Plzeň has officially become the European Capital of Culture 2015

Plzeň - Plzeň has officially become the European Capital of Culture (EHMK) for the year 2015. This was approved today by European culture ministers in Brussels. The city leadership sees this as a huge opportunity for Plzeň not only in the next four years. CTK was told by Mayor Martin Baxa (ODS), who today crossed out the word "candidate" from the slogan Plzeň - candidate for EHMK 2015 on a billboard in front of journalists, the creative team, and city representatives.
     Last year, on September 8, the selection committee recommended Plzeň as the winner over Ostrava. To celebrate the victory, people in Měšťanská beseda toasted today and cut a giant cake with the inscription EHMK.
     "The title means not only that there will be more cultural events in the city, but that the cultural infrastructure and opportunities for Plzeň residents to spend their free time will expand, that more foreign tourists will come here, and Plzeň residents will have more opportunities to realize how beautiful and successful a city we live in," said the mayor. According to him, the project is financially demanding. "It won't be easy to finance, but in collaboration with my fellow councilors and representatives, we will definitely find ways to fulfill what was the subject of the project," he added.
     Plzeň set the budget for the EHMK project for the years 2011 to 2016 at 2.6 billion crowns last year. Of this, 1.72 billion was to be allocated for investments, 630 million for programs, and 246 million CZK for other expenses including marketing. Among the investments, Plzeň proposed a new theater, a regional gallery, the Světovar cultural center, and the Štruncovy sady relaxation park.
     According to a recent statement by Minister of Culture Jiří Besser (TOP 09), Plzeň should receive 100 million crowns from the state as direct support for the project from 2012 to 2015. A proposal will be presented to the government in June. Thanks to EHMK, Plzeň has a chance to access European grants.
     "The EHMK title is one of the most prestigious and effective in Europe. For Plzeň, it is a unique opportunity to present the city and increase its prestige in Europe," said Jacqueline Pacaudová, who is responsible for EHMK in the European Commission. According to her, for every euro invested in this project, eight times that amount will return in the form of tourists and other social and cultural benefits. Plzeň will receive a grant of 1.5 million euros (37 million CZK) from the commission.
     Mayor Baxa stated that "it is likely and correct to say" that due to the economic crisis, it will be difficult for the city to fulfill the high ambitions listed in the competition application. "None of the previous EHMK has fulfilled the project in detail," added Besser. According to Baxa, a strategy is now being prepared, which will inform city councilors in September about what exactly will be the content of the project and the goal of its fulfillment. He emphasized that Plzeň must use the funds in a way that "transforms the city significantly and profoundly" by 2015. At the same time, the entire region must be more interconnected. Plzeň wants to involve the university and entrepreneurs in the project.
     The creative team will present a strategic plan for the project to the council and the public in September. Then, a major public discussion should follow, said the artistic director of the Plzeň 2015 project Yvona Kreuzmannová. "EHMK is very much about money, but mainly about people. And there is huge enthusiasm here, and I hope that the euphoria of the victory really lasts," she added. The organizers want to naturally engage citizens in the events and make them feel that civil society really works and that everyone can participate in the project and contribute in their own way. "We want to kickstart that process right away," she added.