The artistic director of the Eger tender project to win the title of European Capital of Culture 2023 is Lajos Koltai, Kossuth- and Béla Balázs prize-holding cinematographer. As a first step, Mr. Koltai is looking to immerse himself in the cultural assets and historic qualities of the city, as these are worthy of introduction to Europe.
Karen Murgatroyd, manager of international relations from Leeds was also a key participant, who shared her impressions regarding preparations undertaken for the tender in Leeds and the title of ECoC2023 in general. We were also regaled with a personal account of the opening ceremony of the Cypriot town of Paphos, one of the Capitals of Culture in 2017.
We are glad that you were all open to cooperation and the sharing of ideas.
Eger performed well in the race for the title of European Capital of Culture 2010, so the Local Government decided that the city is to run again for the 2023 holding of the title. A professional conference was held on Thursday at the Assembly Hall of the City Hall regarding the tender application. Eger’s application will highlight the elaborate connections between light, film, science, the arts, as well as between science and the church. We are delighted to have world-famous, Kossuth prize-winning cinematographer, Lajos Koltai as artistic director.
Another professional forum linked to the ECoC2023 tender was hosted on March 16th, 2017. Eger’s Local Government invited representatives of all institutions and associations devoted to art and culture in Eger as well as of Eszterházy Károly University and the Eger Archdiocese to the lavish assembly hall in the City Hall. The city’s decision makers, independent artists and artisans, and members of the press were invited, too.
Attendees were informed of the details of the tender and Eger’s plans. Deputy Mayor Ildikó Adler Martonné announced that the Kossuth prize-holding cinematographer Lajos Koltai will be spearheading efforts in the art section of the city’s tender application. One of the highlights of the meeting came when the UK city of Leeds joined the proceedings online, as 2023 will see two cities, one from Hungary and one from Britain currently hold the title of European Capital of Culture. Leeds is perhaps the most active of the British candidates; we have already had a chance to meet them at the first ECoC forum in 2016 in Pécs.
The second highlight of the forum came courtesy of the current ECoC: this year, the twin title holders are Aarhus in Denmark and Paphos in Cyprus. This small town in the western part of Cyprus held its opening ceremony at the end of January 2017, which was also attended by Ildikó Somody, a television editor and host from Eger. It was her who reported on proceedings and the gist of Paphos’ ECoC mission statement.
Deputy Mayor Ildikó Adler Martonné met the heads of settlements around Eger at the City Hall, so that they may liaise on how best to cooperate regarding the “European Capital of Culture 2023” tender application. Each town is to contribute local assets to the body of the tender application.
The strategic thinking that’s held sway thus far is to continue with the fine-tuning of details. We held a meeting with the heads of the surrounding towns on March 1st, 2017, at which numerous creative ideas were put forward in the spirit of cooperation and joint success.
EGER 2023
Switch to culture Eger
for ECoC 2023