First official assessment

Guimarães 2012 has without any doubt insisted on the participation of its inhabitants and promoted artistic activities in many fields.

The City also insisted on its past (Aqui nasceu Portugal: Here Portugal was born) to project itself in the future linked with Europe and the world.

The administrator of the City of Guimarães Foundation, Paulo Cruz, underlined in an interview the material component of the programme, with the creation of a "Platform for arts and creativity"", the redevelopment of Largo do Toural Square, the reuse of the old Asa factory and the renovation of other industrial sites one of which now harbours the Design Institute. More over the shopkeepers played a considerable part, becoming "ambassadors" of the "heart", symbol of Guimarães that was visible in all the shop windows. The historical centre also showed off its best colours: restored -or simply repainted- facades welcomed numerous local groups or tourists interested in culture and arts. Paulo Cruz not only mentioned this change in the "face" of the city but also insisted on the change of part of its soul: "This year was an opportunity to broaden horizons, to surprise, to shake and to develop projects." Pictures and videos (in Portuguese) of this whole adventure here.

We contacted Mrs Francisca Abreu the Local Councillor in charge of Culture in Guimarães to ask her three questions. We are very grateful for her answers.

1. LR: What has been your most important satisfaction after this year?

Francisca Abreu: The level of participation of the people was with no doubts our highest satisfaction and, at the same time, the best stimulus for us to do our best work. Vimaranenses, as the inhabitants of Guimarães are called, embraced the European Capital of Culture as a common project and responded to all the appeals and took part. The heart shaped logo decorated according to each person´s taste, symbolized this collective participation and involvement. The heart of Guimarães 2012 could be found everywhere in private houses, schools, shop windows, public services and spaces.

2. LR: What legacy do you think Guimarães 2012 has left for the future of the city and its inhabitants?

FA: There are different levels of legacy.

The European Capital of Culture was a great opportunity to regenerate the public space in town and a traditional quarter, Couros, was totally regenerated and new university facilities were installed.

A net of cultural facilities was created to reinforce Guimarães as a creative city, more open to artistic and cultural creation and production. But we also invested in new facilities for knowledge, strengthening the relationship with the University and its presence in town.

The University of Minho opened a degree in Theatre in Guimarães and another in Design. Both started last September in the renewed Couros quarter. Guimarães 2012 gave the opportunity to strengthen the relationship between urban regeneration culture and knowledge.

Apart from the new University degrees, Education was one of our priorities and the European Capital of Culture is in every school and the students and teachers were called in to participate and be involved in a specific program conceived and developed with them.

Because every institution was called to participate as organiser or co-organiser, as producer or co-producer, or as venues, the institutions and their members had the opportunity to develop and reinforce their skills, whether they were management or production skills. One can say that our institutions, public or private, are more aware of their own capacities, stronger and more and better prepared to face new challenges.

Guimarães 2012 shortened the gap between artists and non-artists. People, inhabitants and visitors, from Guimarães and the region, were called in to occupy the stage, to test their limits and to surprise themselves and us. National and international creators and artists were called in to come to Guimarães in artistic residence, joining the old and the new, the tradition and the contemporaneity, the center and the periphery, artists and non-artists, to create and produce new artistic and culture products.

Thus the European Capital of Culture developed people´s skills and awareness, strengthened people´s identity, self-esteem and attachment to the city.

National and international artists and companies were called in to create a particular creative environment in Guimarães which allowed the reinforcement of the international recognition of Guimarães and its position in European networks, of cities and companies.

Guimarães 2012 proved that investment in culture has great and important impacts on the economic development. The number of tourists and visitors doubled and they stayed longer than before. It was a great opportunity for entrepreneurs to invest in new businesses and bars, restaurants, hotels, shops were opened. Besides, new products were created and new perspectives of development were laid out. Culture strengthened its relationship with economic development.

The European Capital of Culture brought more prestige and worldwide notability to Guimarães, made it more cosmopolitan, more confident and more open to others and to new challenges, more aware of its European dimension.

The European Capital of Culture helped us build a better city, with more skilled people to face the present and to re-invent the future. The future of our city, our nation and of Europe.

3. What would you like to wish for the ECoCs 2013?

FA: To Marseille and Kosice this year of 2013 and the all the others European Capitals of Culture to come I wish a great year and that it might be a good opportunity to strengthen the culture and city´s roles in the making of a better Europe.

Source: Newsletter des Rencontres n°11 - janvier 2013

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First official assessment