InProgress 2020
InProgress 2020
Brief History of European Capitals of Culture
The European Capitals of Culture venture was conceived more than thirty years ago by Melina Mercouri, Greek Minister of Culture at the time. It has since grown into one of the most significant products of the European Union’s cultural politics. The title, which is granted by the Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture of the European Union, aims to highlight the cultural diversity and richness that exists within the EU’s member states. It increases a sense of belongingness to a shared cultural area, thus fostering tolerance and acceptance among European citizens.
The title of European Capitals of Culture recognizes the fluidity of European culture, which is created through the collaborative process happening between several countries and cities. It is through the universal language of the creative arts that this message of shared European culture can be indirectly yet skillfully propagated. The winning city and its respective region are given the chance to culturally elevate themselves to become relevant to all of European society, thus ameliorating the city’s image, proliferating the efficiency of the local creative scene and amplifying the touristic appeal of the area.
Global Goals of European Capitals of Culture
Values of VeszprémBalaton European Capital of Culture 2023
Openness
Community Building
Strengthening the bond between European citizens is an important aspect of any European Capital of Culture. ECoC create a system based on the model of European Free Trade, where culture rather than products flow from one country to the other. This enables each participating country to emphasize their uniqueness, while simultaneously allowing for greater understanding between cultures.
We aspire to reconnect a fragmented society in which various social strata often do not communicate efficiently with each other.
Showcase
Tradition
Winning the title of European Capital of Culture provides the opportunity for lesser-known regions to step out of the peripheral vision of other member states into the spotlight.
VEB2023 primarily supports projects which uphold local values and traditions and take these into account during conceptualization and implementation.
Inclusion A major aim is to augment the participation of inhabitants living in the area in order to increase their sense of belonging and thus revitalize their interest in the region.
Exemplar Cities that underwent a positive change as a direct result of winning the title can serve as an example to other municipalities’ creative industries.
Volunteering We aim to activate the region’s community, so that citizens can create new and valuable experiences.
Innovation We provide the right cultural milieu for the construction of new products and systems, which can stimulate both the city’s and the region’s cultural and economic growth.
Sustainability We prioritize developments that facilitate the modernization of the region in such a way that they do not have a negative effect on the environment or subsequent economic opportunities.
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Introducing Veszprém... This uniquely situated city is enclosed by the Bakony mountain range from the North, with Lake Balaton bordering it on the South. It is nestled between several hills that the Séd brook winds through. Due to its favourable geographical position and its rich history it is easy to see why it is worth to pay a visit to Veszprém during any season. Veszprém is usually brimming with amazing events revolving around dance and music. The lively cultural scene of the city results from the active engagement of institutions –such as the Veszprém Petőfi Theatre, the Pannon Theatre and the House of the Arts, among many others– in the cultural life of the city. It is equally important to mention local festivals such as the Auer Festival, the Rosé, Rizling and Jazz Days, VeszprémFest and last but not least, the Street Music Festival; all internationally acclaimed events in their own right. If someone would like to take it easy and truly relax, then the city’s Zoo or the Kabóca Puppet Theatre are always a crowd pleaser, and of course we must not forget about the possibilities that Lake Balaton presents located a mere 15 kilometers away.
Fun Facts: ÑÑ Veszprém and the Bakony-Balaton region is the sole winner of European Capital of Culture title in 2023. ÑÑ The city became implicated in the wide network of European cultural and creative cities in 2019. ÑÑ Veszprém was also designated as one of UNESCO’s Cities of Music in 2019. ÑÑ On a per capita basis, Veszprém holds the highest number of live music concerts out of any other Hungarian cities.
ÑÑ After performing during VeszprémFest in 2014, singer and songwriter Katie Melua praised the city by calling it a dessert box because she liked performing here so much. ÑÑ The Street Music Festival has stages that are smaller than 9 m2, yet this spatial constraint does not deter musicians, since sometimes as many as 9 musicians playing wind instruments and one drummer can fit onto the stage at the same time!
