BAIA MARE Candidate CITY for the European Capital of culture 2021 title Proposed Application for the Title of European Capital of Culture

Culture of Hosting Why does your city We are facing a tipping point, the top of a development cycle. Baia Mare is rediscovering and affirming, year by year, its potential and its cultural roots, reinventing itself as a user- friendly city, a host to creative industries and an appealing playground for artists and cultural operators from all over the country. This former industrial center is converting naturally into a welcoming harbour for national and international tourists, attracting, in the meantime, the wish to take part in interest and involvement of investors, both local and international.

We have proven ourselves to be adaptable and versatile. The once Our geographical position – in the immediate proximity of Hungary the competition for heavy-polluted city has become, in the last twenty years, a case study and Ukraine, and also in the close vicinity of Poland, Slovakia and for sustainable development in terms of traffic, urban open spaces Moldova – is a clear testimony of our tradition of intercultural or natural preservation, a blooming headquarter for high profile dialogue and intimate understanding of cultural diversity. Baia Mare environmental NGOs. The rediscovered sport traditions have projected and the surrounding region have always provided shelter for a mixture us on the charts of European competitions and have dramatically raised of ethnical and religious groups. In present days, besides the three- the citizens’ interest for an active and dynamic life. The evolution that quarters of the population represented by Romanian ethnics, Baia Mare both locals and visitors witness every day is undeniable. Baia Mare can is called home by Hungarians, Germans, Jews, Roma and Rutens. This change and is changing. We believe that culture and education can constant practice of tolerance, reflected by the fruitful cohabitation of the title of European accelerate and catalyze this change, can shape the destiny of our city more than eight confessions, is also confirmed by the presence of one and the perspectives of our citizens. of the most important center for immigrants in Romania, based in Șomcuta Mare, in the close vicinity of the city. The title of European Capital of Culture can provide us with the power of context, can convert the momentum that we are witnessing We believe that our proven experience as hosts and mediators can be into results with a long-lasting, multipliable impact. Because it is a valuable asset considering the latest political instability and unrest impact that we are aiming for. The dimensions of the city are our first in the neighbouring countries: Hungary and Ukraine, as well as Capital of Culture? credentials. To start with, let’s consider the impact of the incoming the current wave of refugee and asylum seekers. Please consider our visitor flow of around one million people during the year of the title candidacy as an open platform to research, develop, test and implement on the 135.000 city inhabitants. Let’s take into account the adrenaline new mediation and communication platforms that use culture as a injection of a confirmed title for local entrepreneurs and for the medium to address these pressing issues. established creative industries companies, the boost of confidence for the city’s non-governmental organizations and cultural institutions. Let’s consider the immediate and long term effects of over 100.000.000 euros of impact investments in infrastructure, organizational capacity, and continuous education and training. Last but not least, let us consider the effects of the exposure to the highlights of contemporary culture, art and cultural management, for the 15.000 youths currently developing their taste and exploring their options for profiling and growth.

Introduction Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 1 The road to the podium or to the title of European By this candidacy, Baia Mare is approaching Does your city Capital of Culture is as important as the title an important reconvention opportunity in the To summarize we will involve itself. In the short term, the decision to enter this long run. Judged by its magnitude, the chance our surrounding area by: competition was already a great opportunity for to host the title of European Capital of Culture plan to involve its us: in 2021 is similar to the industrial reconversion of the 70s, an impulse needed to recalibrate the • using and promoting local traditions and vocation and destination of this city. By entering surrounding area? traditional cultural products of Maramureș: • To promote and put to work a long term this competition, we take into account several folklore, crafts, culinary heritage, archaic comprehensive cultural strategy, unifying medium-term goals: seasonal rituals or vernacular architecture; Another important motivation for our multiple development directions • To stabilize the local economy by focusing on candidacy is the enthusiastic response • increasing the collaboration between the creative industries and the innovation sector, All the cultural programs subsumed under the Baia Mare candidacy Baia Mare is the main gateway to Maramureș County, ranked by urban and rural communities, in sustainable that we received from our citizens. Close • To build cultural consumption, expand our thus bringing about a shift that can increase the are hosted, developed, funded and managed within the city, in close National Geographic as one of the 20 must-see