Welcome Future
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WELCOME FUTURE Date: April 2018 Publisher: Aarhus 2017 Foundation Publication Manager and Editor: Rina Valeur Simonsen Monitoring and Research team: Anne Juhl Nielsen, Nana Renee Andersen, Brian Duborg Ebbesen, Maria Hyllested Poulsen Design: Hele Vejen Print: We Produce ISBN: 978-87-999627-7-8 Welcome Future Short-term impact of European Capital of Culture Aarhus 2017 Welcome Future / Intro 2 Aarhus 2017 Contents 4 Selected outcomes 6 Forewords 6 Mette Bock, Minister for Culture 7 Tibor Navracsics, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport 8 ▪Anders Kühnau, Chair of the Regional Council, Central Denmark Region 9 ▪Jacob Bundsgaard, Mayor, Aarhus and Chair, Aarhus 2017 Foundation 10 ▪Rebecca Matthews, Chief Executive Officer, Aarhus 2017 Foundation 12 Six Strategic Goals and Key Performance Indicators 18 Executive Summary 20 Aarhus in Context 22 Methodology 24 Cultural Impact A stronger and more connected cultural sector 28 ▪A year like no other 36 ▪All art forms and more 44 ▪Something for everyone 48 Selected reviews 53 Local anchoring 56 ▪Grassroots engagement 58 ▪Inviting the world 68 Scaling up the cultural sector 74 Selected awards and nominations Welcome Future / Intro 3 Aarhus 2017 76 Social Impact Active and engaged citizens 80 Engagement through volunteering 90 Cultural community engagement 96 More culture for more people: making art accessible 102 Economic Impact Growth through investment 104 Economic outcome 106 Record growth in visitors 112 Tourist influx by boat and plane 116 Travelling business 118 New jobs created 121 Stronger creative sector 124 Image and Identity Impact Civic pride and awareness 126 ▪A growing confidence 131 ▪International visibility beyond expectations 132 Selected international headlines 144 Organisational and Political Impact New ways of working and collaborating 146 Good governance 150 The whole region on board 153 Business engagement 158 Nationwide bridge-building 165 Cultural diplomacy 166 Looking forward 174 Annexes 176 ▪Aarhus 2017 Foundation projects 180 Aarhus 2017 Foundation Board in 2017 181 Aarhus 2017 Foundation staff in 2017 Welcome Future / Intro 4 Aarhus 2017 Selected outcomes 159.1 87 14.9 million EUR increase in turnover million EUR in million EUR fundraised in the private sector in Central advertising value Denmark Region Meltwater and Infomedia COWI report, April 2018 11.2 3.3 98,160 million overnight stays million audience visits social media followers VisitDenmark at European Capital Meltwater of Culture Aarhus 2017 events 27,723 13,708 6,000 media mentions in 2017 event days citizens contributed to Meltwater and Infomedia The People’s Opening Welcome Future / Intro 5 Aarhus 2017 4,535 1,965 1,200 ReThinkers new full time jobs international artists COWI report, April 2018 contributed to the cultural programme 442 300% 70 core projects effect of the public countries’ media featured investment articles on Aarhus 2017 COWI report, April 2018 Meltwater 98% 95% 92% Aarhus citizens know positive international positive audience of Aarhus 2017 media mentions feedback on MEGA and Epinion, January 2018 Meltwater Full Moon Events rethinkIMPACTS 2017 60% 52% 14 of Aarhus’ citizens of Aarhus 2017’s events Royal visits at Aarhus attended Aarhus 2017 were free entry 2017 events events Epinion, January 2018 Welcome Future / Intro 6 Aarhus 2017 Foreword Milestone and source of inspiration Aarhus 2017 leaves us with lots of memo- I believe that Aarhus 2017 will remain a ries of countless cultural experiences and source of inspiration for similar projects exciting collaborations across municipal in the future, for example in terms of the boundaries, institutions, countries - and strong collaboration developed between above all people. the region’s municipalities in the Euro- The European Capital of Culture year was pean Capital of Culture year. a milestone in the City’s development, On the following pages you can read more including the new harbour area and about the outcomes of Aarhus 2017. DOKK1. Despite the project being a regio- nal event, the significance was to a great Happy reading! extent both national and international. Mette Bock Minister for Culture Welcome Future / Intro 7 Aarhus 2017 The power to bring people together Aarhus and the Central Demark Region At the same time, the European aspect had a very special 2017. As a European of your activities deserves recognition. Capital of Culture, you invited us to It is exemplified in the partnership with ‘rethink’ – our points of view, the way we the Cypriot city of Pafos, your peer Euro- see ourselves and others; and to use cul- pean Capital of Culture in 2017. This ture to challenge and question, to inspire cooperation also shows how culture can and cross boundaries. It is wonderful that build bridges not only within one country, people across Europe and further afield, but also between countries, between