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...And Lake Balaton The lake is Central Europe’s biggest body of freshwater and the favourite touristic destination of Hungarians. Lake Balaton not only provides visitors with a chance to relax on its beaches, it is also home to an incredibly rich natural landscape, spectacular gastronomic spots, many sporting events and stimulating leisure activities, not to mention a multitude of cultural and artistic programmes. The time frame between the months of May to September are filled with musical, artistic, gastronomic and traditionalist programmes, among which anyone can find something that they are interested in. The Beach Festival, Jazz Picnic in Paloznak and the Balaton Picnic are amongst events that cater to pop, rock and jazz enthousiasts, while festivals such as Balaton Sound, B My Lake and the so-called Alkotótábor bring fans of electronic music to the shores of the lake. Fortunately, there definitely isn’t an abscence of alternative events either, with programmes such as the Valley of the Arts, Everness Festival and the Class on the Shore concert series attracting ever larger audiences for themselves every year.
Fun Facts: ÑÑ The Balaton Highlands were nominated as a UNESCO Cultural Landscape. ÑÑ There are six distinct wine regions around the lake currently, but the Romans were known to cultivate vineyards in order to make wine as early as the first century AD. ÑÑ The lake bears witness to an average of 2000 hours of sunshine annually, which is the equivalent of what the French Riviera enjoys. ÑÑ There are 179 settlements in total around Lake
Balaton. There are only 155 000 permanent inhabitants, but during the summer the number of people living in these places doubles. ÑÑ One of the first documents to be written in the Hungarian language is the foundation charter of the Abbey of Tihany, which towers over the largest peninsula of the lake to this day. ÑÑ Concerts in the middle of the lake are held quite frequently, where the stages are formed from ferries that are linked together.
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Veszprém And The Bakony-Balaton Region
The VEB2023 project is the joint venture of the city of Veszprém and the Balaton region, and will therefore be realised accordingly. Veszprém holds the most significant status within the project, but our programme extends to the Bakony region, as well as to the areas around Lake Balaton. The region has never been considered as a unified entity legally and systemically before; therefore in the first half of 2020 we will create a cooperational system that aims to involve all 224 of the municipalities in the realization of our general programme. We have already signed a preliminary contract with these towns during our bidding phase.
The city of Veszprém (60 000 inhabitants) The majority of VEB2023’s programmes and investments will be actualized here.
The Balaton Highlands and the immediate surroundings of Veszprém (224 000 inhabitants, including the population of Veszprém) A large portion of the most significant projects will be realized in these areas, which serve to strengthen the status of towns and villages in the region. This system is mutually beneficial: the city of Veszprém is guaranteed to reach
a level of cultural capacity that it otherwise would not be able to attain without the involvment of the region, while the numerous villages in the area can work together to generate a tighter bonds between each other.
Recreational area of Lake Balaton (a total of 437 000 inhabitants, which includes the population count of abovementioned territories) We will implement projects that contribute to the creation of a desirable regional image in order to create a network of programmes in this large area. Furthermore, we plan on supporting local events that correspond to VEB2023 values.
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Company Background And Structure
VeszprémBalaton 2023 Jsc. With Veszprém having won the title of European Capital of Culture, it was not only the city’s institutions, cultural players and civilians that became implicated in the project, but regional ones were drawn into it as well. Veszprém-Balaton Jsc. guarantees the creation of a truly regional project which relies on collective coordination, as the company is owned by all major regional and microregional associations
(such as the Balaton Alliance and the Balaton Circle), as well as the local governments of particularily significant municipalities within the region. After successfully winning the title of European Capital of Culture, the company was placed in charge of project development and is now responsible for the creation, maintenance and implementation of international cooperative endeavours, cultural events and artistic activities.
