Our cameras have visited all six cities this week and met some of our viewers who have been telling us why they should win the title. You can see those reports by clicking on the link at the top right hand side of this page.

Capital of Culture: the contenders

Birmingham Bristol Cardiff Liverpool Newcastle/Gateshead Oxford

Tourism boost

The UK's last City of Culture was Glasgow in 1990. Winning the title gave the city a huge boost and its tourist reputation now rivals that of Edinburgh.

The European Union designed the Capital of Culture programme to replace the old city status. The first will be Cork in the Republic of Ireland in 2005, followed by Patras in Greece in 2006.

All six short listed cities are automatically given the title of Centres of Culture, which can help them secure European and lottery funding.

Guardian architecture critic Jonathan Glancey has followed the race for the Capital of Culture closely.

He says: "We tend to regard culture with suspicion and we lump culture and commerce together.

"As a result we concentrate on money and regeneration and although the campaign managers for the cities would deny this is what it's all about."

Tell us which city you think should win

To have your say, e-mail us at [email protected]