PRESS RELEASE EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE WROCŁAW 2016 17 DECEMBER 2016
fot by: Dunvael Photography
Contents: Introduction by the Mayor of Wrocław Rafał Dutkiewicz............................................................................................2 Summary by the EU Commissioner Tibor Navracsics......................................................................................................... 3 General statistics.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 4 Architecture.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 5 Film................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 6 Literature............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 7 Music.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 8 Performance.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................9 Opera.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................10 Theatre.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................11 Visual arts............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 12 “Wrocław – backyard door” and microGRANTS of ECoC 2016...........................................................................................................................................................................13 Artist-in-Residence Programme A-i-R Wro and Lower Silesia............................................................................14 City Coalition and City of the Future................................................................................................................................................................15 What after ECoC? Q&A............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 16
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greatest satisfaction was brought by the fact that millions of people took part in all the events. Wrocław residents accepted and even liked European Capital of Culture. It is an incredible feeling. We all believe that participating in culture means inspiring social empathy and sense of responsibility for those we live with and for the world that surrounds us. Access to culture is undoubtedly the strongest factor that is building our individual development and strengthening social relations. Nothing shapes our individual and collective lives better than participation in culture, using it and creating it. These are the habits we wanted to foster in the residents of Wrocław. I truly believe that we have all been successful carrying out realizing this incredible undertaking. We presented the potential of Wrocław’s culture but also our ability to cooperate. Hence the very strong presence in Wrocław of the cities that were our competitors in the race for the title of ECoC. Yesterday we were competitors, today we are partners. I strongly believe that Wrocław is a beautiful European Capital of Culture! Since we won the title, we have assumed a responsiblity that we are never going to give up. Rafał Dutkiewicz Mayor of Wrocław
photo by: Archiwum Urzędu Miasta, Maciej Kulczyński; photo by: Dunvael Photography
Dear Readers, We started our efforts to become European Capital of Culture with a belief that winning this title will crown the entire process that we had started in Wrocław many years ago, the most powerful accent in thinking about the development of the city. Already in 2002 we were sure that two things were needed for the city to develop dynamically and evenly: communication and culture. Today we know that our intuition and belief in the significance of culture in the social development was right. However, we did not foresee one thing: that ECoC is not the end but just the beginning of the path. The world we live in is in constant flux. We are witnessing social changes that we have not experienced yet. The citizens no longer agree to the traditional model of culture management, to using it passively. The model of participation, active existence, and taking responsibility for all the things happening around us, including culture, has been established. We faced new challenges, difficult but incredibly inspiring. European Capital of Culture constituted a great challenge but also an opportunity for our city to present its advantages to Europe, introduce Lower Silesia and Poland as a region where a lot is happening in terms of culture - both in the form of spectacular events and everyday life, spare time and relax. We have got a lot to be proud of in the first area as well as the second. Today we can already say that the year 2016 has been very successful for Wrocław. Tourism monitoring confirms growing interest in our city, due to our increasingly rich offer, including the events organized as part of European Capital of Culture. In 2016, we have hosted almost five million tourists. There will be time for detailed summaries provided by sociologists, artists, culture managers, but above all the audience. Wrocław residents love theatre and for that reason we really wanted to hold the Theatre Olympics, an event that has never been organized in Poland before. We had the opportunity to see the most outstanding spectaclesfrom all over the world, magnificent opera shows at the Municipal Stadium, concerts of recognised musicians and presentations of the fine arts, incredible parades and outdoor events. The prestigious European Film Awards gala is behind us. It is difficult to list even a fraction of what we have seen in Wrocław in the passing year. The
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photo by: Marcin Oliva Sato; photo by: European Commission’s materials
On 17 January 2016 I was in Wrocław for the opening of the first European Capital of Culture in Poland. Tens of thousands of people were gathered in the city’s streets and squares to celebrate the start of this very special year for the whole country. Now, the year is drawing to an end, and Wrocław can be proud of the wonderful cultural programme of 2016. With hundreds of shows, cultural events and exhibitions, millions of visitors were able to discover the great city of Wrocław and, even more importantly, its inhabitants were able to participate, in many cases even to co-organise, cultural events. Wrocław as European Capital of Culture in 2016 was an invitation to people from across Europe and the world to come and discover an excellent example of the great cultural diversity of Poland and of Europe. In a European Union facing challenges without parallel, the city has shed light on what makes this part of the world so special. It exemplifies the enriching dimension of exchanges between peoples and countries. Wrocław has a unique position in European history and geography, with its diverse cultural and religious influences. Under the motto “Spaces for Beauty” it has been showing how the city’s urban spaces can be transformed through the inclusive power of intercultural dialogue. It also embodies values we would like to share with the rest of the world: respect for human dignity and human rights, non-discrimination, openness and tolerance. We all know that the best measure of success for a European Capital of Culture is the legacy of the year. Not only in terms of better infrastructures, but also in terms of improved cultural vibrancy, new partnerships at European level, stronger international profile or reinforced visibility on the European cultural scene.
