George Square in the Scottish city, which the men's and women's road race cycling events will pass through, will be at the heart of the activities.

The city centre will serve as a "creative hub" showcasing the very best of Scottish and Glaswegian culture, while Glasgow's Merchant City Festival is also set to be an integral part of the celebrations next year.

The city intends to work in close collaboration with 2018 European Championships co-host Berlin to highlight the creative expertise of both locations in a "ground-breaking cultural partnership".

At the same time, Glasgow is also keen to work with partner local authorities in a bid to guarantee that communities across the country are part of the celebrations.

Staged alongside the sporting competition from August 2 to 12, the programme of cultural activities aims to "capitalise on Glasgow and Scotland's international reputation for creative and artistic excellence".

It will also strive to secure the cultural legacy of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games across four key themes: 2018 Year of Young People, movement, physical activity and sport, cultural collaborations with host local authorities, Berlin and Europe, and the 150th anniversary of the birth of Scottish architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

The cultural programme will include comedy, dance, music, theatre and visual arts performances.

The inaugural European Championships will see existing continental competitions in aquatics, cycling, golf, gymnastics, rowing and triathlon held in Glasgow at the same time, while athletics will take place in Berlin. 

"The Glasgow 2018 European Championships are a direct legacy of Scotland hosting the 2014 Commonwealth Games and The Ryder Cup [in 2014]," Paul Bush, VisitScotland's director of events, said.

"The cultural festival secures the legacy further and ensures Scotland continues to be recognised as a global leader in the delivery of sporting and cultural events.

"EventScotland is proud to be part of the team helping deliver the Championships that will once again show Scotland as the perfect stage for events."

Glasgow has the greatest concentration of creative industries in Scotland, with more than 5,000 people employed in the cultural sector directly and more than 25,000 employed in the arts and creative industries more widely.

"Glasgow is Scotland's sporting, creative and cultural powerhouse and we know how to celebrate in style," Bridget McConnell, chair of the Glasgow 2018 European Championships Board, said.

"During the Glasgow 2018 European Championships the city and nation will, once again, come alive with a fantastic celebration of our finest artistic talents.

"We're counting down the days until Glasgow shines once more on a global stage."

Further information on how arts organisations and local communities can become part of the cultural celebrations is due to be confirmed over the coming months.

A similar programme of activities was delivered by Glasgow during the 2014 Commonwealth Games, ensuring that non-sports fans could be part of the overall event experience.

It is claimed organisers are committed to ensuring the same is the case during Glasgow 2018. 

As part of the inaugural European Championships, around 3,000 athletes are due to compete in Scotland.

A further 1,500 athletes will compete in Germany’s capital Berlin as part of the European Athletics Championships from August 7 to 12.

It is hoped the quadrennial showpiece will elevate the status of European champions and attract a potential television audience of up to 1.03 billion across the continent, with a wider audience via digital platforms.

Attendances across Glasgow 2018 are expected to be in the region of 250,000.