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A tour through Europe: Avignon 2000

 

Avignon was one of the nine European Capitals of Culture (ECoC) in 2000. The town is located in the Provence region in southern France, on the left bank of the river Rhône, and has a population of around 92 000. Avignon has long traditions in agriculture and has become famous for its food-processing and other related industries. The fertile ground in the region has enabled Avignon to offer top-class Provençal cooking around the year. Avignon is also a popular tourist destination and its amazing architecture has been included on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Due to the increased international reputation of the Festival d’Avignon, the performing arts have increased their popularity in the town, which can be seen in the events, shows and various gatherings that take place every month.

Avignon’s ECoC programme’s theme was “Art and creativity” and the programme had three levels: the European programme, the national programme and the local programme. The European programme included cooperation with other ECoCs and there were around 50 projects that were presented in the other ECoCs and in Avignon. Furthermore, local artists presented original creations in Bergen, Helsinki, Brussels and Dozza (a town near Bologna). As a part of the national programme it was decided that an exhibition called “Beauty” would take place in Avignon. This exhibition was a catalogue of beauty of the 20th century and included works by famous international artists as well as local artists. The idea of the local programme was to promote the culture and heritage of the region. Avignon wanted the programme to be as inclusive as possible, which is why a very broad view of culture was adopted, covering all social, artistic and economic practices of the society.

The total operating income for the ECoC was around 21 million euros, over half of which came from the national government and from the town. Avignon also managed to raise around 2,2M€ through sponsorship deals. The most significant economic outcome of the project was probably the approximately 25% increase in cultural tourism. Indeed, the main goal of the events was to draw in a large crowd, and the total amount of around 1,5 million visitors at different events far surpassed the expectations of the project team. Some significant long-term effects rated as having had a positive effect on the development of Avignon were cultural infrastructure improvements, new networks and increased collaboration in the cultural sector as well as the raised international profile of Avignon and the region.

 

References

European Cities of Culture for the Year 2000: A wealth of urban cultures for celebrating the turn of the century

European Cities and Capitals of Culture – City Reports: Study Prepared for the European Commission (PART II)

Image: Marcel S., pixabay.com

 

 

A tour through Europe: Brussels 2000

 

Brussels was one of the nine European Capitals of Culture (ECoC) in the year 2000. The city is known as the capital of Belgium and also as the administrative capital of the European Union. The city of Brussels includes 19 communes, with a total population of around 1,2 million inhabitants. Belgium has three official languages – Dutch, French and German. The cultural life of Brussels is very diverse with over 50 nationalities represented and with a strong integration of Latin and Germanic traditions. Due to its position as the capital of Europe, Brussels has many international workers, such as diplomats, administrators, press, media and support staff who are employed by the EU or other major international institutions and businesses. Altogether there are 80 museums and 30 performing spaces in Brussels. Also, a large number of artists and art organizations are based in the city. Every year 15 festivals, in the fields of film, jazz, contemporary music, theater etc., take place in Brussels. Besides the French and Flemish cultural organizations there are lively multicultural communities with a lot of people from the Mediterranean, North Africa and other places.

The goal of the Brussels 2000 programme was to promote partnerships and dialogue between different communities, artists and artistic sectors. The programme was not planned as a mass event for tourists, but primarily it was seen as an opportunity to include the city’s cultural communities in a long-term process that would last beyond the title year. The cultural programme consisted of 350 projects, most of which were collaborations with one or more of the 500 arts organizations in the city. Furthermore, infrastructure developments were central to Brussels’ programme, consisting of the renovation of cultural facilities, historic buildings and public spaces. As a part of this a musical instrument museum was opened, the city’s largest concert hall was completely refurbished, and the Centre for Architecture was opened.