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I am sure that Wrocław will turn the many positive achievements of its year as European Capital of Culture into a long-term success and continue to reclaim “beauty” in the city for the benefit of all its inhabitants and communities. Tibor Navracsics European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport
General Statistics:
Number of publications in the media in Number of people involved Poland and abroad
in ECoC projects 170,000
more than 100,000
100
(from Japan and Ukraine to Spain)
Number of ECoC employees 150
Number of publications as part of the ECoC programme
70
and dozens in preparation
Number of ECoC volunteers 2,000
flaticon.com
Number of events 2,000
Number of participants in ECoC events 5,2 million**
Number of presentations of ECoC abroad
All numbers are estimates and valid as of 31.10.2016 and final figures will be collected and made public by March 2017. **Â Calculated from the moment of the inauguration of the programme and the Bridge Builders project to October 2016.
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ARCHITECTURE Completed projects: 13 Active participants (artists, creators): 392 Wrocław is the first European Capital of Culture that has made Architecture one of the eight curatorial feilds, alongside Literature, Music and Art. Our city is paying more and more attention to architecture; there are a lot of contests and the cooperation of Wrocław architectural centres (the Association of Polish Architects, Lower Silesian Chamber of Architects, Museum of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture of Wrocław University of Science and Technology). “Spaces for Beauty”, Wrocław’s slogan in the application for ECoC 2016, may be interpreted metaphorically as well as literally. 2016 was full of projects that created more and more accessible architecture. I cannot select the most important event of the year, as the programme assumed diversity. We created a colourful mosaic where every participant of the ECoC could find something interesting. The events complemented another, they created larger projects and constantly evolved. My hope and plan was to build up an appetite for architecture in the viewers. For that reason I hope that the appetite will constitute a non-material effect of the European Capital of Culture Wrocław 2016, apart from creating over 30 buildings and spaces. However, Nowe Żerniki definitely stands out with its architectural design; it somehow conditioned separating this curatorial sector. Wrocław, a colourful city, learning how to coexist, respects the past and place in fixed context, which on the one hand has the pre-war WUWA, and on the other hand, does not entirely appreciate modernism of the 1960s, now it tries to create a model housing estate up to the standards of the 21st century. The new fragment of the city is being build on the basis of a juxtaposition of our experience with the needs, of cooperation between
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the architects, developing companies, municipality as well as future residents. The dialogue helped us understand that the priority of the form, which is very often determining for us, takes one of the last positions among the urban needs. Nowe Żerniki focuses on the quality of its residents’ lives . Summarising the incredible year 2016, it is worth to mention a series of BigA lectures that allowed to understand architecture not only by those who deal with it on a daily basis. We showed the listeners that architecture is one of the tools that help us solve current problems of the mankind. We organised a series of exhibitions which broke the attendance record at the only Museum of Architecture in Wrocław. We also displayed the best works of the last 25 years from all over the Europe, modernistic Lviv, and we commemorated the life and works of Jadwiga Grabowska-Hawrylak, the author of the so-called Manhattan. Moreover, we discussed the sacral architecture and we were looking for the direction it should follow, as a part of the project titled „Church: Beauty and Kitsch”. I hope that after 2016 the architectural awareness of Wrocław residents and all of the guests who visited the European Capital of Culture will raise. We placed architecture on the same level as other fields of art, so I hope that it will become a daily topic for us and social discourse, just such as film, music and theatre. Zbigniew Maćków Curator of architecture
FILM The film traditions of Wrocław in combination with the title of European Capital of Culture allowed us to create a special film programme. The New Horizons Cinema has become its heart; it opened in 2012 and it is still the largest arthouse cinema multiplex in Europe where reviews, festivals and educational actions take place all year long. The core of the programme was film education: we offered screenings and meetings directed at shaping tastes of young viewers, discovering diversity of the cinema, arousing cultural needs and preparing for the reception of more difficult films. Those actions constitute a necessary basis for longterm increase in the participation of Wrocław residents in culture and raising their interest in more ambitious films. The implementation of the programme allowed us to present the European cinema on a larger scale, both in historical way (Czechoslovakian New Wave, Ukrainian cinema) and from the perspective of its latest discoveries (new Italian, French, Spanish and German films, among others). In cooperation with San Sebastian, the twin capital of culture, the Basque film and culinary traditions were presented. We also had a special chance to invite a number of renowned filmmakers to Wrocław, including Nanni Moretti, Víctor Erice, Carlos Saura, Petr Zelenka, Ulrike Ottinger, Jessica Hausner, Claire Denis, Andrei Konchalovsky, Cristian Mungiu and Wim Wenders.
