Lord Mayor Sven Schulze today presented the city's concrete plans for the foundation of the limited liability company for the European Capital of Culture 2025. The city council is due to approve the establishment of the company at its March meeting.
The tasks and measures for this important project will be bundled in this company. The main tasks are
- to organise and implement the European Capital of Culture 2025 programme, including the associated marketing and tourism activities,
- to develop sustainable structures and civic participation for the city of Chemnitz and the region,
- effectively utilise the funding provided and other funding to be acquired.
For the coming years up to 2025 and beyond, the city is planning a budget of around 90 million euros, of which the federal government will contribute around 25 million euros, the Free State around 20 million euros and the city around 30 million euros. This will be supplemented by funds from the EU and the region as well as additional funds from sponsorship and ticket sales.
Around 30 million of the 90 million euros will go towards infrastructure projects such as the city by the river, the car park campus or the city's economy and other public spaces. Around 60 million euros are planned for the implementation of the programme around the year 2025.
Dr Christoph Dittrich, General Director of the Chemnitz theatres, will be the interim managing director at the time of the foundation. His tasks will be to organise the filling of the most important positions and the establishment of the company. He will take on this function in addition to his role as General Director.
Lord Mayor Sven Schulze: "With the establishment of the limited company, which the City Council is set to approve at its upcoming meeting, we are taking the next important step towards Chemnitz 2025. We want to utilise the huge opportunities that the title brings us so that we can present a wonderful year 2025 to the people of Chemnitz, but also to guests from all over Europe. In Dr Dittrich as Interim Managing Director, we have been able to recruit an excellent cultural manager who, thanks to his roots in Chemnitz and the Free State, is excellently placed to successfully drive this project forward. I would like to thank him very much for his willingness to take on this important position."
Dr Christoph Dittrich is looking forward to this additional role: "Being able to accompany a new development for culture in the city is a great task that I am very much looking forward to. The pride and self-confidence from our successful application in Chemnitz will now be put into practice in order to lay the foundations for the creative teams and the diverse new projects. I would also like to advocate very active communication in order to harness the power of all partners and stakeholders."
The limited company will be fully operational by the end of the year and the key positions should be filled. The company will be overseen by a supervisory board with representatives from the city council, the administration, the Free State, the federal government, the region and the business community. The city council will also be regularly informed about progress by a strategy committee that is to be established.
