Since 1961 Europa Cantat (since 2011 European Choral Association - Europa Cantat) has been organising the EUROPA CANTAT festival every 3 years in another European country.
Pécs was chosen to host the EUROPA CANTAT X. Festival in 1988, behind the Iron Courtain, for the first time in history. The "legendary 10th" is still in the minds of those 3672 people who took part, as well as in the collective memories of the Pécs inhabitants.

After the success of Pécs Cantat 2010 the city of Pécs candidates to organize the EUROPA CANTAT XIX. in 2015. The candidation process started already in January 2011 and is managed by the organizer of Pécs Cantat, the Pécs Cultural Centre in close cooperation with the Cultural Commission of the City Hall of Pécs, the Eastern - Central Centre of Europa Cantat and the KÓTA- Association of Hungarian Choirs and Orchestras. An important step in the candidation process was the offical visit of the Board of ECA-EC to Pécs between 24-26th October 2011. The 6 members of the Board visited the possible festival venues in the city, such as the new Kodály Centre, the bulidings of the Zsolnay Cultural Quarter, the renovated hostel possibilities and the historic city centre.

Pécs is one of the three candidate cities for the 2015 festival next to Graz (Austria) and Orebro (Sweden). The decision will be made in March 2012 and will be officially published during the EUROPA CANTAT 2012 Torino Festival.