The European Capital of Culture for 2015 will be Plzeň for the Czech Republic

Prague - The European Capital of Culture for the year 2015 will be Plzeň representing the Czech Republic. This was decided today by an international jury in Prague. The verdict was announced to journalists by its chairman, Robert Scott. The other candidate was Ostrava. The voting was very close, with six out of the 11 jurors voting for Plzeň.
    Plzeň will represent European culture in 2015 alongside the Belgian city of Mons. Following the announcement of the results, there was tremendous joy among the citizens of Plzeň and their fans in the Ministry of Culture hall, where tears of happiness could be seen. In contrast, the Ostrava team did not hide their disappointment.
    According to the jury chairman, the decision was difficult because both projects were of extremely high quality. “I firmly hope that the city of Plzeň will find a way to collaborate with Ostrava,” Scott said. “The dilemma was not only within the committee but also within us, it was only by one vote,” stated the jury's vice-chairman, Roman Bělor.
    Before the results were announced, strong tension was evident among members of both teams. They spent the entire day at the Ministry of Culture, presenting their projects to the committee and answering its questions.
    “The first feeling is one of immense relief and, of course, great joy that we succeeded,” said Plzeň's mayor Pavel Rödl to ČTK. He believes that Plzeň convinced the jury with the quality of its project. The title of European Capital of Culture for 2015 will be officially awarded to Plzeň by the Council of Ministers of Culture of the European Union in May 2011.
    “We are heartbroken, not only as a team, but I believe also the thousands of Ostravans who were cheering for us and who knew how incredibly important this title was for the city,” said Kateřina Ondřejková from the Ostrava 2015 project’s dramaturgical council to ČTK.
    The jury's decision in favor of the West Bohemian city, according to Ondřejková, may be attributed to the excessive ambition of the Ostrava project. “But everything that is in that project is what Ostrava needs; the demand for culture there is enormous,” Ondřejková added.
    Strong emotions also dominated both Plzeň and Ostrava today. Approximately 2,000 people came to support their city at Masaryk Square in Ostrava. When the result was announced, a wave of sadness swept through the crowd, tears appeared, but despite the disappointment, regret, and in some a sense of injustice, Ostravans agreed in their immediate reactions that the city would move forward proudly and prove to Europe that it has its place there.
    About three hundred Plzeň residents gathered in the gardens in the city center to hear the jury's decision. After a moment of initial surprise, joyful shouts, whistling, and applause erupted following the announcement of the results.
    The winning city must prepare a rich cultural program for the year 2015. Both cities have also planned the construction of new cultural centers as part of their promotion. The leadership of both cities also promised that they would strive to realize the projects regardless of whether they win the title or not.
    Plzeň aims to build a new theater and a sports-cultural center in Štruncovy Sady. Ostrava is preparing a social-cultural cluster in Černá Louka, where a concert hall, a gallery, and a music pavilion are to be created.
    The title is not only a prestigious matter for the city, but it also means a promise of financial support from the state and the European Union for investments in cultural projects. Plzeň will be entitled to a grant of approximately 1.5 million euros (around 37 million CZK). The amount will be provided to the city shortly before the start of the event, specifically at the end of 2014, provided that it meets the commitments made during the decision-making process.
    It is also expected that the city will have an advantage when applying for funding from EU cultural programs, as well as attracting private sector investors.
    According to an analysis commissioned by the European Commission (the so-called Palmer Report), the award of the title is economically beneficial for the city. In cities that held the title of European Capital of Culture, employment rose on average by ten percent, tourism increased by 40 percent, new investors came to the city, and the real estate market was revitalized. It is estimated that every euro invested in the initiative brought the city a profit of eight to ten euros.