The company acts as the coordinating body of the ECoC until 2023 and has therefore integrated itself into existing governmental, municipal and civil networks within Veszprém itself, and after adequate agreements with provincial players in 2020, it will proceed to do so on a regional level as well.
In reality, the European Union only grants the title to bidding cities and give the winners the opportunity to apply for grants. Therefore, investments, programme development and the actual realization of the projects are the responsibility of the government and the municipality of the victorious city.
Finances
Naturally, Veszprém-Balaton Jsc. will not only utilize the funds from the above mentioned sources, but plans on profiting from grants, sponsors and its own sales ventures.
A common misconception about the European Capitals of Culture project is that it is funded by the European Union.
The Board CEO: Alíz Markovits Division of International Relations and Programme Development Director: Friderika Mike Tasks: Organizes all capacity building processes such as social training and community building initiatives, that are created in close collaboration with inhabitants, NGOs, cultural institutions and other associations, which enable the implementation of joint projects that are of the highest standard in 2023. Manages international relations in general and tries to attract European funds and partners to add an extra spark for the programme.
Artistic and Creative Division Director: Can Togay János Tasks: Maps out the general artistic programme of VEB2023 while developing selfanalogous and exemplary event formats through which the goals of Veszprém-Balaton 2023 can be attained.
Division of Marketing, Communication and Sales Director: Szabolcs Zugschwert Tasks: Builds the brand of Veszprém-Balaton 2023 and popularizes it both within and outside the borders of the country. Furthermore, the effective communication of the projects and events of ECoC, the creation of
sales opportunities and the negotiation of sponsorships are all tasks which fall under the work of this divison.
Operational Division Director: Péter Muraközy Tasks: Is charged with the realization and implementation of VEB2023’s events, along with the management of the musical and streetbased facets of the programme.
Division of Finance and Administration Director: Veronika Rick-Varga Tasks: Organizes the financial processes of the programme coordinating body that is the Jsc. and operates a clearly
defined and transparent system that reports on the financial actions of the company. This division also settles and keeps track of the finances of projects which were granted funding while adhering to the internal regulations of the field, as well as respecting the general values of VEB2023.
Infrastructural Directorate Director: Péter Lamos Tasks: Organizes and implements infrastructural development projects in order to ensure that they are compatible with the values and goals of VEB2023. This division creates spaces that are economically sustainable and of a European standard for cultural, artistic and community building events within the ECoC programme.
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Stakeholders and Organizers
The relationship between Veszprém-Balaton 2023 and Veszprém’s (municipal and regional) institutions, as well as its cultural, artistic and civilian communities Due to the complexity and regional scope of the ECoC programme, Veszprém-Balaton Jsc. is incapable of being the sole resource available for the realization of VEB2023. The company, which is owned by Veszprém and other major municipalities in the region, is responsible for the general coordination of ECoC, the programming of VEB2023 and the realization of cultural and artistic projects. All other extraneous projects that are only loosely related to the implementation of the ECoC programme are jointly coordinated with help from preexisting cultural, civilian and market-based organizations.
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Key Moments of the Past Years
2016
It is announced that Hungary will be one of the host countries of the European Capital of Culture in 2023, and Veszprém’s leadership makes the decision of running for the title. This year the Polish city of Wrocław and San Sebastian in Spain have the honour of holding the title. It is also the year that Ottó Fenyvesi states the following in one of his writings, “We need to put an end to self-imposed isolation and local navel-gazing.” We do not exactly know what inspired him to write these words, but they provide a truthful social commentary; the honesty and clairvoyance that they represent guided our team during the composition of the bid. The Hungarian film titled Son of Saul wins an Oscar, which fills everyone with pride and hope, but it is soon curbed when the United Kingdom starts the controversial process that is Brexit.