Completed projects: 29 Events: 60
Wrocław’s film festivals had their special editions: IFF TMobile New Horizons, with the Master Cinema Classes, as well as American Film Festival, with the review dedicated to Europeans working in the USA. The opera adaptation of the Lost Highway had its première; there were special screenings of River of Fundament by Matthew Barney. The programme was crowned with the presentation of the European Film Awards in Wrocław and the supplementary review of the winners and the nominated films as well as meetings with filmmakers. We expect that those actions, thanks to their scale, will positively influence the longterm perspective of increasing the recognition and strengthening the image of Wrocław as an important European film centre. Roman Gutek Curator of film
LITERATURE One of the most significant elements included in the literary programme of European Capital of Culture Wrocław 2016 was for Wrocław to win the title of the UNESCO World Book Capital (23 April 2016 - 22 April 2017). And we did it. One could think that such prestigious success will make it easier to shape the literary side of ECoC. That is not exactly what happened. Now, the space that was to be used and adapted by the literary programme had to include the global dimension. As a result, we had to meet the requirements included in Wrocław’s application (to cut a long story short: to rhyme the local and the European) as well as carry out the original actions – those created and planned in the application form and later in the curatorial programme (relating to participation, activation and improvement of cultural competences among the residents). All of these areas needed to be seen and consumed within one year. And when I now think about all that happened, the lines
photo by: Marcin Oliva Soto
Projects: 37 Published books: 9
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by the bard come to my head; he predicted it all and provided me, from beyond the grave, with the only possible commentary. Lines written with his hand rest in Pan Tadeusz Museum in the Main Market: Memorable year! Happy is he who beheld thee in our land! The folk still call thee the year of harvest, But the soldiers the year of war; old men still love To tell tales of thee and poets still dream of thee. Thou hadst long been heralded by the marvel in the sky And preceded by a vague rumour among the folk; Well, the Bard, in the same Book (XI) thought about me personally: O spring! Happy is he who beheld thee then in our country, Memorable spring of war, spring of harvest! O spring, happy is he who beheld how thou didst bloom With corn and grass, but glittered with men; How thou wert rich in events and big with hope! I see thee still, fair phantom of my dream! Born in slavery and chained in my swaddling bands, I have had but one such spring in my whole life. Thank you.
Irek Grin Curator of literature
MUSIC
The 12 months of celebrating ECoC organised workshops, courses and contests for music pracWrocław 2016 are behind us; it titioners so that they could constantly develop. was a climax of several years of In 2016, music sounded in a variety of spaces. Wrocław has work and an essence of the artists, gained places dedicated to music, such as the National Foorganizers and audience’s energy. rum of Music, the renovated Capitol Theatre and the ConThe ECoC title set a goal but also cert Hall of the Karol Lipiński Music Academy; the city also a way that allowed us to carry out adapted less conventional places, including the Centennial many undertakings. The developHall, the Municipal Stadium, railway stations, the airport as ment of a musical programme that well as private flats, staircases, forgotten courtyards and would respect the provisions ofthe yards (Forgotten City, Jazztopad or Leo Festival). winning application required the We played music and we talked about it during numerwork of many people. Its ultimate shape was influenced by ous professional conferences (including EFA, Europe Jazz three years of negotiations with project coordinators, artNetwork, European Forum on Music, the International Rosists, as well as the curatorial and production teams. It was trum of Composers, the European Forum for Music Theraan amazing time, truly emotional and incredibly creative. In pists, the conference Music and Theatre in Artistic Educathat period, the programme based on five fundamental and tion).To celebrate ECoC 2016, a number of compositions bipolar assumptions was developed. dedicated to Wrocław and inspired by it was created; they The first assumption was to present both the festivals and have already become part of the history of music in our events already existing in Wrocław, such as Wratislavia city. Some of the initiated events are planned to have furCantans, Jazz on the Odra, WROsound, Avant Art, Thanks ther editions. However, I strongly believe that something Jimi Festival, One Love Fest, International Ambient Festimuch more important will be left by ECoC – the awareness val and Wrocław Industrial Festival, and to promote prothat Wrocław offers unlimited space for beauty because of jects dedicated to ECoC: Singing Europe, Guitar Masters, the amazing and beautiful people living here. Every person Tamborrada, Passage or Mercouri / Xenakis. who joined us this year left a piece of tehmselves and The second assumption was to invite to Wrocław amazinfluenced the growth of “Spaces for ing stars who had never visited our city. The list included, Beauty”: including the artists, organizamong others, Vienna and Budapest philharmonic musiers, audience and commentators. For cians, New York and Tokyo symphonists, Lang Lang, Robthat I am thankful to all those whom erto Alagna, Enio Morricone, David Gilmour or Rammstein. I met thanks to European Capital of Simultaneously, we promoted our artists by foreign resiCulture Wrocław 2016. dencies, laboratories or projects created in cooperation Agnieszka Franków - Żelazny with artists from all over the world. Curator of music Another assumption, apart from the projects implemented by professionals, concerned educational actions. We raised the need to create music in people who do Completed projects: 65 not deal with it on a daily basis. The following initiatives were really helpful: the Instrument Active participants Building Workshops; Mummy, Daddy, Sing to (artists, authors): 18 880 Me or the Wrocław Commenting Choir. We