places for 2015, and to 70% of the respondents to a relevant cultural offer, and explore new ways of collaboration with the local administration and in mixed partnerships a constant choice for Romanian and European backpack travellers, projects that value preservation and local production added value with the local NGOs, cultural producers or creative industries’ nature and astronomy enthusiasts, as well as adventure seekers from conservation; sociological survey were aware of our interaction with our audiences representatives. Our decision to keep our programs contained under all over the world. Eight wooden churches listed as UNESCO World a single urban jurisdiction has multiple reasons, prominently our Heritage sites are accessible by car or public transportation in a 30 project, and 93% of the respondents • To raise the general quality of life for all • linking the urban and the rural area – Țara • To chart cultural and touristic objectives commitment to guarantee the political, institutional and public minute drive radius. Two unique private museums – the contemporary expressed their appreciation and their citizens consensus regarding our assumed strategy, as well as to ensure the art Florean Museum and the only private ethnology museum in Lăpușului, Valea Izei, Sighet, Baia Sprie – and unexpected places to be discovered, relived, support for it. This enthusiasm and predictability of the financial exercise. We don’t want to risk weakening Romania – are also accessible inside a 40 minutes drive radius. The through cultural and touristic programs, in conquered, thus upgrading our touristic offer the solid network of local stakeholders that we have developed, as we same accessibility criteria apply to at least four tested open-air concert order to promote alternative event spaces, • To decrease social inequity and to eliminate have invested a great deal of effort in the induction process in order to sites, suitable for festivals or one-time events that can take advantage availability to mobilization is shared by empower the local infrastructure and the wage gap through access to culture and implement a coherent communication strategy, as well as to coordinate of the existing accommodation infrastructure. More than 350 the vast majority of the local cultural encourage local and touristic mobility; • To run an extensive audit on all the cultural education the cross-organizational programs. kilometres of marked biking tracks zigzag across the environs, on four institutions, which declared themselves fields and build a solid and long-lasting cultural mountain passes, crossing picturesque villages and landscapes favoured However, Baia Mare includes a quick developing urban space, and we by photography enthusiasts, as well as historical sites or unique • putting the love brands of the region into eager to participate and collaborate. brand • To reconnect the North of the country to the are facing an accelerated process of urbanization of the surrounding preservation areas already part of eco-tours. new light through technology and innovative These facts build and support our national and European economical and cultural area. In a five year timeframe, depending on the economic evolution • To strengthen the capacity of our cultural of the region and of the country we can expect small, yet significant, As a touristic destination, Baia Mare is even more appealing because of touristic approaches: namely the eight confidence to the significant effects circuit, proposing a functional regional hub for urban border shifts. the easy-to-reach, lush cultural and leisure offer of its surroundings. In churches listed as UNESCO World Heritage operators through consultation, training, and order to valorize this mobility advantage we designed special programs that our presence on the shortlist and, creative industries sites events and the Merry Cemetery of facilitation of know-how transfer from outside Furthermore, NGOs activities based in Baia Mare and local cultural that include one-day or half-day tours, photo safaris, or even special eventually, our nomination for the title projects often transcend the geographical city limits, making use events happening outside the city limits. Săpânța; experts: cultural managers, journalists, artists have already triggered. • To upgrade the cultural infrastructure and to of spaces or referring to cultural objectives found in our close preserve the cultural heritage surroundings. It should also be noted that the city of Baia Sprie is There has been a constant historical exchange between the free people • celebrating, trough our programs, the • To explore new manners to celebrate our situated in the immediate proximity of our city, the distance from of rural Maramureș and the citizens of Baia Mare, through trade, cultural diversity of Maramureș – the so city center to city center being of only 10 kilometres, closer than the workforce movements and by means of cultural vicinity exposure. called ”countries” of Maramureș: Chioarului, multifaceted heritage using new technologies and • To reclaim, decontaminate and reconvert vast farthest neighbourhood of Baia Mare. Thus, the folkloric influences of the area cannot be denied by any innovative communication tools cultural development, not only because of the singularity of the Lăpușului, Codrului and the medieval unused industrial spaces into creative hubs and traditional Maramureș culture, but also because of its strong presence Maramureș – and prototyping new ways of public spaces and influence felt within the city. salvaging ancient traditions.

