Plzeň wants to present itself as a city of culture

Prague - Plzeň will present itself as a candidate for the European Capital of Culture 2015 next Saturday, June 19, in Prague as well. A parade of giant masks is being prepared, which will head from Roxy in Dlouhá street to Valdštejnská Garden. In the Senate garden, people can look forward to a concert by Illustratosphere and Dan Bárta, who is the author of the song Nebe nad Plzní, associated with the city's candidacy. Artistic director of the project Yvona Kreuzmannová presented the cultural program in Plzeň and Prague to journalists today.
    The campaign to support Plzeň will continue at various locations throughout the summer. The second city competing for the title is Ostrava. A decision will be made this September.
    The program in Valdštejnská Garden will be free for visitors. It will start at 10:00 and last until 18:00. There will be performances by majorettes, the children's choir Mariella, and the funk band Buster Nixon. Especially for small children, a clown will have a performance, and there will also be a band of students with disabilities called The Tap Tap. The drumming show Muerta Mente promises to be an original experience as well.
    Plzeň is living culture throughout June, dedicating it to the founder of the European Capital of Culture project, Greek actress and former Minister of Culture Melina Mercouri. This artist and politician advocated the idea of seeking out European cities of culture 25 years ago. The biggest event this Saturday, June 12, will be a happening on Americká třída, an event that Plzeň has never experienced according to the organizers.
    Plzeň wants to present itself to the world as an open and creative city. That is why it has decided to invest in the repair of theaters, galleries, and artistic scenes. For example, a historical building on náměstí Republiky has been transformed for the purposes of a puppet museum. The renovation was awarded the Building of the Year 2009 in the Plzeň Region in the category of building reconstruction.
    There are also plans to redevelop the industrial "brownfield" of the former Světovar Brewery, which is to become a center for artists. In total, according to city representatives, over two billion crowns will be invested in cultural renewal. The benefit for Plzeň will be significant, whether it becomes the European Capital of Culture in 2015 or not, said Plzeň's mayor Pavel Rödl. "If we receive that title, it will be the cherry on top," he added.
    The candidacy of Plzeň has been supported by figures such as Dan Bárta and actress Tereza Brodská. "I formed my first band in Plzeň, I sang on stage there for the first time, and I spent three to four incredibly hectic and formative years there," said Bárta. Brodská feels a "lifelong debt" to Plzeň, as the Plzeň theater was the first to offer her an engagement at the age of 18.
    More information about the project, including cultural programs and accompanying events, can be found on the website www.plzen2015.cz.