PERFORMANCE
photo by: Miłosz Poloch
The Flow Quartet was the effort of a group of people – the ECoC 2016 Performance team – who believed that the city and its residents can create and tell an incredible story. Spreading on and on, it becomes a way to discover the identity of Wrocław and its dwellers, with their complex family histories and still relevant stories of seeking one’s own place. Work on the Flow Quartet began already in 2013. The first event of the Quartet was “Bridge Builders”, whose finale took place in June 2015. Hundreds of young people, half of whom had never thought about becoming involved in art, took part in 27 performances prepared by them on 26 bridges of Wrocław. “Awakening” – the ECoC Wrocław 2016 Opening Ceremony gathered over 1,300 artists; the residents of Wrocław constituted a significant part of them - musicians, acrobats, dancers, actors, children and young people, 300 cyclists and capoeira dancers. In total, we all walked 20 kilometres along the routes of the four Spirits of Wrocław in order to meet each other in the Main Square, where an orchestra composed of several dozen musicians from several brass bands from all over Poland gave a concert. In June, the residents of Wrocław had another opportunity to spend an entire day with the events prepared for them by the Performance team. “Flow” – the most international project in terms of the participants, was divided into two parts. The first one took place in several different locations and revolved around the topic of Wrocław diaspora, its history and impact on the development of the social tissue. The second one focused primarily on the musical history of Breslau / Wrocław; over twenty-person orchestra and a choir took part in it. Artists from Israel, Germany, the Czech Repub-
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Participants: Bridge builders: 25 000 Awakening: 120 000 flow: 51 000 Sky: 31 000
lic, Spain, Armenia, the Netherlands as well as residents of Wrocław being part of the Ukrainian minority were invited to participate in the events. At the moment, final preparations for the closing ceremony called “Sky” are taking place. Almost one hundred inhabitants of Wrocław, some of whom had already began their adventure in “Bridge Builders”, will star at the Centennial Hall to finish the storytelling of Breslau / Wrocław – Its history, the occurring changes and the way the city and its residents influence each other. One more time we will have the opportunity to see the Spirits of Wrocław and hear the music composed earlier for “Awakening” and “Flow”. On stage we will see a choir and an orchestra of Polish and Israeli musicians. The Performance team was asked by the municipality to increase the involvement of the audience in open cultural events. “Awakening” already proved that we managed to do it. Wrocław and its residents really started to actively tell their stories to one another, to Poland, Europe and the world. We should be proud that we managed to raise the eagerness to participate in cultural events; let’s hope this feeling is to stay with us for a very long time. Chris Baldwin Curator of performance
Wrocław Opera’s project under the title “Spanish Night With Carmen - Zarzuela Show,” was planned as a special event of the ECoC and combined three-year educational workshops. Presented at the Municipal Stadium on 18 June, the opera megaproduction with 500 performers on stage gathered over 22 thousand viewers. The amazing soloists singing with Kate Aldrich – an American singer recognised as the best performer of Carmen in the world of the last decade, Spanish and Polish soloists, dancers, ballet teams from Madrid and the Wrocław Opera as well as dancers from many Polish cities, choirs of Wrocław universities and Lower Silesia, beautiful colourful costumes, gigantic theatrical scenery, incredible lighting, special effects, amazing direction and choreography by a Spanish artist Ignacio Garcia and fantastic Polish director Waldemar Zawodziński, the orchestra of the Wrocław Opera conducted by Tomasz Szreder, brass bands, Karolina Wajda’s dancing horses , and our Municipal Police -all of that created an amazing evening and the stadium holding thousands of people applauded fiercely. The effects of work on this performance will bear fruit also in the years to come. The choir and the dancing teams taking part in the project decided to include Zarzuela in their concert programme. I think that the level of the event prepared by the Opera was very high. The performance gained recognition of foreign and national press as well as fantastic reviews of foreign tourists and viewers from all over Poland. Ewa Michnik Curator of opera
OPERA Active participants (artists, creators): 500 Spectators: 22 000
THEATRE
photo by: Maciej Zakrzewski
In the programme book presenting the theatrical projects of ECoC Wrocław 2016 I took the liberty of presenting my credo. I believe in the medium of theatre and that “from theatre stages we still hear the most emphatically stated questions about a multicultural European identity, tolerance and a shared vision of a sustainable open society. That today, as when it was being born, the theatre becomes a space for a dynamic description of the equally dynamic changes in the modus of our lives. And that in this description, which involves the entire human being, the theatre errs far less than other media. I believe in a theatre that, by describing humankind in action, continually re-creates humankind. In this sense, it remains the foundation for our self-understanding and the cornerstone of democracy. The skene still not only supports the city agora but deepens it and brings to the domain of an image of a recorded and understood world”. Such credo, brought to the field of cooperation between many people of theatre in our city and Lower Silesia, created a wave of projects that carried theatre with all of its kinds and genres. A lot of “education for theatre and through theatre” projects began long before 2016 - it was no surprise that the first half of the year of the European Capital of Culture was dominated by educational projects.