According to former mayor of Brussels, Freddy Thielemans, the ECoC was a significant support for local organizations, allowed collaborations between different cultural activities and increased the coherence and visibility of the public. Regarding the legacy of Brussels’ ECoC, Thielemans feels that the Zinneke parade, which was introduced during the title year and has taken place annually ever since, is still important for the city and captures Brussels’ spirit. Thielemans also mentions the significance of the restoration projects, such as the restoration of the Hall of Justice and of the many famous buildings around the Royal Museum of Fine Arts.

 

References

European Cities of Culture for the Year 2000: A wealth of urban cultures for celebrating the turn of the century

European Capitals of Culture: the road to success (From 1985 to 2010)

Image: Dimitris Vetsikas, pixabay.com

 

 

Winter in Oulu

We’re having an amazingly beautiful winter in Oulu. For two months now, the city has looked like a Christmas postcard, buried under extreme amounts of snow. On some days it’s like a frosty scene from a fairy tale. The moment I leave the house, I have to stop to take photos. The views are stunning and they are different every day, especially now that the light is increasing dramatically.

I love winter so this is my kind of heaven. Some of my Finnish friends have had enough of snow work by now and there’s even one who refuses to go outside in -25. I’m just the opposite. I’m actually a bit sad that it’s already March and winter is scheduled to end in a few weeks.

There’s only one activity related to snow and ice that I don’t like: ice-fishing. I understand that spending hours in a huge white space above the frozen sea can be a meditative experience that’s good for mental health. But it’s very cold as there’s very little action.

I love being out skiing, running or cycling as I feel warm while exercising, no matter how cold it is. But I didn’t enjoy loitering on the ice while doing an interview with a fisherman in late January.  There’s not much fun in standing on the ice in one place, with the wind picking up. After an hour and a half I thought I was turning into a block of ice, freezing from the inside. I’d never ever felt colder in my life and it was only -7 degrees. Thank goodness for saunas: I managed to defrost without any damage but even editing the interview pictures on my laptop a few weeks later made me shiver in a perfectly warm house. See the video of the Ice fishing.

On the plus side,  I’ve made two snowy discoveries that I love: one is villasukkajuoksu. It’s a very natural, soft feeling to run in tons of fresh snow without shoes and I don’t feel the cold at all. To be fair, I didn’t do more than 600 metres on my first run. I was running with a friend’s dog who was clearly against the concept. He kept trying to take off my socks and when he failed, he almost tripped me up by running in between my legs. But even that was fun, adding to the excitement.

Nevertheless I liked the experience so much that I did another villasukka run, this time without a dog, in a forest about five hours’ drive to the south from Oulu. I got a bit further than 600 metres and I was really enjoying it until I heard a sound that I didn’t recognise but found a bit unnerving. It certainly disrupted the euphoria of running in the snow and I decided to turn back.

When I was back in the house, my host casually informed me that there was a pack of wolves living in the forest. About 40 of them. “But don’t worry, there hasn’t been an attack on humans in Finland in 100 years”, he added. I’d heard that before but somehow didn’t find it reassuring. Especially not in a pair of snow-covered socks. And why do Finnish people not tell you about wolves before you go on a run in the forest in the first place?

Wolves aside, my most exciting new experience in the last two months was jumping into a meter and a half of fresh snow in Rokua, and almost disappearing in it. I’ve always wanted to jump into a pile of snow from a rooftop but never had a chance before. So this was a dream come true. Totally exhilarating, almost intoxicating. Definitely one to repeat before winter is over.

And there’s one more winter experience to come: next weekend I’ll be spending a night in a laavu in Oijärvi. That will be quite an adventure. I’ve never slept outdoors in the winter so I’m very excited. I’ve been told it will feel cosy and warm in the sleeping bag but I have my doubts. We’ll see. At least there are no wolves or bears nearby. Or so they say.

Erika Benke, journalist.
born in Hungary. Moved to London (-97) to work for the BBC.
Now lives in Oulu and works for the Oulu2026 project.