accepted your invitation and took part in communities with very different histories this experience. and backgrounds. Your shows, spectacles and events This is one of the key messages of the brought a real sense of unity to the ci- European Year of Cultural Heritage which tizens of your city and region. You have we are celebrating this year. Thousands proven, as I firmly believe, that culture of events will highlight Europe’s cultural has the power to bring people together, wealth and diversity. And they will show- whatever their differences. case how important culture and cultural The festivities you organised showed the heritage are in building the Europe of the cultural wealth and talent within your future. region, as local artists were at the fore- Of course, the best measure of success front of the celebrations. I hope that the for a European Capital of Culture is its le- year as European Capital of Culture acts gacy. I sincerely hope that you will use the as a catalyst to strengthen your already momentum of 2017 to continue rethin- booming cultural sector and inspire even king yourselves and Europe for the benefit more young people to become culturally of all us and our shared European project. active. I wish Aarhus and the Central Denmark Region all the best for the coming years. Tibor Navracsics European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Welcome Future / Intro 8 Aarhus 2017 We did it! Sometimes, you need to dream big. To be We have put our region on the map, but bold. And in order to learn and to grow, even more important, we have grown an you need to get out of your comfort zone. international mindset and an appetite for Ten years ago, the Central Denmark Re- even more collaborations. Cultural insti- gion decided to join Aarhus and make the tutions, artists, associations, volunteers, city’s candidacy for the European Capital creative businesses, tourism operators, of Culture title an endeavour, not just educational institutions – we have so for Aarhus, but for the entire region. The many skilled people in this region. They other 18 municipalities joined as well, and have seized the opportunity and given it is safe to say that we set out for a bold their very best. They have reached out, adventure. And that we were all well out developed new ways of working, made of our comfort zones. It is thanks to the new partnerships and challenged themsel- tireless effort of thousands of people from ves. They have been bold. across this region and beyond that we can From the outset, the ambition was to look back at a decade of hard work, of big use the European Capital of Culture as a dreams, of new partnerships and impres- stepping stone. 2017 was never the end sive results and say: we did it! goal, but a manifestation of what we can This report testifies to a number of achieve when we work together. There- great outcomes of the European Capital fore, I am excited to announce that the of Culture Aarhus 2017. From a regional partnership continues as European Region perspective, I am of course pleased to of Culture. This is both the title and the conclude that we managed to tie together ambition, which is backed by all 19 muni- the entire region. The year opened in Aar- cipalities in our region. And it is my hope hus and had its finale in Hvide Sande. And that culture will continue to lead the way. between those two events, an impressive programme unfolded with activities – big and small – in all corners of the region. Anders Kühnau Chairman of the Regional Council, Central Denmark Region Welcome Future / Intro 9 Aarhus 2017 Culture as a catalyst for growth In recent decades, Aarhus and the Cen- attracting an extensive and enthusiastic tral Denmark Region have undergone a audience from Denmark and abroad. remarkable development, and with the Together with a large number of national European Capital of Culture Aarhus 2017, and European partners, we celebrated this development has given a tremendous our unique culture and values under the boost that has also reverberated interna- theme ’Let’s Rethink’, and the diverse tionally. programme of our year has given us a Hosting one of the largest cultural pro- stronger collective awareness of who jects ever seen in Denmark, we set our- we are. Both as Danes and as European selves a number of ambitious targets to citizens. It has also highlighted the fact strengthen the region through art and that we are all part of the same cultural, culture, sustainable development, incre- financial and social context. ased tourism and, not least, increased We can now look back on a fantastic year national and international awareness. where we honoured the great expectati- As the figures in this publication clearly ons, giving Aarhus and the region a boost show, we have succeeded in achieving with culture as the driving force. Aware- most objectives, in many cases even ex- ness of our city and region has increased ceeding them with excellent results.