Info Day: “2015 European Capital of Culture”

Detailed insight

Introduction

- The European of Culture event: one of the most visible cultural events in Europe; substantial in scale and scope.

- High artistic and cultural quality requirements

- Benefits and/or risks (financial deficit, criticisms).

- To guarantee its success: information (concept, process), planning in advance, time, money.

Benefits and risks

- Benefits : image, regeneration, urban developement, social cohesion, employment, tourism :

-The number of visitors to the ECOC increases during the year (+12% related to the previous years) and one year after.

- Risks : debts, criticisms, disappointments

I/ What is a European Capital of Culture?

• A unique concept:- Title awarded to one city in 2 Member States for one

year: Belgium and Czech Republic in 2015,- Not for what it is or has (different from World Heritage):

for what it does during the year;- A programme devised especially for the year;

• Decision 1622/2006/EC => criteria (art 4): European dimension, City and citizens

Evaluation of proposals based on criteria: 1 /European Dimension

● 2 aspects- The themes: role/ links of the city in Europe, European

identity, participation in European Cultural life;- The way to implement: cooperation, trans borders projects

● Overhall integration into the European cultural actions (promoting /participating in the European cultural policy)

● Exemples in the Guide for cities applying for the title

Evaluation of proposals based on criteria: 2/ City and citizens

• 2 aspects- Attractivity at European scale and participation of

people

- Sustainability/ long term cultural and social development of the city

II/ The designation and monitoring process: from 2008 to 2015

● Competition in Belgium: - proposals assessed by an international panel

(13=7+6 members) against the criteria, - 2 stages: pre selection and final selection.● Road map:- 2008: call for submission of applications in Czech

Republic ; deadline to apply: - Late 2009 : pre selection panel’s meeting => list of pre

selected cities - Autumn 2010: final selection panel’s meeting => one

recommended city- 2011: Designation by the EU Council of Ministers

How to apply?

• Reply to the call for submissions of applications filling in the « Proposed Application for the title » (in EN and CZ): overview of the programme

• Completed by a file for further details

• The pre selected cities will have to provide the same documents to complete/ go further

Monitoring

• After designation, 2 meetings with a panel of 7 international experts (in 2012 and 2014)

• 3 objectives : assessing the progress/giving guidance/checking compliance with the commitments

• A prize « in honour of Melina Mercouri » (1.5 million euros?) to reward the quality of the preparation.

III/ Keys to success: concept

- Devising clear objectives and concept for the event on the basis of the criteria (european dimension etc) and the specificities of the city

- A forward looking programme- An attractive programme at european scale- a sustainable project for the city (thinking together

urban and cultural problems)- Consulting and associating cultural operators and

the socio economic world from the beginning

Keys to success: Implementation

- Public commitment to the programme and the budget must be firm and constant : public funds are the most important source (77%, State included) but private sponsoring plays a great role (13%)

- Seeking for sponsorship well in advance

- Independence from the political authorities of the artistic director

- A clear and strong communication strategy

Keys to success: information and best practices

• For more information, use: - the Guide: Guide for the cities applying for the ECOC title,- Web site: http://ec.europa.eu/culture/eac/ecocs/cap_en.html- the study: European Cities and Capitals of Culture par

Palmer/RAE Associates, 2004- Info day in Brussels on 5 May- Contacting the previous Capitals