2 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Introduction Introduction Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 3 The history of the city is anything but brief, counting close to 700 There is more than meets the eye in Baia Mare, there are facts and Once we started working on this project we have witnessed a hundred years from its first documentary mention and more than 450 figures that elude a cultural simple audit – over twenty active cultural remarkable amount of prejudice. Prejudice toward the generous sense years from the inauguration of the first educational establishment. operators, a cultural agenda including over five hundred cultural of the word culture, toward its power to include. Prejudice towards The stories and legends the locals are keen to share with you are, as events per year, fifteen exhibition spaces, relative low rates of cultural the faith of any town with less than a quarter million inhabitants. well, anything but brief, linking the Bronze Age artefacts with archaic consumption outside free access public events. Baia Mare hosts a Prejudice towards the apparently wild and unexplored Northern part symbols and signs still inlaid on the local festive outfits. vibrant photography community, and a surprising private collection of Romania. The top of mind cultural references, when it comes to Baia Mare and of experimental movies. Painting is the most preeminent form of art, the region of Maramureș, are the rich local folklore and traditional strongly still represented today by a community of more than one Prejudice is motivating. Prejudice is a great starting point in a long arts and crafts, thoroughly explored by two important museums and hundred professional visual artists within the Union of Artists of Baia term endeavour. Prejudice determines answers and actions. Progress is numerous research center and associations. The diligence to safeguard Mare. The City Library has the highest readership rate in the whole impossible in the absence of prejudice, of biases, of pessimism. and explore this unique ancient heritage is an important common value North-Western region and one of the richest collections in the country. And progress is what we are aiming for. that brings together scholars and enthusiasts form all over the world, The local churches and cathedrals have proven an unexpected aperture as well as environmental NGOs and international institutions. The toward large scale events such as concert and artistic projects. The local ethnographic and historical approach to these subjects is supported theater is hosting again the most longeval Romanian theater festival: by significant studies in semiotics, linguistics or music, constantly Atelier. In private museums and collections there are still thousands generating new publics and specialized events. of traditional, modern or contemporary art pieces waiting to be discovered. Being geographically close to a possible center of Europe, but also at a safe distance from the traditional centers of power, Baia Mare became a In the last ten years, the creative industries have changed the city’s place of choice for artistic experiments, starting with the international dynamics. Flourishing business and start-ups in media, IT &C, Colony of Painters founded in 1896 by Simon Hollósy and active for printing, advertising, interior design, wood processing, furniture over 70 years. Starting with the 60s, the city hosted famous actors or production or architecture created new job markets and a new It takes us usually around 15 minutes to convince somebody that Baia filmmakers such as the appraised Liviu Ciulei, as well as experimental generation of cultural audiences: early adopters, cosmopolitans and Mare is a place worth visiting. In 30 minutes we can see the first signs performers and visual artists. This openness to new artistic forms frequent flyers, environmental aware and cycling enthusiasts. The of expression has a confirmed legacy, as the alumni of the local Art cultural offer followed the trend – live music and show keep the of enthusiasm. After one week-end spent exploring the city people have School keep on receiving national and international recognition, in Historical Center alive at night, jazz and electronic beats can be heard the tendency to delay their departure. One week in, creative of all sorts various fields of activity, ranging from classical music to painting, from on stage during summer nights, fashion or gastronomy festivals are industrial design to advertising. celebrating the fusion between the old and the new. This year, the starts exchanging business cards and asking question about the rent traditional Chestnut Feast became a legitimate one-week long festival, costs. We hope you’ll feel the same. You know where to find us. Baia Mare had reached its first development peak as a mining center, mixing for an audience of over 150.000 people: DJing and wood a destiny that shaped the character of its inhabitants – autonomous, crafting, local painters and international bands, arts exhibitions and And, never forget, you are welcome! proud and resourceful – but also the cultural consumption habits. The movie premieres. prosperity of the upper and middle class in the early 1900s started to translate into personal collections of paintings and sculptures; theaters and cafes were hosting a bohemian crowd and musical education Explain briefly the became a must. The 50 years of communism to follow democratized the access to culture and education, large multipurpose cultural establishments such as the Union House or the Youth House used overall cultural to accommodate thousands of people, sculptors and architects were crafting their modernist visions for the generous public places, cinemas profile of your city and theaters amassed constant audiences.

