Les Rencontres – is there a future for the model "capital of culture"?

Initiators and the responsible movers and shakers met for a conference about  the association of European cities and regions for culture, Les Rencontres, in Essen at the former Zollverein mine premises. 2010LAB.tv's Mira Prgomet asked: "Is the model of a European capital of culture obsolete?"

The title "European capital of culture" is an instrument of the EU. Since 1985, the title is assigned annually and is meant to trigger impulses for a sustainable development of culture in the respective city and its surrounding region. That model will exist until 2019. What will happen afterwards - and what does the "2020 strategy" mean? 2011, the European capitals of culture will be the Estonian city of Tallin and Turku in Finland.

Concentrated competence for cultural sustainability

Charles Landry, British urban developer, culture consultant, and founder of comedia, Roger Tropeano, president of Les Rencontres, professor Christa Reicher, dean of the Fakultät Raumplanung an der Technischen Universtität Dortmund, Suvi Innilä, programme director of the European capital of culture 2011Turku, professor Kurt Mehnert, vice chancellor of the Folkwang Universität der Künste Essen, and Bert van Meggelen, director of Maatwerk, an office for urban and cultural projects in Rotterdam, have their say.