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Over five thousand participants devoted many weeks to take part in the total of a dozen or so educational programmes that very often lasted for a few months. It is the unique characteristic of theatrical projects - not superficiality, but depth and dedication. Festivals, festive meetings, and special - historical - events dominated the map of the second part of the year. Prominently among them was the Theatre Olympics - the greatest theatre festival in history, not only of Wrocław but of Poland, which brought presentations of 159 unique events from 18 countries, including 81 plays (137 performances and reruns), 7 remixes, 19 meetings, 7 debates, 2 lectures, 1 conformance, 4 concerts, 14 films, 2 rituals, 7 exhibitions and 11 workshops. Jarosław Fret Curator of theatre
Completed projects: 50 Unique theatre events: 2000
Now that was something to look at! The year of the European Capital of Culture Wrocław 2016 was the time when we presented over 70 exhibitions and carried out 20 projects as part of the “Wrocław - Backyard Door” project. The visual arts programme also covered performances, shows or artistic festivals such as the Survival Art Review, the TIFF Festival and the European Glass Festival. “Sounds” - an exhibition of Eduardo Chillida’s works - was an important and significant event which opened a new chapter in the visual arts programme. It was the first time that over 40 works of this exceptional Basque artist were available in Poland. The selection of that famous sculptor was not just intentional – it was special. Chillida was born and worked in San Sebastian - the city that shares with Wrocław the title of European Capital of Culture 2016. This way we initiated a dialogue between the two cities in different parts of Europe. A totally different artistic expression was captured in the exhibition of works by Krzysztof Gierałtowski in San Sebastian, titled “Polish Individualities”. Among other projects that connected the two European Capitals of Culture wasBASK, which presented the Basque culture, and an exhibition of works by Łukasz Rusznica, a Wrocław photographer, titled “European Eyes on Japan”. The programme of visual arts paid special attention to the works of artists from Wrocław. The exhibition titled “Art Seeks IQ” is especially worth mentioning. The curatorial selection presented a broad outline of different trends and techniques - starting with art deriving from the neo-avant-garde of the 1960s, to the counterculture generation, to the latest forms of art; from painting, sculpture and
Places where the presentations were held: Wrocław: 36, world (e.g. venice, Dresden, Budapest, San Sebastian): 11 Completed projects: 54 Active participants (artists, authors) : 1467 Artistic publications: 16 glass to installations and video art. Rediscovering Wacław Szpakowski, who is recognised as one of the pioneers of abstract art in Poland, was also a very important event. The year 2016 created a chance to organise exhibitions outside Lower Silesia. This is how the following exhibitions were prepared: “The Wild West. A History of Wrocław’s Avant-garde” (Warsaw, Kosice, Bochum, Zagreb, and Budapest), “The Germans Did Not Come” (Dresden) or a series of exhibitions of artists from Wrocław at Test Gallery in Warsaw. Locality, society, activation and cooperation with the residents were the features of the “Wrocław - Backyard Door” programme, which had a markedly experimental character because it confronted artistic visions with local needs. Among the implemented projects there were “Trafostation” by Joanna Rajkowska, “The Ash-tree House” by Niedzielni, “Jacob’s Ladder” by Jakub Szczęsny, ”Skylight” by Joanna Piaścik or a yard series „WHO’S THERE” created by Karolina Breguła together with the residents of Ołbin. The Workshop at 45 Komuny Paryskiej Street also organized unique actions for children and young people, film screenings and intergenerational neighbourhood meetings. The Workshop is a very important place and the only one of such profile that operates in Przedmieście Oławskie. Michał Bieniek Curator of visual arts
photo by: Filip Basara
Now that was something to look at!
VISUAL ARTS
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“Wrocław - Backyard Door” The “Wrocław - Backyard Door” project was based on inviting artists, animators and designers to visit yards of Wrocław, very often distant from the city centre, and to carry out cultural and artistic activities along with the residents. By doing that, we initiated an artistic experiment whose aim was to check whether it is possible to endow social interaction with a new quality by means of artistic actions carried out in the immediate proximity of the audience, without the mediation of institutions. Yes, it is. Among the projects was an abstract video clip full of human beings wandering around an empty space of a tower block housing estate. Together with the residents, we shot several episodes of a yard series. We built a colourful tree house and transformed an old substation into a water and plant ecosystem. We inflated an eight-meter-high hedgehog, assembled a mirror under a tenement skylight, and grew some plants. We visited Przedmieście Oławskie, Ołbin, Huby, Kleczków, Brochów, Gaj and Sępolno. Although the implemented projects were very diverse, they had one shared goal: we wanted to focus attention on yards away from the city centre and let artists visit them; their projects were intended to engage the residents in actions, or simply to encourage them to meet and get to know each other. It turned out that sometimes it is enough to make the locals interested in their yard to turn it into. Natalia Romaszkan Backyard Door Project Coordinator
Completed projects: 32 in 42 backyards and 7 estates Artists involved in the organization: 60 workshops: 300 Meetings and consultations with the residents: 70 Active participants: 4400 13
microGRANTS ECoC 2016 applications filed: 474 completed projects: 52 activities implemented as part of the projects: 225 Persons implementing the projects: 662 Active participants in the programme: 5461 MicroGRANTS ECoC 2016 is a programme dedicated to those residents of Wrocław who wished to join the celebrations of the European Capital of Culture and implement their ideas for cultural actions engaging the residents. The projects were selected in a competition and then implemented in cooperation with the programme team. Thanks to the fact that several hundreds of people implemented their ideas, we have had the opportunity to learn e.g. how to pickle, hear Mozart playing in a yard, decorate benches and poles using yarn bombing technique of crocheting or connect with an astronaut at International Space Station. projects had various forms, used diverse methods and tools, but they always referred to something that was close to the originator. Something that was worth spending our time, effort and energy - worth gathering and working together. The residents of Wrocław involved in ECoC Wrocław 2016 are changing their neighbourhoods, discussing important topics and sharing their knowledge; they show art in an unusual way, record Wrocław and bring its history back. Anna Pasternak Coordinator of the project