 

 

A tour through Europe: Santiago de Compostela 2000

 

Santiago de Compostela, located in northwestern Spain, was one of the nine European Capitals of Culture (ECoC) in 2000. The city is the political and administrative capital of Galicia, was founded around the year 830 and nowadays has a population of around 120 000. Santiago is also famous for being the culmination point for the thousands of pilgrims who follow the Way of Saint James. The city was built after the remains of the apostle Saint James were found there. Nowadays the remains are stored in the city’s cathedral. Because of its monumental and historical nature Compostela has been designated Historic-Artistic City by the Spanish Government, World Heritage City by UNESCO, Europe Prize and Flag given by the Council of Europe, Firenze Prize from the Commune de Firenze, Real Fundación de Toledo Prize, Europa Nostra Prize from the Foundation of the same name, and Gubbio Prize of the Association of Artistical Centres of Italy, just to name a few distinctions. Compostela’s historical city center is one of the best preserved in the world and is completely inhabited and reserved for pedestrians.

Belén Mendoza, member of the cabinet of the mayor of Santiago de Compostela and person in charge of international relations, cooperation and development, says that the most successful part of the programme was The Millennium Festival, which lasted from 1998 until 2000. The festival included activities from eight different categories: cultural dialogue, theater, world cultures, opera, classical music, dance, jazz and exhibitions. Activity highlights included the Latin Jazz Festival and the premiere, in Compostela, of the movie Calle 54 by Oscar-winning director Fernando Trueba. Other major events included the showing of North American director Robert Wilson’s spectacles “The Days Before: Death, Destruction and Detroit III” and “Persephone”, with the man himself in attendance. Also, British composer Michael Nyman performed his opera “Facing Goya” for the first time as a part of the festival.

According to Mendoza the most significant impact of the ECoC for the city was the increase in the number of visitors, which was estimated to have been around 15% compared to previous years. In regard to the long-lasting effects of the ECoC for Santiago de Compostela, Mendoza mentions the consolidation of an orchestra in the city, the Royal Philharmonic of Galicia, that provides a stable programme of classical music performed by renowned musicians. Also consolidated due to the ECoC was the School of High-Level Music Studies, which is linked to the orchestra and offers musical training to young people. Moreover, Mendoza says that the ECoC strengthened the work of the Eugenio Granell Foundation, which offers exhibitions, guided visits to exhibitions, chamber music, theater, workshops for students and groups and an abundance of publications and catalogues.

 

References

European Cities of Culture for the Year 2000: A wealth of urban cultures for celebrating the turn of the century

European Capitals of Culture: the road to success (From 1985 to 2010)

Image: gustavoboulhosa, pixabay.com

 

A tour through Europe: Helsinki 2000

 

Helsinki was one of the nine European Capitals of Culture (ECoC) in the year 2000. The Finnish capital, located in the south of Finland, is the northernmost capital city in the European Union and has a population of over 600 000. Helsinki was founded by Sweden’s King Gustavus Vasa in 1550 and designated the capital of Finland in 1812 by the Russian Tsar Alexander I. The latter built the monumental city center in Empire style, with the cathedral as its major landmark. The most notable structure remaining from the Swedish reign is the maritime fortress of Suomenlinna, which was built in the 18th century on the islands of Helsinki and is today a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. Finland has two official languages, Finnish and Swedish, with around 6% of Helsinki’s population speaking Swedish as their mother tongue. Important values for Helsinki’s residents include closeness to nature and care for the environment.

In the past Helsinki has invested in creative infrastructure, including children’s art education and providing possibilities for experimental groups of artists. The city is also known for a vibrant theater life with many professional and amateur theaters. Moreover, the Finnish classical music scene is highly rated, as the country that produced Jean Sibelius is known for an exceptional amount of internationally renowned conductors as well as famous contemporary composers, singers and pianists. Helsinki also hosts over 60 museums, many of which are art museums.

