ECOC projects - Opportunities and expectations

There is another thing to be aware of. It is unrealistic to expect that through hosting the European Capital of Culture year alone you will be able to bring about a complete economic transformation of a city. A year of cultural programming will not solve all the employment needs of a city nor all of the social issues it has. It needs to be complemented by other activities. It needs to be a result of synergies and commitment to joined-up thinking and conversations between different stakeholders. Liverpool is still a city that suffers from high degrees of deprivation, a city that still has high levels of unemployment and a city that still has to struggle to fulfil its potential. What is however without any doubt is that thanks to hosting the European Capital of Culture title in 2008, certain debates came to the forefront and it was possible to change the image of Liverpool and to create a sense of self-confidence within the local communities. And it was possible to advance towards the economic transformation the city needed, in particular through investment into physical infrastructure and into making the place attractive to visitors so that they saw a culturally interesting place to which they want to return. We will have to keep looking back and perhaps in ten years reflect again on the experience of Liverpool. My advice to future hosts of the title would be: keep in mind that it is a fantastic opportunity to present yourself internationally and to establish connections throughout Europe, but make sure you remain true to whatever is meaningful locally. Major events of this kind are great catalysts for change; they can help transform the image of a place and attract visitors, but they also need to be meaningful to the local comunities. They cannot replicate the success of other places by bringing in something that may not really work there or be sustainable within the environment. The European Capital of Culture title is an opportunity to be reflective about what the city and the community may need at the particular point in time. It is an opportunity to bring leaders and other stakeholders together around the same table with a clear focus and a common timeframe for delivery. So, be focussed and make sure you set up an agenda that can be delivered. Be creative, be ambitious, but first of all make sure you understand what the local needs are. Empower the communities to speak with their own voices, so they have an opportunity to create something that is both stimulating and attractive, original and meaningful. This is the way to ensure that the year is not only a year of extravaganza, but something that can be sustained and can keep growing in the long term to provide benefits to all involved, not just the art comunity but the general citizenship.

CultureFighter

ECOC projects - Opportunities and expectations

Beatriz Garcia

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