Report for the European Capital of Culture Meeting held

							CULTURE AND AUDIOVISUALS UNIT                     Report for the European Capital of Culture Meeting
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION CULTURE                                         held in Brussels on 5 May 2009
YOUTH AND SPORT




Report for the European Capital of Culture Meeting
held on 5 May 2009 in Brussels
Purpose of the Meeting: First Information day on the European Capitals of Culture organised
by the European Commission
Participant/s: David Felice, Doriana Bezzina, Caldon Mercieca, Karsten Xuereb
Report drawn up by: Caldon Mercieca
Time: Meeting commenced at 0900hrs and ended at 1700hrs.
Abbreviations used: AT – Austria; BE – Belgium; BG – Bulgaria; CZ – Czech Republic; CY –
Cyprus; DK – Denmark; EE – Estonia; FI – Finland; FR – France; DE – Germany; EL –
Greece; IE – Ireland; HU – Hungary; IT – Italy; LV – Latvia; LT – Lithuania; LU –
Luxembourg; MT – Malta; NL – Netherlands; PL – Poland; PT – Portugal; RO – Romania; ES
– Spain; SI – Slovenia; SK – Slovakia; SE – Sweden; UK – United Kingdom; CION –
Commission; PSY – Presidency; MS – Member States; EP – European Parliament

Introduction
The Info Day provided an opportunity to inform cities on the criteria and selection process, as
well as offer a session dedicated to the sharing of good practices between past, present and
future or possible future Capitals.

Agenda and Structure of the Info Day
The Info Day was divided in three main parts. Firstly, the CION introduced the ECOC through
interventions by Director General DG EAC Mrs Odile Quintin and by Director DG EAC Mr.
Vladimir Sucha. This was complimented by two detailed presentations delivered by Ms. Ann
Branch and Ms Jacqueline Pacaud (see presentations attached).
Secondly, detailed presentations were delivered by the Liverpool 2008 coordinator, Mr. Neil
Peterson, and by the coordinator of the bidding team for Marseilles 2013. The third part
consisted of a long introduction by the chairman of the current ECOC Selection Panel, Sir Bob
Scott followed by brief presentations by 7 past, current, future ECOC organisers (Lille 2004,
Stavanger 2008, Linz 2009, Turku 2011, Luxembourg 2007, Essen 2010, and Tallinn 2011).

Highlights and key points of CION presentations
The context of the heightened interest in ECOC at a European level must be viewed within the
broad context of the European Agenda for Culture driven by the CION and the Council, as well
as, more specifically, the new selection process for ECOC which has just entered fully into
force. The international and European economic dynamics have led to an appreciation of
creativity and innovation. ECOC provides opportunities for socio=economic development,
instigates and supports new cultural infrastructure in the city environment, and promotes a
strong European dimension in socio-cultural activity, support and encouraging exchanges in
education and art.



STATUSANDSECURITYLEVEL                                                                            1
CULTURE AND AUDIOVISUALS UNIT                     Report for the European Capital of Culture Meeting
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION CULTURE                                         held in Brussels on 5 May 2009
YOUTH AND SPORT




Detailed information on the mechanisms of the ECOC were delivered in the two attached
presentations. The CION highlighted that the 1985-2004 period was characterised by a lack of
transparency in the selection of ECOC hosts, due to the lack of common and objective selection
criteria. Since the new Decision came into force, and once the selection process for the 2013
hosts commenced, a full scale national competition at national levels has been launched, with
panels of experts handling the full responsibility for the evaluation and selection.
The selection criteria are twofold: (a) the European Dimension and (b) City and Citizens. In the
case of the former, the focus is on the themes (programme content, international and local
collaboration on events, the value of the European dimension highlighting past, present and
future relevance to the programme content and project partners, evidence and highlights on the
European identity of the city itself, opening up new opportunities for links with the European
reality) and on the way of implementation of the programme (the cooperation between partners,
the programme content in terms of exhibitions, performance, events, achieved in terms of
cross-border/international cooperation). As to City and Citizens, the focus is on developing the
attractivity of the city on a European scale through the participation of citizens and visitors in
the programme and in the organisation; and the emphasis on sustainability of the city through
long-term social, cultural and economic development proposals.
Keys to success of the event
The following are key areas which determine the success of the ECOC event:
    •   Clear objectives and concept
    •   Development of a forward-looking programme (this is not a celebration of a UNESCO
        World Heritage Site, nor a folkloristic festival)
    •   Attractive cultural programme with high calibre artists at a European (and world) scale
    •   Emphasis on sustainability, be it urban/social, cultural and economic
    •   Link cultural operators and social operators
    •   Ensure public commitment, both in terms of the programme and on budget
    •   Develop relations and secure sponsorship from private sector in advance
    •   Select a good Artistic Director, who has no political attachments
Finally, the European Capital of Culture is the only evidence based economic and social
programme which demonstrates the added-value of culture for urban, local city development,
and this should be used to convince and encourage investment from financial and economic
actors and to facilitate integration with other policy areas.


Question and Answer Session
These are relevant issues touched upon by the audience and the speakers during the question
and answer session
    •   City versus Region: The Decision identifies ‘Cities’ as the candidates and recipients of
        the title – thus, promoting exclusively the region may result in the CION not awarding
        the prize money.