4 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Introduction Introduction Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 5 Explain the concept of the programme which would be launched Our concept can be summed up in three words: Culture of Hosting. This assumed statement If the city is designated as European Capital of culture we aim to Our endeavour is to shape and to promote Baia Mare as a junction We are focused to create a growing context for the cultural institutions, if the city is implement an open-doors policy, offering to local and incoming point, a new hub for creative industries and innovation. The setup is operators and initiators that can insure long-term development and will be translated in several strategic objectives: opening the city to all forms of culture and artists and performers a broad variety of spaces to explore and to use favourable to this objective: high life quality standards are accessible sustainability. Our program has a strong educational component and performance in the creative industries, reconnecting the city to the international and national as a canvas. The current urban planning defines the city as a stage for and affordable; the rent costs are attractive and qualified workforce is aims to maximize the know-how transfer, to build incrementally the designated as public events of all sorts, from concerts to interactive installations; the available; furthermore, some business sectors such as IT&C, design, capacity to deliver, to communicate to scale, to attract funds and cultural, economical and touristic circuit as a top-of-mind regional center, prototyping and local architecture rich in generous courtyards and sumptuous halls is advertising or printing, are already blooming. We have all the reasons partners. We have dedicated major lines of our program to public and implementing self-sustainable form of cultural management. Our approach is combining the suitable for exhibitions and performances; the museums and historical and prerequisite to become a plug-and-play knowledge-based city that events such as seminars, conferences, master classes, summer academies European Capital landmarks can be easily integrated or converted into thematic cultural can attract talents and investors, perfect for relocation and start-ups. and arts camps, the type of seminal events with long-lasting effects. We director based curative process and the open-call based process, offering multiple projects or for theme tours; private collections and workshops are We have dedicated strategic lines of our program to this objective, in encourage local initiative and aims to create long-term partnerships “reasons-to-come” for broad and specialized audiences. waiting to be discovered. The open-door policy is also translated in to a sustained effort to bring together professional communities – such with programs and organizations that proved to be success stories. We residency programs, fellowships and scholarships, competitions and as the film industry, graphic design or photography – and support are confident in the local entrepreneurship and we want to catalyze of Culture. awards, international calls for projects for public interventions and their activities and development. Taking things further we started to organizational intrapreneruship in the cultural field. Our program is calls for applications for dedicated workshops. Opening the city means prototype and test infrastructure solutions – dedicated portals, internet agile and responsive to trends, market feedback and audiences real-time We believe that the culture of hosting should is, above all, a two-sided process, based creating unique shared moments, memorable events that can appeal of things applications, excellence and micro-financing center – that can reactions, as being a host means paying attention to the dialogue and to on a genuine curiosity toward other cultures that creates a fertile vv for networking and to broad national and international audiences – big scale festivals, provide an appealing workframe for the aimed audiences. create a consistent dialogue. concerts, art biennales, international fairs and shows – but also collaboration. Hosting is not about giving and receiving, is about sharing – a shelter, a road, opening culture for insufficiently explored publics, including social a destination – and, most importantly, is about learning. groups at risk, seniors or minorities.

6 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Introduction Introduction Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 7 Contribution to the long-term strategy We believe that it is impossible for a city, a community, a society to stand still. Evolution is part of its nature. As time passes by, sceneries change, new generations light up and old ones fade away, the context shapes and reshapes who we are and what we do. It’s like pouring water What are the plans for How is the European into different vessels: it will always take the shape of its containers. In the same way, cities are irreversibly shaped by the realities they inhabit. sustaining the cultural Capital of Culture action activities beyond the year included in this strategy? Baia Mare was once a small mining town. Its first name, Rivulus Dominarum, was inspired by the legend of the ladies who had mourned the loss of their husbands to the mines, turning their tears into a river. Over time, the city was ruled and inhabited by Hungarians, Germans, Austrians, Jews, Ruthenians, Roma and Romanians. Thus, it absorbed and mirrored the polychromy of such diverse cultures, growing of the title? into a cosmopolitan city of the arts. Baia Mare was home to a European cultural manifesto avant-la- lettre – the famous Colony of Painters founded 125 years ago, which melted down borders in a preview of what Europe became more than half a century later. After World War II, the Communist era heavily industrialized the city, fading its cultural vibrancy. Once the Iron Curtain fell, Baia Mare was left in a state of confusion. Slowly, it gathered its strength and used whatever resources were left available. We started reconnecting with our very roots and values, mining the gold within. Dignity, endurance, and hard work define us. The symbol of Baia Mare, an industrial tower so tall it outshines the Eiffel Tower, stands proof to If your city is awarded the title of European our resilience and determination. We call it the Phoenix Tower. Our Phoenix. Our rebirth.