Artist-in-Residence Programme A-i-R Wro
Lower Silesia project
The A-i-R Wro Artist-in-Residence Programme was created in order to allow the artists from Lower Silesia to develop and work abroad, and foreign artists - to work in Lower Silesia. Just in 2016,over 100 residents implemented their original projects in Wrocław, the region, and in Europe - they carried out research and workshops, they wrote, prepared concerts and exhibitions. By creating the residential offer with the local institutions and organizations, the A-i-R Wro Programme, also became a platform for co-operation on a local and international level for more than 60 entities. By carrying out three editions of the competition for organising the residency, we gave a chance to other entities to try their hand in this area. Supporting the cultural sector and its professionalisation also constituted one of the goals. Sharing experiences, maintaining and establishing new contacts are crucial both for the participants in the residency and for the organisers; hence, the programme includes “A-i-R Wro Talks” - a meeting that gathered over 20 representatives of residential centres across Europe. 2016 is behind us but ahead of us there are many years of cooperation! Berenika Nikodemska Coordinator of the project
The regional programme of European Capital of Culture Wrocław 2016 included a cross-section of many cultural phenomena from Lower Silesia. The activities took place in several dozens of towns and villages. All of them had one common feature - their aim was to discover and dwell upon Lower Silesia, its history, the multi-layered culture and incredible variety. Two festivals were held in the region: Silesia Art Biennale - dedicated to places and artists of the region, and the PreTexts Literary Festival - wandering from town to town along the literary paths. The MoKaPP (Mobile Catalyst of the Public Space) was seen in the most amazing places of Chojnów, Szczytna and Nowa Ruda. Young researchers and animators decided to “Read the Town” in Boguszów-Gorce, Bogatynia, Dzierżoniów, Lwówek Śląski, Oborniki Śląskie, Wołów and Bolesławiec. The animators of culture from all over Poland met at the Non-congress in Lubiąż, and the people of culture met regularly in the Open Work Group to talk about the culture of small and medium towns. “Walls of Peace” were created in Wałbrzych, whileDuszniki Zdrój hosted the “Paper k.” exhibition. Over one hundred ideas from Lower Silesia that were successfully carried out have been described in “Spinacz”. Marek Sztark Coordinator of the project
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photo by: Alicja Kielan
Applications sent for recruitment purposes: 324 Residents: 105 Active participants in the programme: 9184 places where the presentations were held: Wrocław: 106, poland: 24, world: 28
Coalition of Cities is a programme of cooperation between Wrocław as European Capital of Culture 2016 and the following six cities: Gdańsk, Katowice, Lublin, Łódź, Poznań and Szczecin. It is the first project in the history of ECoC when the city that won the title in a given country did not concentrate exclusively on its own project, but offered a long-term intended to focus on the incredible energy coming straight from the cooperation between the cities rather than competition. During the summer months we managed to develop seven presentations showing the city-forming role of culture in Polish metropolises. We spent long hours talking about the responsibility of the local government for culture. Today, the people organisations gathered in the Coalition of Cities form an informal network of activists, whose meetings and experience sharing will offer a new perspective on culture after 2016. The secretary office of the Coalition of Cities is maintained by Impart 2016 Festival Office. Dominika Kawalerowicz Manager of the programme department of the ECoC Wrocław 2016 and a member of the City Coalition team
photo by: Beata Ratuszniak
Coalition Cities: 7 Hours of debates on culture in the cities: 122 Artists and creators of culture from all over the country: 820
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City of the Future / Laboratory Wrocław The City of the Future / Laboratory Wrocław programme was based on the belief that the world is headed toward dramatic changes which are already transforming or will be transforming all the dimensions of life, both of individuals and of the society. Its ground-breaking character assumes that searching for answers to questions about the future may include analogies to the past only to a small degree, so it needs to draw on creative imagination. Where should we look for it? Everywhere: in academic discourse, in artworks, in experts’ intuition, in the practices of activists and hackers, by talking to children and city dwellers. The programme was initiated already in 2015, during the Wro Media Art Biennale, and it was based on numerous exhibitions and artistic interventions, research projects, conferences and a non-conference, seminars, animation actions, publications, and documentaries. All of this has been covered by the Social Foresight Wrocław 2036/56, which synthesises the future scenarios for Wrocław a city that is both unique and universal. Edwin Bendyk Curator of the project
fot. Dunvael Photography
City coalition
WHAT AFTER ECoC 2016? Questions and answers Have the assumptions of ECoC Wrocław 2016 been fulfilled? The research carried out in 2016 shows that the respondents fully accept the content indicated by the organisers in the programme book Spaces for Beauty. Designing. They positively refer to the project pointing out that its greatest strength lies in providing an impulse necessary for the cultural development and the cultural education. The respondents think that the ECoC is not an event for the rich intended only to improve the city’s image. However, it is worth noticing that the assumed objectives of the ECoC Wrocław 2016 were defined in long-term manner and it is necessary to withheld any final judgements. Accuracy of repeated opinions about ECoC by respondents People have different opinions about what ECoC in Wrocław is and how to assess it. How accurately - in your opinion – do these statements describe ECoC Wrocław 2016? 5 4,5 4 3,5 3
What is the success of ECoC Wrocław 2016? In order to assess ECoC Wrocław 2016 one needs distance, discussion, and research results. That is the task for 2017. However, even now we can say that the success of ECoC is the general attendance, especially in summer, as well as the positive attitude towards the project. One of the advantages is also the balanced programme that emphasises the social events such as those promoting culture, as well as numerous small actions carried out after the adjudicating the microgrants competition. The artistic residencies and the literary budget also gained recognition. What will be left after ECoC Wrocław 2016? Which programmes, projects, and actions will be established? Generally speaking, after the 8-year process of execution it is possible to divide ECoC Wrocław 2016 into seven areas: a. investment in the cultural infrastructure: noticing, and in many cases creating public spaces that promote pro-social behaviours and attitudes was appreciated.