2017
Aarhus and Paphos, cities in Denmark and Cyprus respectively, are the winning cities for the year. Closer to home, our Arts Council is formed and a sign with the words Veszprém 2023 is erected in a central location of the city in order to remind everyone of the incoming nomination. More importantly, it is decided that the city of Veszprém will be joined by the Bakony-Balaton region in the nomination, expanding the project into one of regional relevance. The image of the bidding application is finalized while Tom Jones plays during VeszprémFeszt and the French dynamic musical duo creating under the name l’Entourloop performs at the Street Music Festival, which serve to open the city’s musical boundaries a little wider than before.
2018
We officially win the title of European Capital of Culture in 2023! Of course, this news only reaches us on December 14th, so before we could properly celebrate there were some important steps that contributed to our success. In January the Dutch city of Leeuwarden and its region, Friesland, and Valletta, Malta became the two cities bearing the title of European Capital of Culture for the year. In February we got promoted to the next round of the bidding process, which we promptly celebrated by inviting Jan Gehl, the former head architect of Copenhagen, to speak in our city. In June, Veszprém-Balaton 2023 Jsc. was formed, with Zoltán Mészáros, our first CEO, becoming the first and only employee of the company. At the end of August we managed to turn Old Town Square into an open air cinema, and in the autumn our first Design Week was launched, where the Paradigma Ariadné group got international attention for their public art installation titled 12 Walls. Finally, on December 12th, the jury sent to make a final verdict on which bidding city gets the title stayed in Veszprém for a day; judging from their decision they must have enjoyed their stay.
2019
Europe’s attention is turned towards the Bulgarian city of Plovdiv and Matera, in Italy, with our team actively trying to learn from the year’s winners. Speaking of our team, it now consists of two people, with Ági Madarász becoming the second official employee. The summer holds a lot of enchantment in the form of festivals with a showcase of strong feminine energies both during VeszprémFest (Caro Emerald and Katie Melua) and the Street Music Festival (Lola Marsh). The city joins the growing ranks of towns within the creative and cultural network of cities, and more importantly, it is also named a City of Music by UNESCO. Veszprém’s second Design Week is arguably more successful than the first one in terms of international acclaim. The Face, Pool, Two towers and the Ruin exhibition is featured in
Italy’s Elle Décor and was mentioned in ArchDaily as well. Our first municipal Pecha Kucha is organized, as well as the first installment of our Civic Forum, both of which prove to be a huge success by attracting a large audience for themselves. Our new brand image is created and we open an ice skating rink in the middle of Old Town Square. To our delight, Veszprém is named one of the most livable cities in the country by Otthon Centrum (which we wholeheartedly agree with) and it is brought to our attention that the city is among the most musical cities in Hungary as well. To celebrate the end of a fruitful year we have the opportunity toast the members of our team, which by now consists of more than twenty people.
2020
We have the opportunity to personally visit the opening ceremonies of Rijeka, Croatia and Galway, Ireland, the two cities named European Capital of Culture in 2020. To get a head start on a busy year, we organize a workshop with all the 25 employees within the company, who eagerly listen to the various divisions’ progress up until that moment. While we are busy moving into our new office conveniently located at the end of Kossuth street downtown, Neil Peterson, our consultant from Liverpool, returns to the city for a couple of days, which helps us finalize our volunteer strategy. Unfortunately, because of the unnatural amount of sunny days in early February, we are forced to close down our ice skating rink earlier than expected. However, this minor setback does not negate the fact that approximately 6300 people have visited the rink in total, which is more than 10% of the entire population of Veszprém, making this endeavour highly successful in our eyes despite the unplanned inconveniences. The year is not over yet by any means, so while we are awaiting the next challenges and successes that arrive our way, we are in the process of publishing the first edition of a series of handbooks, titled Snapshot, in which we disseminate information about the current status of VEB2023 and its programmes.
Web / veszprembalaton2023.hu Facebook / veszprembalaton2023 Instagram / veszprembalaton2023 OfďŹ ce: H-8200 VeszprĂŠm, Kossuth Lajos St. 3.