial intelligence to improve our work and learn from the experiences of other European cities. For months, we have been sharing our projects and receiving analyses that help us identify new opportunities. It is a good example of how technology can be genuinely useful when it serves people and culture."

A European AI network supporting knowledge sharing and public engagement

Encore offers an open platform, available at https://encore.whitelabel.ai/, where users can explore experiences, projects and conversations related to the European Capitals of Culture. Among its resources are the Tuesday's Digest weekly round-ups, which highlight initiatives and areas of work from different European cities, providing fresh insights and references for the development of cultural proposals.

Encore also has a direct application in public communication. The tool is integrated into the https://caceres2031.org/ website through the virtual assistant "Ask Cáceres 2031", which allows users to ask questions about the bid, its activities and its projects.

To keep this service up to date, the Communications team maintains a digital library containing reports in Spanish and English, news articles and links related to the bid. Encore also provides regular reports on users' enquiries, helping the team better understand their interests and continuously improve the information available.

Cáceres 2031's ongoing involvement with the tool further strengthens its engagement with Culture Next, a European network of cities connected to the European Capital of Culture initiative that promotes cooperation and the exchange of experiences.

Notably, Cáceres is the only Spanish finalist for the European Capital of Culture 2031 title actively using this tool as a participant in Culture Next's SDG Lab.

The work with Encore highlights the potential of integrating artificial intelligence into cultural management and communication. Through this tool, Cáceres 2031 contributes to shared knowledge among European cities while using technology to strengthen its bid and bring its cultural project closer to the public.