For the last five years, Baia Mare has raised an up and coming profile and has known constant growth in Capital of Culture, what do you think would be almost all areas concerning the life of the city. It currently boasts an emergent economy based on wood processing and commerce, making it the 3rd most important urban center of the region. the long-term cultural, social and economic impact on the city (including in terms of urban development)?

Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 9 We built the strategy in a solid, creative and consistent manner. We started by analyzing all aspects of city life, looking into what the status quo was. We diagnosed the cultural profile Mission and values of the city, auditing each and every component including all types of cultural operators, audiences, creative industries and economies, social participation and infrastructure, while trying to find both strengths and weakness, in order to be able to build on a healthy foundation and address issues truthfully and properly. In 2015, we have adopted our long-term cultural strategy to be implemented for a time span of fifteen years, up to 2030. In order to come up with a solid and sustainable strategy, we have linked it to all strategic documents concerning different sectors of city life. We believe that only by a conjugated effort can we build our future coherently and make each step count. Our objective is to plan in a smart and integrated manner in order to achieve our vision of setting up Baia Mare has a strong cultural legacy, as for example the one built Nonetheless, one can observe the lack of coverage or performance Local audiences show a neophyte profile, attending free events in high an improved Baia Mare that has surpassed its challenges in a proactive and ingenious manner. by the renowned Colony of Painters, translated today into the largest into different areas of culture, creativity and art. Local public cultural numbers. For example, the Chestnut Festival of 2015 brought together This is why, the cultural strategy is in sync with the Integrated Urban Development Strategy, organization of professional painters in Romania. We boast one of the operators face challenges in providing high quality, up-to-date expertise about 150000 people, participating in arena concerts, opera concerts, Social Development Strategy, the Sustainable Development Strategy and last but not least, the most active public libraries in Romania, with the highest readership in terms of content, communication and marketing skills. Even though plays, exhibitions, film showings, book launches and others. Yet, the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan, focusing on transforming the city into a creative regional rate in the North-West and 12 subsidiaries open around the world. they have built partnerships with European operators over time, disposition to pay for cultural events is underdeveloped, partly because center, characterized by an intelligent, sustainable and socially inclusive economy. There is no other area in the country to have such a powerful folkloric they infrequently cooperate with each other and their openness to of the way the community is structured, with a large part of the people and archaic music sector, nor host a dense traditional craftsmanship develop new challenging and fruitful collaborations is limited, as their concerned in caring for their basic needs, were we to refer to Maslow’s Limitations are those who favor the development of an ingenious project. Think about trying to hub. The specific wooden architecture practices of Maramureș are operational capacity is, due to insufficient funding or staff. Fewer and Pyramid. With the exception of key niche audiences, the public shows build a house on a rough terrain. Its shape will inherently remind of the declivities it rises upon. unique and have been valued by the UNESCO organization as world fewer young people choose to follow a cultural profession and reside a lack of ability in decoding cultural capital, consuming entertainment, Yet, that wouldn’t downgrade its value, function or originality, were it to be built coherently. heritage values. Moreover, the local creative industries are solid and a in Baia Mare, mainly because there is no high education institution or rather than culture. Young groups are either dormant or in search of This is why we began by looking at factors that either inhibit or threat our growth and tried to peer in terms of furniture manufacturing. Business initiatives, especially other alternative education facilities to add value to local graduates and guidance and leadership. think of alternative ways to build around them in order to succeed in achieving our goals. And in young entrepreneurship, are growing in size and number, some of partly because opportunities are more abundant in larger cities. so we did with each of our strategic plans. which are top performers in their chosen fields. 10000 people work in the creative economy, out of a total of 58000 The local cultural ecosystem is self-sufficient and complies with the active employees in Baia Mare. The creative industries make up needs of the usual audiences. The city cultural operators produce a fair 17.5% of the local gross product, that is about 265 million Euros each Baia Mare holds today a heterogeneous legacy, with both high and low points, in terms of amount of events considering the public’s dimensions. Lacking real year, out of which 80% are made in wood processing and furniture economy, society and culture. Its rather isolated position, both geographical and historical, competition and outside feedback local events are poorly marketed manufacturing. Even so, the economic activities mentioned currently has placed it on the border of the main cultural and urban system in Romania. Yet, this and rarely innovative, while the adhesion to technology in culture is employ too little creativity in the production process. provided with an excellent opportunity of preservation of archaic and folklore heritage arbitrary. Though rich and strong, the cultural heritage is insufficiently and the development of a survival mentality. Even though Baia Mare has succeeded in integrated into the present context; also traditions are casually and organically surviving the downfall of the industrial mining era, part of the city’s physical, inconsistently safeguarded. social and economic fabric still brings about related limitations: some of our urban spaces are contaminated, some of our people face poverty and social exclusion and others choose to work abroad, our education system is not yet up to speed and innovative, while our capacity to build high added value and face true European competition is still limited.

