Capital of Culture 2025: The idea for the application
The tension between identity and change is a central European theme. I am convinced that Chemnitz can be a strong, fascinating Capital of Culture," says Lord Mayor Barbara Ludwig. "And that's why we have the courage and self-confidence to put the idea of becoming Capital of Culture on the agenda. In many ways, Chemnitz is an example of the present and future of Europe.
Our city has experienced upheavals and profound changes in the past, but we have mastered them. This characterises us and makes Chemnitz what it is today. We are not afraid of new things, but are, sometimes inevitably, a field of experimentation. And right now it's all about identity, belonging and dealing with change. We have experienced this many times and even literally with our city name. Change is more part of the lifeblood of Chemnitz than in any other German city. And we look forward to being discovered and surprised."
"Culture is much more than art. For example, it includes sport, physical culture, food, fashion, allotments, science, technology, pop culture and so much more," says Artistic Director Dr Christoph Dittrich. "Culture is the rituals of our everyday lives that we pass on to our children. If we manage to find experts from all these areas in our city and work together with them on the application, then we will have a wonderful intersection of everything that makes us who we are. And together we have a story to tell that is exciting for visitors from all over Europe."
"You can only become Capital of Culture together," says Ferenc Csák, who was responsible for the successful Capital of Culture bid in Hungary in 2010. "Now is absolutely the right time to launch such a project. It is important to develop an idea that shows what is special about our city as part of Europe. The programme in the Capital of Culture year should have a Europe-wide appeal, make people curious about Chemnitz and at the same time lend a new quality to the interaction between culture, education and urban development. It is crucial that the ideas have a lasting effect. At least as important as the programme of events is the joint bidding process and what remains after 2025."