Re: Re: Developments in Cork

@phatman wrote:

Not to be too pedantic, but wouldn’t being European Capital of Culture constitute being a capital of culture?
And even though the organisational skills of the committee left a bit to be desired, the place really is steeped in culture and fully deserved the acolade.

The purpose of the title European Capital of Culture (ECC) is meant to highlight existing cultural excellence and to encourage cities to develop and innovate in the cultural field. It is meant to be an opportunity to show that culture is central to the life of a city, and demonstrate its contribution to regeneration, social inclusion, education and business.

A submission for consideration for the ECC shall specify how the nominated city intends:

•to highlight artistic movements and styles shared by Europeans which it has inspired or to which it has made a significant contribution,
•to promote events involving people active in culture from other cities in Member States and leading to lasting cultural cooperation, and to foster their movement within the European Union,
•to support and develop creative work, which is an essential element in any cultural policy,
•to ensure the mobilisation and participation of large sections of the population and, as a consequence, the social impact of the action and its continuity beyond the year of the events,
•to encourage the reception of citizens of the Union and the widest possible dissemination of the various events by employing all forms of multimedia,
•to promote dialogue between European cultures and those from other parts of the world and, in that spirit, to optimise the opening up to, and understanding of others, which are fundamental cultural values,
•to exploit the historic heritage, urban architecture and quality of life in the city.

You can judge for yourself how Cork did on the above ( I can’t comment as I was out of the country that year)

I would tend to agree with Praxiteles – The honour is a little watered down now as the host country is chosen in advance ie Ireland had to host it in 2005. Dublin hosted it in 1991 and, as we all know, something that requires a great deal of effort for little return is not something we tend to rush to repeat. So that left Cork, Limerick, Galway, etc. So you might be forgiven for looking at it as a poisoned chalice – culture by default if you like