2,5 2
photo by: Dunvael Photography
Impulse to cultural development and education for culture
All-year-long celebration of Wrocław in Poland and Europe
Lower Silesian event
1 – I strongly disagree, 5 – I strongly agree
Freedom of creating art for everyone
Discussion regarding our identity
All-year-long celebration of Poland and Europe in Wrocław
Animating Culture
Unnecessary spendings
Event for the rich
Permanent changes in the cultural live in the city
Freedom of contemplating art for everyone
Event only for the chosen
Time of experiencing culture and meeting the beauty
Propaganda of authorities
1
Getting back friendly urban space, spaces for beauty
1,5
Source: CATI Research on a sample of the residents of Wrocław and the Wrocław agglomeration at age 16-70 years old. 2nd Wave - June-July, 3rd Wave October-November 2016.
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Beauty of the following facilities has been restored:
The Centennial Four Domes Hall Pavilion
photo by: Alicja Kielan
Formaty Wrocław Club
the creative area in Ruska 46
the Capitol Music Theatre
Fama Cultural and Library Centre
Investments were made in the new spaces for beauty: the New Horizons Cinema, the Barbara centre, the National Forum of Music, Nowe Żerniki European Capital of Culture Housing Estate, the “Krzywy Komin” Professional Development Centre, the Depot History Centre, the Pan Tadeusz Museum, Wrocław Contemporary Museum in the air-raid shelter, the Henryk Tomaszewski, Theatre Museum, Na Grobli stage of the Jerzy Grotowski Institute; revitalization of the following districts was officially started: Nadodrze, Psie Pole, and Przedmieście Oławskie. All of those facilities will serve the residents of the city for generations. b. Projects established during the ECoC Wrocław 2016 (among others): microGRANTS ECoC 2016 A-i-R Wro Artist-in-Residence Programme Wrocław - Backyard Door Wrocław Publishing Programme ECoC Parks 17
Wrocław House of Literature Cultural Cooperation Network: UNESCO World Book Capital, ECoC cities network, ICORN network, National Coalition of the Cities for Culture, the Lower Silesian Open Work Group Wrocław - Lower Silesian ECoC Publishing Series c. shared experience of the residents - it turned out that we eagerly take part in undertakings broadening knowledge and public projects. We enjoy being together and establishing contacts. d. image of Wrocław – increased of Wrocław and Lower Silesia in of Poland, and Europe e. shaping the culture-making role of Wrocław, also towards the region of Lower Silesia f. potential of artists and the local culture ECoC led to “vibrations” of the local culture stage, and turned the debate about culture into an important element of this sphere g. competences of the European Capital of Culture Wrocław 2016/IMPART Festival Office - a press conference which is going to be held on 17 January 2017 will focus on the issue
What is the „ECoC effect”, we often use this term but what does it really mean?
Has participation in culture increased? The events organised as part of ECoC undoubtedly constitute a crucial extension of the cultural offer and influence the accessibility of culture. Current research and participation studies confirm that a significant part of the residents take part in the events organised as part of the ECoC.