STATUSANDSECURITYLEVEL                                                                            2
CULTURE AND AUDIOVISUALS UNIT                   Report for the European Capital of Culture Meeting
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION CULTURE                                       held in Brussels on 5 May 2009
YOUTH AND SPORT




   •   Use of Logo: during the bidding process, cities must make it clear in their visual
       promotional material that the city they are promoting is only a candidate city.
   •   Funding (CION prize): Until 2013, the CION earmarked € 1.5M per successful bid
       under the funds of the Culture Programme. Post-2013, this amount will be renegotiated
       as part of the new financial allocation (2014-2020), by CION stated that it will do its
       utmost to ensure the same amount is provide to cities after 2013.
   •   Public Commitment: Commitment must be shown from successful city, as well as the
       region and the central government and private partners. The securing of strong
       partnerships amongst all stakeholders is crucial for the success of the event.
   •   Call - National of European: the call for bids shall always be made by the (cultural)
       authorities at a NATIONAL level, as stipulated in the Decision.
   •   Use of Select a good Artistic Director, who has no political attachments


Highlights from presentations of ECOCs


Liverpool 2008
   •   Objectives need to remain consistent from bidding till execution
   •   Build-up to event consisted of themed years (2003-2008), developing areas such as
       programme strategy; media partnerships; the marketing campaign; people and
       Welcome; and Dressing the City.
   •   Strong monitoring and evaluation effort, all past, current and future studies available
       on www.impacts08.net
   •   Exit strategy: for 2009 the goals were to maintain momentum; follow-up with media,
       sustain funding for culture, events and festivals; and maintain tourism and retail offer.


Marseille 2013
   •   Projected Budget: € 98M, of which 18% for organisation; 12% for communication and
       mobilisation, and 70% for manifestations/programme.
   •   Projected revenues: € 98M, of which mainly from city and regional authorities, over an
       above the normal budgeting for culture, and all allocated in a single ‘pot’ (including
       financing from private sponsors) to the Managing Organisation.
   •   Website: www.marseille-provence2013.fr


Turku 2011
   •   Projected Budget: € 55M, split in 3: € 18M central government (no regional authority
       structures in Finland); € 18M from city authority; € 19M from others (business, public
       authorities, sales, other)


STATUSANDSECURITYLEVEL                                                                          3
CULTURE AND AUDIOVISUALS UNIT                   Report for the European Capital of Culture Meeting
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION CULTURE                                       held in Brussels on 5 May 2009
YOUTH AND SPORT




   •   Coordination entity: Foundation Turku 2011, responsible and financed for all matters
       except for infrastructural projects.


Linz 2009
   •   Budget € 68.7M, of which € 60M+ from city, region and state. Private sponsors
       provide both cash and non-cash assistance. € 42M earmarked for cultural programme.
   •   Coordination team of 55 full-timers, plus freelancers, most contracts end June 2010,
       when the full programme is intended to end. Meetings with sponsors underway and
       already obtaining support for successful projects to retain funding for 2010-2013.
   •   Website: www.linz09.at


Stavanger 2008
   •   Budget for project amounted to € 40M, split equally between government, city/region,
       and private sponsors. The € 12M originating from the private sector included 120
       companies which were giving cultural sponsorship for the first time. 56% of the budget
       was spent on the programme, which consisted entirely of new cultural projects, and
       none on refurbishment of infrastructure. Generated surplus is to be used for
       reinvestment in culture.
   •   The organisation employed 33 full time staff and 470 volunteers.
   •   All projects contained elements of international collaboration spread over 3 years
       (2005-2008).
   •   An information handout containing recommendations was circulated (see attached)


Luxembourg 2007
   •   Secured political support through cross-part agreements. Independence of board from
       politics, including the artistic element. The organising team was multinational and
       multidisciplinary (arts and marketing).
   •   Artistic Direction: split between a local managing Director and a Foreign Arts Director.
   •   Emphasis on efficient internal information flow as well as information sessions with
       projects partners through clear guidelines and criteria. Project selection process (to
       contribute to programme) by means of one application for all types of projects;
       evaluation held internally; projects improved through negotiation to ensure the
       development of good ideas.
   •   Importance to secure legal and budgetary security: The programme provided for 50%
       of projects’ co financing, which went up to 80% for young/new projects
   •   Strong Communication and Tourism Strategy: aimed to expand the 5% hardcore
       cultural audiences to reach the 60% mainstream audience through appropriate
       marketing, while measuring success through audience, finance, and media coverage
       monitoring, against pre-set targets.

STATUSANDSECURITYLEVEL                                                                          4
CULTURE AND AUDIOVISUALS UNIT                    Report for the European Capital of Culture Meeting
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION CULTURE                                        held in Brussels on 5 May 2009
YOUTH AND SPORT




    •   Sustainability Strategy: this was completed 2 years before the event; 10% of budget left
        for the following year’s needs to ensure continuation of good projects.
    •   Website: www.luxembourg2007.org
Essen 2010
    •   The project promoted a polycentric approach to the ECOC event, focussing on the
        region and its 53 cities.
    •   The organising structure is autonomous (no politicians inside), although embedded in
        the city itself.
    •   A strong distinction between the bidding process (demanding a vision for the city) and
        the implementation phase (concrete application).
    •   ECOC is a key, unique learning experience for cultural management in the city, a
        golden opportunity for cities to learn about cultural management and
        international/European cultural collaboration. Governance structures need to be light,
        procedures simple, transparent, open and flexible, while the orientation of the
        organisation should be towards the outside, engaging all sectors of society, all cultural
        players, being debate-oriented and not just a decision maker. The key challenge is to
        maintain a fine balance between culture and politics in terms of proximity/distance.
        The organisational team needs to be able to cope creatively with the (cultural, artistic,
        economic and social) tensions that make up a city and which are transferred and
        amplified during the build-up and implementation of the event.
    •   Website www.ruhr2010.de



Officials to be alerted immediately
IMC Chairman, Permanent Secretary MEDC, Cultural attaché.

Issues to be followed up by Malta
N/A

Date of Next Meeting
N/A




STATUSANDSECURITYLEVEL                                                                           5