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Lille 2004

Lille became cultural capital of Europe in 2004. However, it was not just the city of Lille, but also the whole province of Pas-de-Calais, as well as a party of Belgium. 2500 events were organized during the year: exhibitions, spectacles and a great deal of different cultural events. 17 000 artists took part in this effort. 193 cities in Nord Pas-de-Calais and Belgium, 9 million participants and visitors attended the event of the Lille 2004 project.

An important factor for this success was the commitment and the participation of the local authorities. The project funding was 73 million Euros. 8 million from the city of Lille, 8 million from the Regional Council of Nord Pas-de-Calais, 6 million from Pas-de-Calais, 13 million from the state and 4 million from the European Union.

The participation and the commitment of local municipalities, communes and businesses contributed to this tremendous success.

Another important factor was the mobilization of all the cultural organizations of the region, such as the Lille National Orchestra, the Lille national Theatre, other national theatres, museums, etc.

Lille 2004 achieved a record of cultural sponsorships. 83 businesses supported the event by offering a total amount of 13 million Euros that is 17% of the project’s total budget.

Another key to the Lille 2004 success was its planning. There were 2500 different events. The city’s facilities and its public areas was the framework in which the events were organized. Many artistic creations were placed everywhere within the city, in order to be visible and accessibly by the people at any moment. A great many festivals were organized in the streets, with the participation of hundreds of thousands of people, for example people dressed in white forming a huge screen on which were movies projected all through the night.

The Lille 2004 cultural capital project ended on November 28, 2004. Yet the events did not stop. The city took the initiative implementing the Lille 3000 project. We will organize a series of events every two years starting on October 26, 2006. The concept is to continue the effort in future.

 

 

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