Helsinki’s ECoC programme included around 500 events and the main theme of the ECoC was Knowledge, Technology and the Future. One of the most popular events was a modern sports opera performed at the Olympic Stadium. The Töölönlahti Bay Art Gardens, which combined horticulture, art and gastronomy in a former waste-land area in the heart of the city was a very successful summer event. Another event that was hugely popular among both Finnish and foreign participants was the Sauna of the Month project, which presented the diversity of Finnish sauna culture. In addition to its own projects, Helsinki was involved with the eight other ECoCs for the year 2000. The title holders had 12 joint projects and the cities could choose how they wanted to participate in them. Furthermore, Helsinki, Reykjavík and Bergen formed a trio belonging to the “New North of Europe”, which meant that they had much tighter collaboration between them and over 50 joint projects. By the end of the title year the events had attracted a total of 5,2 million visitors. A survey for the Helsinki locals revealed that 83% of respondents were very or quite satisfied with the ECoC events they had attended. This statistic is quite impressive, and indeed also the EU commission has evaluated the Helsinki 2000 ECoC to have been one of the most successful ECoCs ever arranged.

Cultural leader Pekka Timonen says you can still see the effects of the programme in Helsinki. There are now a lot more festivals in the city and the cultural audience has grown significantly since the title year. In fact, Timonen says that, according to research, the number of people who are interested in culture grew by 24% due to the ECoC. Timonen emphasizes the importance of the financial impact of the cultural sector for Helsinki. As more people are participating in cultural events, this brings more income to cultural institutions in the form of ticket sales, for example. Also, Timonen claims that the ECoC has permanently increased tourism in Helsinki, which obviously brings more money to the area. The ECoC also broke the national record in sponsor incomes as it received around 6 million euros from different companies. Furthermore, Timonen says the ECoC programme was very significant for the local cultural sector also because it helped create new international connections as well as strengthening the cultural operators’ belief in their own skills.

 

References

European Cities of Culture for the Year 2000: A wealth of urban cultures for celebrating the turn of the century

YLE: Helsinki muistelee omaa kulttuurivuottaan hyvällä

Kaleva: Kulttuuri luo toimeentuloa ja mainetta

Image: David Mark, pixabay.com

 

A tour through Europe: Krakow 2000

 

Krakow was one of the nine European Capitals of Culture (ECoC) in the year 2000. The city, located in southern Poland, has a population of roughly 800 000 inhabitants, making it the third largest city in the country. During the 10th century Krakow became an important commercial center, and during the 11th century it became the capital city of Poland, holding on to that title until 1609. Since being destroyed by Tatar invasions and then being rebuilt the city has not experienced dramatic changes. The Main Market Square has been Krakow’s heart for over 800 years, and it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978.

Krakow is known as the only city in the world where two Nobel winning writers have lived on a permanent basis. However, it is its dramatic art that the city is most known for. Nowadays Krakow is a very popular tourist destination because of its architecture, vibrant cultural life and numerous festivals. Indeed, in addition to the programmes of local cultural institutions, the city hosts around 50 international and national festivals per year.

Krakow was an exceptional ECoC in 2000 in the sense that it used its position as ECoC to offer its citizens a Five Years Festival, which included events from the year 1996 until the end of the title year 2000. In 1996 the theme in Krakow was the Year of Film and Theatre, and the festival year included the 5th Festival of the Union of the Theatres of Europe. 1997 was the Year of Poetry and 1998 the Year of Music, while in 1999 the focus was in the preparations for the title year.

During the title year The Festival Office staged over 570 events, including the Rozstaje Festival, the Beethoven Festival and the Seven Traditions Festival, which celebrated important European cultural communities. Krakow managed to arrange an impressive selection of artistic events with a modest budget of €5,8 million from the EU and PLN26 million (around €5,8 million in today’s exchange rate) from the municipal budget. As a long-lasting effect of the ECoC, the boost in tourism numbers for Krakow, from both Poland and abroad, lasted for six years, through 2006.

 

References

European Cities of Culture for the Year 2000: A wealth of urban cultures for celebrating the turn of the century

Direction: cultural capital

Image: Dima Lysenko, pixabay.com