FAQ
1. What is a "European Capital of Culture"?
2. What is RUHR.2010?
3. What’s going on in the Ruhr metropolitan area in 2010?
4. How can I take part in the programme for 2010?
5. Have you any information material and merchandising products?
6. What will the RUHR.2010 GmbH be doing in the run-up to 2010?
7. Can I work on the staff at RUHR.2010 GmbH?
8. Are there contact persons in the towns and cities?
1. What is a "European Capital of Culture"?
Since 1985 the Council of the European Union has bestowed the title of “European Capital of Culture” on at least one European city per year. Since 2005, the title has been awarded to a different country in the European Union every year. From 2009 on there will be a “Capital of Culture” from one old, and one new member state in the EU. There also exists an option to select one city from outside the EU.
The aim of selecting a “European Capital of Culture” is to emphasise the cultural riches, the variety and the common cultural heritage in Europe, and to make a contribution towards mutual understanding amongst the citizens of Europe. The chosen “Capital of Culture” presents numerous cultural events throughout its respective year.
The EU have selected the Hungarian city of Pécs and the Turkish city of Istanbul to be "European Capitals of Culture" alongside the city of Essen and the Ruhr metropolitan area.
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2. What is RUHR.2010?
The RUHR.2010 GmbH is the organisation responsible for preparing and implementing the programme for the European Capital of Culture, entitled "Essen für das Ruhrgebiet". Since 2006 it has used the trademark "RUHR.2010" not only for the project itself, but also for marketing purposes. The shareholders of RUHR.2010 GmbH are the Ruhr Regional Association (RVR), the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Ruhrgebiet Initiative Circle and the City of Essen.
“RUHR.2010 – European Capital of Culture” comprises the 53 urban and rural local authorities in the Ruhr.
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3. What’s going on in the Ruhr metropolitan area in 2010?
The European Capital of Culture year in the Ruhr Metropolis will start officially with a festive opening ceremony at Zollverein in Essen on the 9th of January 2010. Throughout the whole year, lots of exciting projects, festivals and exhibitions will take place which shall radiate far beyond the year of 2010. We invite everyone to participate and to celebrate with us the European Capital of Culture year.
For detailed information about the individual projects, please visit the category program.
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4. How can I take part in the programme for 2010?
The closing date for the submission of ideas and concepts by citizens, associations, institutions and action groups to RUHR.2010 GmbH for the European Capital of Culture year was 31st October 2007. By now, 250 projects (about 100 of which are TWINS-projects) have been chosen from more than 2,200 suggestions. Accordingly, the core task of RUHR.2010 GmbH has changed from project planning to project management.
The closing date for applications for the first round of the TWINS2010 project was 30th December 2007. The closing date for submitting ideas for the TWINS2010 project in the second round of applications was 31st December 2008. European citizens were called upon to submit joint cooperative projects in accordance with the following principles: urbanity, identity and integration.
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5. Do you have any information material and merchandising products?
The current publications of RUHR.2010 GmbH are available for download on the website.
In late summer 2009, you can purchase all merchandising and give-away products in our new online shop at www.ruhr2010-shop.de.
Among other products, there will be coffee mugs, t-shirts, baseball caps, bags, wine gum, flags, umbrellas, and lanyards.
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6. What will the RUHR.2010 GmbH be doing in the run-up to 2010?
Many projects are already part of a programme-series that will be taking place before 2010. One example is René Pollesch’s Ruhrtrilogie from 2008 until 2010 in Mülheim, which will be examining the question of “value creation in the Ruhr”. RUHR.2010 GmbH is also the co-organiser of "Public Paradoxes", a project of the city of Duisburg to promote artistic activities in locations that are typical for the Ruhrgebiet but unusual as artistic venues. Since 2007 RUHR.2010 GmbH has been responsible for the artistic direction of the intercultural festival MELEZ. MELEZ stages the mixture of cultures that have been responsible for shaping Ruhrgebiet styles in art and everyday life, humour, speech, menus and outlooks over the last 150 years. As part of a European pilot project entitled An Instrument for Every Child, every primary school pupil in the Ruhrgebiet will have the opportunity to learn to play an instrument until 2010. Furthermore the RUHR.2010 GmbH has already begun to present itself at trade fairs and exhibitions like the ITB in Berlin in March 2008. The Ruhrgebiet was at the centre of public attention at the ITB in 2009, in its capacity as the official partner region. Our promotion stand offers displays and information about the numerous events at RUHR.2010. The staff at RUHR.2010 GmbH is working flat out to develop and promote the artistic programme, along with sponsorship, marketing and communication measures.
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7. Can I work on the staff at RUHR.2010 GmbH?
Internships in the artistic teams, the marketing and communication department and the event management and other job opportunities are regularly announced on the website.
The RUHR.2010 GmbH will be depending on support from volunteers in order to implement the projects and events. You can find more detailed information on requirements, applications, selection procedures under: Volunteers
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8. Are there contact persons in the towns and cities?
The 53 local authorities in the Ruhr metropolitan area have appointed their own capital of culture officers in the ruhr metropolis. They are not only the contact persons for RUHR.2010 GmbH, but also for local inhabitants and organisations wishing to be involved in the activities of the Capital of Culture.
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