10 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Contribution to the long-term strategy Contribution to the long-term strategy Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 11 Our analysis tried to grasp the existing status as coherently as possible, In terms of infrastructure development, efficiency is the key principle In 2030, we envision Baia Mare to be the most dynamic creative Education is a vital part of our plan. We believe that it is the single as we took a critical first look at the major context, then at specific that guided our approach. We believe it is far-fetched to suggest industry harbor in Romania, generating expertise and know-how and most important tool for generating growth, as talent needs to be domains and after that, we further searched into key and details. Our heavy investments into new infrastructures in a city that is currently relying on a growing network of experts, in a polychromatic culture of shaped, nurtured and harvested. A flourishing educational center, conclusion showed that Baia Mare has a multitude of valuable cultural transitioning. So, we decided to turn to reinventing the usage of mobility. The city bases a large part of its economy on high added value Baia Mare will be the place of choice for international conventions, resources that need to be empowered and better operated. This is why different and alternative spaces, opening them to culture, but also creative entrepreneurship that engages young professionals, as well as workshops and networking events. our approach is both top down and bottom up, on different key aspects making the city a stage in itself. Public exposure to culture is essential seniors, balancing both fresh and experimental approaches, but also of culture within the city. We target all issues using a resource-efficient in all our efforts, hence the usage and remodeling of public spaces expertise and tradition. As a touristic city break destination, we wish to become a democratic and most importantly, a long-term sustainable approach, focusing to harbor cultural activities proves that our overview is not only host for culture, efficiently and ingeniously using our city major investments in human resources and promoting education and integrative and efficient, but also sustainable. Our goal is to be a plug and play cultural motherboard, using infrastructure. Not only will we turn to empowering local heritage culture as key pillars in the regeneration of the city, also in social action technology and our smart city infrastructure to allow instant remote buildings, utilizing them in new and original contexts, but we will also for the common wealth of citizens. Our strategy, as it focuses on process and system effects, rather than connection and implementation of all initiatives, products and services. open up our alternative public and private spaces to culture. Churches, components, is in itself a demonstration that our plans will enhance In other words, Baia Mare set outs to become the top of mind when it former factories, abandoned or forgotten places, markets, living-rooms In particular, we take to audience building and development by the economic and social sectors, creating strong links and crossovers. comes to dynamic and user-friendly cultural cities in Mitteleuropa. and backyards, forests and hills, each part of the city will be redeemed means of cultural exposure throughout the city, raising curiosity, while Consolidating entrepreneurship, increasing productivity, as well as by the community. code-building using both formal, informal and non-formal education employment and promoting high added value creativity constitute Moreover, our vision of Baia Mare portrays it as the most relevant Addressing the and developing cultural practices within the family. Diversifying the main objectives set out by the strategy. We undertake Baia Mare’s Projecting the vision. cultural center of Northern Romania, with a functional cross-border In 2030, Baia Mare will boast its clear image and reputation as a the cultural offer and generating dedicated products and events is metamorphosis into a specialized design hub, based on the translation and international dimension, polarizing a multitude of European Phoenix rising from its own ashes, the post-industrial city reborn as a status-quo. mandatory in our process, with a stronger outreach due to plans of of the rich local heritage in terms of architecture and wood, but also Defining the mission. operators and different nearby nationalities and ethnicities. One of creative center and capital of an unique European cultural territory. We calibrating communication and marketing of cultural goods. metal processing. our endeavors is to offer and host a wide range of cultural goods and will no longer be left in isolation, but rather open to and welcoming of Addressing the services, promoting dialogue, partnerships and cross-fertilization as a any culture, true to our most solid value, hospitality. Raising the quality of the cultural scene is strongly related to the As for social change and cohesion, the strategy looks to mixing recommended practice for growth. To this extent, we plan on using our public. capacity of local operators. Our endeavor focuses on consolidating the culture and education as complementary instruments to better life traditional heritage as a source of inspiration for generating new forms The cultural strategy’s mission is to develop all types of culture related expertise of both