SOFIA Conference on European Capitals of Culture.
27th of May 2011
Location: Sheraton Sofia Hotel Balkan
5 Sveta Nedelya Square · 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
tel. 0359 2 9816541, fax 0359 2 9806464
Draft and confidential programme
(Version of 15/05/2011)

Aims:

1.  To continue the process of consultation about the future of ECoC which started in Brussels, including through discussion about the successes and challenges of ECoC during its history and recent years.

2.  To give voice of the aspirations and ideas of the cities in the region who would like to apply for ECoC after 2019 (Belgrade, Cluj, and others).

3.  To develop international contacts and networks on the topic of ECoC, including Bulgarian, Italian, Serbian, Romanian and other European cities administrations as well as representatives of civic organizations.

Participants:

The participants will be representatives of the Bulgarian and Italian cities- candidates for European Capital of Culture, mayors and members of city councils, representatives of European institutions, representatives of public institutions, cultural practitioners and artists, independent experts, journalists from Bulgaria and other European Countries.

Simultaneous translation English > Bulgarian will be provided.

Draft programme:

09:00 - 09:30 Registration and coffee
09:30 – 10:15 Opening & Welcome / Yordanka Fandukova, Mayor of Sofia
Vezhdi Rashidov, Minister of Culture (tbc)
Nele Hertling, Member of the Strategy Group of A Soul for Europe
Stefano Benazzo, Ambassador of Italy in Bulgaria
Andrey Kovatchev, Bulgarian MEP
Rumen Rashev, Mayor of Veliko Tarnovo
Kosta Bazitov, Deputy Mayor of Varna
Yordanka Ananieva, Deputy Mayor of Burgas
Petya Gogova, Deputy Mayor of Plovdiv
10:15 – 11:30 Panel 1:
Substance and development of the ECoC Programme
§  Role of the ECoC for the development of Europe
§  Lessons learned from 25 years ECoC
§  Tension between political objectives and artistic choices
§  The balance between the relevance for local citizens and the future urban development on the one hand and the attractiveness of the programme for international visitors on the other
§  ECoC - a place for developing (new) co-productions rather than as a place where to present existing artistic projects
§  Challenges in front of ECoC after 2019 / Moderator: Hugo De Greef, General Manager, Bruges 2002, Member of the “A Soul for Europe” EEIG Board
Speakers:
Nele Hertling, Artistic director of "Berlin - Cultural Capital of Europe, 1988". Vice-President of the Academy of Arts (Berlin).
Prof. Hanns-Dietrich Schmidt, Head of International Relations, RUHR 2010
Ognian Donev, Chairman of Confederation of the Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria
Svetlana Lomeva, Director, Sofia Development Association
Bernard Faivre d’Arcier, BFA-Conseil, Director, former Director of the festival d’Avignon
Linda Fincato, member of the Committee for the Candidature of Venice 2019 European Cultural Capital
Questions & answers, discussion including the conference participants
11:30 – 12:00 Coffee break
12:00 – 13:15 Panel 2
Participation
§  ECoC – a joint and collaborative project
§  Involvement of the civil society in the planning and implementation process from the very beginning and be part of the process also after the ECoC has ended
§  The role of the business
§  The role of the media
§  Citizens’ initiatives to be able to apply for ECoC? / Moderator: Svetlana Lomeva, Sofia Development Association
Speakers:
Trevor Davies, Project Manager of Aarhus 2017 and General Manager of Copenhagen 1996
Rarita Zbranca, Director of the AltArt Foundation, “A Soul for Europe” Strategy Group Member
Hugo De Greef, General Manager, Bruges 2002, Member of the “A Soul for Europe” EEIG Board
Kiril Valchev, journalist, Darik radio
Nadia Carboni, Project Manager Ravenna 2019
Danko Runić, Member of the Organizational Committee "Beograd2020" and Director of the Agency for European integration and cooperation with associations
Questions & answers, discussion including the conference participants
13:15 – 14: 30 Lunch Break
14:30 – 16:30 Panel 3
Sustainability and Learning
§  The time after ECoC year
§  Younger generations, not just as addressees but as active urban co-creators
§  ECoC - a European process of mutual learning
§  Independent monitoring authority, different than the implementing agency that is built. It should include local civil society (including business) / Moderator: Rarita Zbranca, Director of the AltArt Foundation, “A Soul for Europe” Strategy Group Member
Speakers:
Pier Luigi Sacco, Professor of Economics of Culture at the IULM University Milan. Consultant.
Elmar Brok, Member of the European Parliament (tbc)
Ida Daniel, Chairperson of ACT Association
Marta Vincenzi, Mayor of Genova, European Capital of Culture in 2004 (tbc)
Kalina Wagenstein, director of Art Office
Questions & answers, discussion including the conference participants
16:30 – 17:00
Conclusions and outlook
§  What are the main conclusions from the day
§  How the cities and citizens from the region will continue to contribute in the debate for the future of ECoC Program
§  What should be the next steps / Moderator: Denitza Lozanova, Sofia Development Association
Yuriy Vulkovsky,Executive Director of the Foundation for Urban Projects and Research, “A Soul for Europe” Strategy Group Member
Assen Assenov, Producer of Sofia Dance Week, Sofia Design Week, Sofia Architecture Week
Malina Edreva, Chairperson of the Committee of Culture and Education at Sofia City Council
17:00 / End of the Conference

Media partnership:

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