Chemnitz debates its bid to become Capital of Culture
for the debate day on Wednesday, 11 January 2017, 5 p.m., Stadthalle, Small Hall
A public debate on Chemnitz's bid to become European Capital of Culture will be held in the Small Hall of Chemnitz City Hall on 11 January 2017, starting at 5 pm. Citizens are cordially invited to ask questions about Chemnitz's application to become European Capital of Culture 2025, to make a statement on the application, to present their arguments and to discuss the Capital of Culture application. Admission is free.
Federal, state and city representatives as well as State Secretary Uwe Gaul and Mayor of Culture of the City of Leipzig Dr Skadi Jennicke have announced their attendance. They are also invited to position themselves with statements on Chemnitz's potential bid and to take part in the open debate.
After the welcoming address by Lord Mayor Barbara Ludwig, Christoph Thoma, CULTURELAB e. U., Austria, will give a keynote speech to kick off the debate. He will talk about the idea of European Capitals of Culture and an expanded concept of culture. Christoph Thoma (43), a trained musician, cultural manager and cultural politician, was one of the driving forces behind a possible bid by the Vorarlberg Rhine Valley cities of Bregenz, Dornbirn, Feldkirch and Hohenems to become the European Capital of Culture 2024 for Austria until the end of 2016. Thoma was also Managing Director of Bregenz Tourismus & Stadtmarketing GmbH until June 2016 and previously Managing Director and Artistic Director of the Graz theatres Orpheum, Domtten Orpheum, Dom im Berg and Schlossbergbühne Kasematten GmbH (2008 - 2012), at Bludenz Kultur gGmbH (2006 - 2008) and at the Jeunesses Musicales Austria operations office in Vienna (2002 - 2006).
The debate in the Stadthalle will be moderated by Ellen Schweda, who has been working as an author, presenter and speaker for Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk since 2005 and already moderated the panel discussion on the Capital of Culture in the Stadtbad in December 2016.
The Chemnitz City Council had asked the initiators of the Capital of Culture bid to inform the residents of Chemnitz about the project and to discuss the idea with them. The city council is expected to make a decision on Chemnitz's application to become European Capital of Culture 2025 at its meeting on 25 January 2017. The debate day can provide important orientation for this.