At yesterday’s meeting of the Steering Group for the European Capital of Culture 2025 application, the Capital of Culture Secretariat, headed by Ferenc Csák, presented the progress of the project plan to the panel. Among other things, the knowledge trip to Aarhus and the regional conferences in Thalheim and Mittweida were evaluated.

The knowledge journey to Aarhus took place from 17 to 19 August. The delegation included Mayor Barbara Ludwig, project manager Ferenc Csák, members of the steering group and municipal employees involved in the Capital of Culture application. The knowledge tour was aimed at exchanging experiences at various levels of project organisation, possible participation formats and the process flow. During the trip, talks were held with the Lord Mayor of Aarhus, the head of the Cultural Office, the head of the City Office and the City Library, and a representative of the Capital of Culture Secretariat. At the same time, best-practice examples and visits to various projects provided an insight into the structure and strategy of a Capital of Culture application.

At the beginning of September, in the name of Mayor Barbara Ludwig, cultural director Ferenc Csák invited to two regional conferences. In Thalheim and in Mittweida, moderated by Christoph Thoma, advisor to the bid, intensive meetings were held with the mayors, mayors, administrations and cultural workers to discuss various questions concerning the bid.

The conference “Stat(d)tkultur: Chemnitz 2025 – Europäische Impulse zu kultureller Strategie und Kulturhauptstadt”, which will take place in Chemnitz from 13 to 15 November, was announced as the date. At the conference there will be an exchange with the other German candidate cities and other institutions and persons involved in the process. This will be about a self-conception, about basic principles, about a recommendation for action for cultural development. Discussions will take place with European experts from Austria, Germany, Croatia, Bulgaria and Greece on the idea of the European Capital of Culture and on questions of cultural strategy.

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The Steering Group was appointed by the City Council on 8 February 2017 to strategically steer the application. The Steering Group sets the main focus of the application, defines the general conditions and prepares further necessary city council decisions.

The Programme Council does the creative work for the application. It develops the concept for the Capital of Culture and collects ideas and suggestions. It is advised by international experts in the programme work.

According to the decision of the city council of January 25, 2017, five honorary cultural ambassadors will also participate in the program council. The cultural ambassadors are citizens of all age groups of the city of Chemnitz who agree to accompany the application process in terms of content and concept.

For project management and project organisation, a Capital of Culture Secretariat was established by decision of the City Council on 25 January 2017. During the preparation of the application, the staff of the Capital of Culture Secretariat are responsible for administrative and controlling tasks and cultural policy work. They also develop concepts for citizen participation. Head of the Capital of Culture project is Ferenc Csák, Head of the Cultural Department of the City of Chemnitz.

The European Capitals of Culture contribute to highlighting the richness, diversity and commonalities of Europe’s cultural heritage and to improving mutual understanding between European citizens. The title has been awarded continuously for one year each since 1985.