Program principles
Our vision can be summed up as follows: to forge a vibrant region into a vibrant city. 53 cities, large and small, are joining forces to create a new metropolis. The problems involved in turning this vision into reality are extremely complex and cannot be solved by a single body. Communication, cooperation, coordination and consensus are the vital factors needed to forge 53 different cities into a single unit.
One issue is the diversity and the authenticity of culture in the Ruhr. Another includes cultural beacons, highlights with the power to illuminate on an international scale. These will make the Ruhr Metropolis clearly visible for visitors and the audience.
The overall concept of the European Capital of Culture 2010 includes four major themes:
Architecture, urban development and the fine arts
The spectrum of theme offers many fresh approaches and opportunities to shape the “new” Ruhr area. Networked projects throughout the whole of the region must throw up images that arouse people’s curiosity. Above all they must reflect sustainable and visionary ideas of a European metropolis.
Building on the success of the Emscher Park International Building Exhibition (IBA Emscher Park 1989–99) "Essen for the Ruhr" aims to use art and building culture once more as a motor of change. It‘s interdisciplinary attitude allows a creative approach to urban problems like shrinking cities and empty buildings. The five million inhabitants of this polycentric area can and will blaze new trails, turn visions into realities and act as a model for other major European metropolitan areas.
Performing Arts
"Essen for the Ruhr" is not about a range of individual events but rather projects proposed by people from the region. "Essen for the Ruhr" rejects the concept of “high culture” because culture concerns everyone and must also integrate everyone.
If we assume that the arts have to play a part in shaping the future, we are duty-bound to develop formats for new structures. The Capital of Culture wants to use the opportunity to work together with people from different institutions, theatres and opera houses in order to exploit the potentials inherent in competition. This is not about importing events, but producing them.
Arts and artists are the driving forces behind the changes taking place in the region – the Capital of Culture communicates a limitless aesthetic experience and creates a creative setting, in which each person can unfold his or her individual potential.
Migration, literature and historical culture
The success and durability of culture in the Ruhr Metropolis is not only crucially dependent on what happens on the stages of our towns and cities in the Capital of Culture year itself and in the following years, but also on what culture will look like behind the stages, in the offices of artistic directors and cultural departments, and in the minds of those with decision-making responsibilities. Whom do they consider to be their audience? What factors influence the way they put together their repertoires? What strategies are they developing to attract the new and hitherto neglected potential audience of immigrants? The debates, entitled “Intercultural opening”, are about nothing less than the future viability of our institutions. It goes without saying that the cultural institutions of our country have to adapt to the increasing amount of cultural diversity in our society. Where else are the future visitors to our theatres, concert houses and local arts centres going to come from, if not from a socially, ethnically and religiously heterogeneous urban society? In dialogue with persons from the arts scene, "Essen for the Ruhr" will be forcing the pace of these discussions, which have a European dimension. The preliminary ideas are already being turned into concrete programmes.
Creative Industries
Why does "Essen for the Ruhr" integrate “creative industries” into its programme as the first European Capital of Culture?
The whole of Europe is being transformed from an industrial society to a knowledge society. Creativity is playing a vital role in this process. More and more people are discovering their creative capacities and changing from consumers into producers. This in turn means that they are also triggering off exciting economic innovations. The radical changes around the world offer an enormous opportunity which the Ruhr Metropolis must use, if it wants to play a major role in the range of urban cultural centres around the world, and make the most of the optimistic pioneering atmosphere that can lead to more jobs and a steady rise in the standard of living. Ideas, information and innovations are at the centre of the knowledge society. It is now considered obsolete to separate the economy from science and culture. Urban planning and architecture, art and culture, the cultural and creative economy, and cultural diversity are the pieces in the puzzle that make up the total work of art.
"Essen for the Ruhr" will permanently strengthen the region’s creative and economic powers, highlight the activities of the 20.000 local companies which are nationally and internationally active in this sector, bundle them into a synergy, and create a network of local authority structures. What could be more sustainable for the Ruhr Metropolis than to create ideal conditions for the highly promising branches of the creative industries?