30 % 25 % 20 % 15 % 10 %
International Theatre Olympics - plays, events (14.10.-11.11.2016)
Singing Europe - concert of choirs (Municipality Stadium, NFM, M. Magdalena's Church)
A Little Bit Different Photography Festival TIFF "Rivers and Roads" (2-4.09.2016)
New Horizons International Film Festival (21-31.07.2016)
Concert of David Gilmour (25.06.2016)
PKO Night Half Marathon Wrocław (18.06.2016)
Evening Event Flow (11.06.2016)
Spanish Night With Carmen - Zarzuela Show at the Municipality Stadium (18.06.2016)
This year's Jazz on the Odra Festival
Concert of Big Bands at the Pergola (30.04.2016)
Thanks Jimi Festival - Breaking the Guitar Guiness World Record in the Main Square (26.04.2016)
Extra time of the European Literature Night on the Great Island (19.06.2016)
European Literature Night (23.04.2016)
Concert of Ennio Morricone (23.02.2016)
5% 0%
Awakening and the Opening Ceremony ESK (17.01.2016)
Although the term is frequently used, there are many ways to understand it. Putting it simply, the “ECoC effect” is how the local creative environments, the residents, and the city have been influenced by this idea. For some Polish cities, participating in the contest to win the title of the European Capital of Culture, in case of some cities in Poland, played a key role in their development, building identity of the residents and their social capital. A lot of new ideas about the city or cultural and social actions started to fit in with the thinking of local governments. The ECoC has become a subject of a public debate, forcing self-diagnosis of the environment, while the pride related to hosting ECoC ECoC reinforces bonds and activates the residents to actions.
Declared participation by events series of 12 weekends of ECoC
Source: CATI Research on a sample of the residents of Wrocław and the Wrocław agglomeration at age 16-70 years old. 2nd Wave - June-July, 3rd Wave October-November 2016
When describing the model of participation it is worth emphasising its social character. We eagerly go to ECoC events with family members and friends. Stereotypically, an ECoC participant is a young person, more frequently a woman, educated, well off or very well off. The accuracy of the stereotype correspnds with the number of events one took part in. Youth is the dominant category describing ECoC. On the other hand, over the age of 55, who take part in ECoC events less intensively, are particularly loyal towards the idea of the ECoC. As participants, we primarily enjoyed discovering new phenomena and having fun while doing it. The ECoC events, depending on their type and form, provided us with opportunities to learn something interesting and have a good time while doing something new. 18
Individual benefits: For you, generally speaking, the participation in events and cultural festivals of ECoC Wrocław 2016 5 4,5 4 3,5 3 2,5 2 1,5 Was an everyday and known experience
Caused let down and disappointment
Broadened my knowledge about particular subjects
Made me feel better, more noble
Made me feel better, more noble
Became a topic of discussions with acquaintances and colleagues
Allowed me to spend an interesting time
Provoked reflections, thoughts; encouraged me to independent interpretation
Gave me chance to discover/ experience something new or unique
Gave me thrills and positive emotions
Was a chance to meet acquaintances, friends, family
1
1 – I strongly disagree, 5 – I strongly agree
Has the city increased its attractiveness among tourists?
photo by: Dunvael Photography
Definitely yes. For most of the summer months the media informed about lack of accommodation in the city. A special „cultural train” from Berlin was launched.
Why does Wrocław 2016 stand out from other capitals of culture? How does the European Commission assess the functioning of the ECoC? a. The organisers of ECoC Wrocław 2016 chose a non-standard way to build the programme; they decided to create a strong festival office instead of appointing one artistic director; the office supported many curators responsible for the artistic side of the undertaking. b. For the first time in the history of the title Wrocław invited its competitors to co-create the programme by building the Coalition of Cities for Culture. c. When preparing events of such a unique and festive character that take place only once (Bridges, Awakening, and Flow) the focus was put on a long-term community cooperation so that the residents could tell the story of the city to each other and to all those people who decided to visit Wrocław. d. Never before has the role of architecture received so much attention in the programme. „Wroclaw as European Capital of Culture in 2016 was an invitation to people from across Europe and the world to come and discover an excellent example of the great cultural diversity of Poland and of Europe”. (25.11.2016) Tibor Navracsics – European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport
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Who carries out the evaluation of the ECoC and when will we receive the results? What will we know from the evaluation?
What can be said about the perception of the ECoC by the residents and tourists at the moment? What does the research and statistics say?
Three different aspects of ECoC were evaluated by three different academic centres: the University of Wrocław, the Jagiellonian University, and the University of Warsaw. Social perception of the ECoC Wrocław 2016 and the assessment of the events were the domain of research carried out by the University of Wrocław. Results of research of the team in the form of subject reports will be known halfway through 2017 and they will be presented at the academic conference planned for September 2017 .
The positive perception results from the general course of events throughout the year of celebrating culture. Two surveys carried out during the year confirmed that 70% of the residents of Wrocław and the region think that Wrocław did a really good job the host of ECoC 2016. The following diagram presents the examples of evaluation of the main weekend events of the ECoC and the level of notification. Wrocław’s performance as ECoC host city in the opinion of inhabitants of the city and region 60% 50 %
40 %
30 %
20 %
10 %
0%
CATI Research is conducted by the IPC Research Institute.
Badly
October – November
Partly badly and partly well
Well
Very well
photo by: Marcin Oliva Soto
Very badly
Source: CATI Research on a sample of the residents of Wrocław and the Wrocław agglomeration aged16-70. 2nd Wave - June-July, 3rd Wave October
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Number of publications and news items in Poland and abroad - over one 100 thousand
1.5 thousand editorial offices and journalists
involved and interested in ECoC 2016
Media equivalent - over
photo by: Filip Basara; flaticon.com
100 million PLN
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