What unites the cities which were European capitals of culture?

The European Cities of Culture between 1985 and 2004 were chosen on an intergovernmental basis. The European member states selected unanimously cities worthy of hosting the event, and the European Commission awarded a grant each year to the city selected.

The countries who nominate on this title should differ from others with the originality and unique culture which is characteristic only for them. They are also united with some new trends in architecture and different projects.

For example one of the actions which are carried out on the occasion of election of Istanbul by cultural capital of Europe 2010, is called «Istanbul-woman, the woman-Istanbul»

What opportunities proclaims for cities this title?

By this day, the tradition of the European Capital of Culture has given more than 40 cities an opportunity to present their distinct and diverse culture to millions of people from all over the world during one year.

The status of the event and the attention it attracts give the city a good chance to transform the existing cultural scene – carrying out daring ideas, creating new cooperation projects, reinforcing the existing organisations and structures, and including more people in the cultural life.

As a rule, the additional financing involved in connection with execution of functions of cultural capital, allows a city to update a condition of cultural establishments considerably.

For example, in Porto (Portugal) under the aegis of cultural capital the well-known House of music has been constructed.

What experience Estonia can take from previous title holders?

The important keystone to success - cooperation. Experience of the previous capitals will help Tallinn as cultural capital, to popularise not only a city, but also Estonia as a whole. Drawing up of the budget for carrying out of actions in frameworks "the Cultural capital of Europe 2011" will help to consider experience of other cities, cultural capitals of Europe.

One of the key events taking place as part of ISTLLbul in 2010 is the joint concert of Estonian and Turkish musicians being held on 7 June as part of the Istanbul Music Festival, in which the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir and the Borusan Symphony Orchestra will be led by Estonian conductor Tõnu Kaljuste.

With becoming cultural capital, Tallinn has to correspond to the new status and consequently the program of actions in Tallinn promises to be very rich. Here we would like to present you some of these events.

Time: June to September 2011

Nargen Festival, which was created by Kaljuste, began on Naissaar and spread all over Estonia to become the main event in our musical culture and is now becoming one of the most important festivals of its kind in the Baltic Sea region. The principle of the festival is that all venues must be accessible by sea. And just like the post-industrial Noblessner foundry, they are indeed.

Time: 15–17 July 2011

The seaside with a new beach promenade will be open for visitors, the new grand exposition of the Estonian Maritime Museum will open in the hangar of the post-industrial Seaplane Port (regarded as an international architectural miracle in the 1920s) which will be renovated by the talented architects of KOKO Arhitektid

Many big running events have taken place in Tallinn before, but a new level will be reached with a full-length marathon in 2011. Tallinn Marathon wants to become a well-known and popular marathon on a par with the ones in Berlin, London and New York. Tallinn Marathon was initiated with the Capital of Culture’s support and it is a good choice for professionals and amateurs alike as there are also shorter races that runners can take part in, including a track for children.

Time: 11 September 2011

Time: 21–24 July 2011

The European Athletics Junior Championships are one of the biggest international competitions ever held in Estonia, if not the biggest. In 2011 Tallinn will see Hundreds of young Europe athletes, tens of starts, commentators, spectators from Estonia and the whole Europe. Tallinn may be the city in which a future record, new star or legend is born.

Time: summer 2011 Something unique will be created in Tallinn in 2011 – a memorial to languages that have ceased

to exist. Languages that have disappeared, making the world a poorer place. The form of the cemetery – an audio installation, crematorium of words or something completely different – will be

decided in a competition.

http://www.trt.net.tr http://blog.tripatini.com/2009/08/04/return-to-estonia/ http://www.citymayors.com/culture/eurocities_culture.html http://www.tallinn2011.ee/?id=258 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_Capital_of_Europe