The EU call for proposals for the title of European Capital of Culture for the years 2020 to 2033 stipulates that cities should also involve their surrounding region in the Capital of Culture concept.

Chemnitz is following this path consistently. On the basis of the Chemnitz model, the cultural region of Chemnitz is also to be strengthened with the application process for the European Capital of Culture 2025.

Last week, in the name of Mayor Barbara Ludwig, cultural director Ferenc Csàk invited to two regional conferences. In Thalheim and in Mittweida, Christoph Thoma, who moderated the conferences, advised on the application in intensive meetings with the mayors, mayors, but also administrators and cultural workers on various questions concerning the application. Thus, Europe per se was discussed as well as the possibility of a common vision for the region, history or supra-regional cultural programmes.

The next steps were determined with the city leaders. Thus, in the coming months, in-depth discourses with the individual municipalities will follow, and open space forums in the individual municipalities will be offered as a citizen participation format. The head of the Chemnitz City Archive, Dr. Paolo Cecconi, will also collect in-depth historical material that can be used to support the application.