From Tuesday 29 September to Thursday 1 October, the city of Chemnitz will be hosting international guests from former, current and future European Capitals of Culture (ECoC). At the knowledge-transfer seminar organised by the ECoC Echo project, funded by Interreg Europe, around 50 representatives from the worlds of politics, culture, business and public administration – from Chemnitz as well as Leeuwarden 2018, Novi Sad 2022, Veszprém 2023, Tartu 2024, Oulu 2026, Liepāja 2027, Évora 2027 and Bourges 2028, to discuss Chemnitz’s legacy as the European Capital of Culture 2025. The conference brings together key voices and creates an international forum that connects diverse experiences, current developments and future prospects.
The conference is closed to the public. However, members of the media are welcome to attend on Wednesday 30 September, from 12.00 to 13.30, at the Stadtwirtschaft, Jakobstraße 46, to speak with Ulf Kallscheidt, Head of the ECoC Echo project at Chemnitz City Council, and Sille Talvet-Unt, International Project Manager of the ECoC Echo project and representative of Tartu 2024. If required, please use the accreditation form attached and return it, duly completed , by Monday 28 September at 5.00 pm.
The three-day conference programme combines strategic insights with discussions. Participants will also visit the intervention sites ‘Stadtwirtschaft’ and ‘Hartmannfabrik’, as well as the Ore Mountains region, with stops in Oelsnitz and Leukersdorf. This will give them an understanding of the Chemnitz 2025 legacy process. The seminar serves as a platform to analyse the transition from the title year, through the bridge year, to long-term urban and regional development.
The conference facilitates the exchange of external expertise and joint reflection on processes. In this way, the ECoC Echo Interreg Europe project provides financial support for the strategic development of Chemnitz and all other project partners.
The project began in May 2025 and will run until July 2029. The aim is to maintain and further build upon the momentum generated during the Capital of Culture year in the fields of culture, urban development and international cooperation, extending it beyond the title year.
- Further information is available at the ECoC Echo project.
- Accreditation form