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ECCM Network and the Legacy of Melina Mercouri with regards to European Capitals of Culture Sept. 2010

This speech was given at the workshop of the European Cultural Parliament

held in Athens 16 – 19 September 2010

 

The world in which we live in today

Today, developed countries of the world form a global village. Never in the history of mankind has there ever existed such easy contact. Each country and each continent is in constant communication. But it is doubtful if such communication promotes a straightforward and constructive dialogue between peoples and civilizations.

The political centres of power along with the bombardment of the mass media of excessive information and imagery are misleading and disorientate international public opinion.

We live in a time that is dominated by cynicism, mistrust, insecurity and fear. The pursuit of profit corrupts and changes the character of people. We must understand that when there is an increase in material goods, which is not followed by a parallel development of ideas and values, then the lifestyle created flattens every cultural creation and is doomed to wither and to decline.

Unfortunately, with the political, economic and social relations of today, bounded by trans-national capital, culture has been ostracized from the decision making process.

We have to respond.

We have to believe in the power and productivity of culture.

In the long history of human civilization there has been a whole series of renaissances each one making its contribution to moral and intellectual regeneration and to the betterment of the quality of life.

If man wants to dream again he must not forget the eternal values that he himself has created. If he wants to enjoy life again he must go through a process of thought which fosters the creation of new ideas and values.”

The idea of European Capitals of Culture

The Institution of the Cultural Capitals of Europe, introduced by the then Minister of Culture of Greece, Melina Mercouri, has behind it a dynamic reasoning and especially the respect of the diversity of the people of Europe.

The idea was not to be a festival, but a meeting place for discussion, communication and exchange of ideas, where artists, intellectuals and scientists show their works and together promote the European thought. It is a tool which allows every citizen of Europe to be more than a mere spectator and to participate, to understand, to feel, to define and to shape new ideas and relationships. It is a key factor in determining the connecting line as well as the ways of co-operation between states, local governments and citizens.

The ECCM Network – a brief history, objectives, structure and achievements

From what has been said up to now about the idea of European Capitals of Culture and after a few years of functioning, it became clear what matters is not what a cultural city offers and does on its own during that one year, but the contribution of all the Cultural Capitals together as a whole. Hence we felt that it was absolutely necessary to create a network to make that dream become reality.

In Madrid in 1992, the Network of European Capitals of Culture (ECCM) was formed, and a big step taken towards a more concrete, practical and close collaboration between all Cultural Capitals. A vacuum was filled and a link with all the cities had been established.

The Network of Cultural Capitals and Months (ECCM) by serving both the Cultural Capitals and the European Union had a significant cultural impact. By bringing together innovative personalities and cultural cities, the ECCM Network contributed towards a deeper understanding of Europe’s cultural diversity and thereby to the promotion of Europe’s unification.

The ECCM followed the credo that culture is an investment in the future.

Efforts of the ECCM from 2000 until 2010

 

European Capitals of Culture

While Melina’s understanding of the institution of European Capitals of Culture was to bring together people through culture, an instrumentalization took over. It meant ever more focus was put on culture as tool for urban regeneration already initiated by Glasgow (1990).

Then 2000 transformed entirely the idea of having a Capital of Culture for the whole of Europe into a series of events just to appease everyone. By giving the designation all of a sudden to nine cities, it created a certain confusion. The original concept of having one city per year has still today validity as it keeps the project at a high level of cultural innovation. But with many cities being at the same time Cultural Capitals of Europe, this diffusion of the core idea means competition for funds and attention. Consequently more focus is put on communication of the right image to appear successful as measured in terms of figures of visitors and revenues taken in.

After 2000 that confusion continued as first two cities were selected for both 2001 and 2002 to become European Capitals of Culture, while in 2003 it was again just one city, namely Graz. Then the EU selection committee returned in 2004 to two, namely Genoa and Lille, to be followed again by one city, namely Cork (Ireland) in 2005, Patras in 2006. Then the selection committee reverted again to having two cities each year with Luxembourg and Sibiu in 2007, Liverpool and Stravanger in 2008 and Linz and Vilnius in 2009. For 2010 there have been selected three cities: Essen, Pecs and Istanbul.

Realities of the ECOC Success Story: Implementation, Evaluation and Successes

The implementation of a realistic program which does justice to the demands of culture is one issue. Another one is the sustainability. The latter can be interpreted in different ways. Most telling is when talking to Eric Antonis who was director of Antwerp 1993 still today, then one feels to be talking to the whole city. He knows the entire cultural infrastructure which he had helped to build up and can call upon various cultural resources to get things done. By comparison there are too many cultural managers are hired for just this one year and therefore never experience the long term impact nor stay around long enough to know what has become of culture in that city.

Too many cities are concerned only about their own images. That is not conducive to cultural development within Europe known for its cultural diversity. Above all it is crucial that one criterion is kept in mind when designating one or several cities to be for one year a cultural capital, namely what each city contributes to the overall institution of European Capitals of Culture.

A key term is, therefore, ‘enthusiasm’ for life in cities open to cultural development so as to allow people to participate and to shape their own destinies in accordance to the given possibilities of the 21st century.

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