cultural and technical staff. Alternative professional quality for deprived or specific groups. Targeted or educational events, of art and creativity. capital existing in a city: social, cultural, economic, physical and education and long-life learning will fill the gap by means of training conjugated with social benefits for participation in culture are to favor symbolic. Consequently, our actions are focused on these general goals in all areas needed, from cultural management to financing. Cross- the creation of a thriving community. Also, multicultural dialogue, Our process enhances audiences, building lifestyles and climates guided and operationalized by means of more specific objectives, targeting fertilization as a result of international cooperation is one of the tools to as well as volunteering are shaped as social practices in our cultural by a strong demand and habit of consuming cultural goods, offering current situations and problems, taking and creating opportunities in a be used for the increase of expertise and dynamism of people working strategy and represent pillars in all our steps. Whether we look into access to any and all social groups. Based on our existing strong values, pro-active manner and turning them into success stories. in cultural and creative industries. To this extent, raising the public active aging, healthy parenting or social integration of the deprived, we set out to represent an evolved and involved community guided by budget for culture is insufficient, if the city’s cultural agenda does not our final purpose is to make the Baia Mare cultural and city experience tolerance, hospitality, will for prosperity and flexibility. attract quality operators. Hence, our plan is to encourage a competition as rewarding as possible for all of its citizens, no matter the group they that sets international-local collaboration as mandatory in applications. represent.

12 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Contribution to the long-term strategy Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 13 We seek to prototype and scale innovative projects, using the lean start- We strongly believe that change has its roots in education and habits up model in creative industries, as well as in the public and educational are built within the family, the peer structure of our community. sectors, improving know-how transfer speeds. Our goal is to promote, Cultural education is developed and nurtured in the fertile territory of test, implement and export a new sustainable model of economy our families. To this extent, we have identified women and mothers to based on culture and creativity, one that can fill the credibility gap of be a strong agent for social change, as they represent universality, they entrepreneurship and macroeconomics practices, as a result of the crisis tend to be flexible, intuitive and determined and they are the first to of 2008. embrace change and foster social practices. Also, one of the peers we plan on using are the Romanian and local natives that reside all over We plan on building expertise by hosting international experts the world, transforming them in active vectors of communication, and cascading knowledge within the local community, developing in order to promote and multiply the scope of the local cultural and entrepreneurship, empathy, lateral thinking, communication and creative goods. technical skills. Moreover, our mission is to erase borders and barriers by fostering collaborations, initiating new partnerships and We seek to preserve local heritage by encouraging the study and multinational residencies and programs, in order to enhance the promotion of customs, lifestyle and culture, translating tradition into exchange of cultural products and services within the Central and modern day creative products and habits. Our solid and diverse city Eastern European space. offer and our status as the gateway to Maramureș constitute a guarantee for developing the city into a destination of choice when it comes to Such a revolution of the cultural industry and the city as well is difficult cultural, family and eco-tourism. We aim to create new versatile venues Our strategy sets the ground for a successful European Capital of The Cultural Program proposed for 2021 is considerably broader We aim to ensure and consolidate the sustainability of our actions to achieve without the strong support of a competitive and dynamic for cultural events and creative activities, as well as transform existing Culture, raising budgets for culture and creating networks and in scope and intensity than the habitual agenda of the city. Yet, beyond 2021 by means of creating dedicated programs for investors, administration. This is why, one of our goals is to build a human spaces using the city as a cultural stage and reshaping social interaction infrastructure hotspots, while empowering the capacity of operators the transversal principles and key components it is build upon – with incentives to use CSR as a pillar in supporting culture and centric apparatus, using a fresh recruitment policy, determined to as the core of city life. and building audiences by means of education and sustainable education, sustainability, social inclusion, technology, networking and creativity. Also, we set out to establish a long-term collaboration attract and to nurture talents with strong technical, management and development in creative industries. It is not built around the action, environmental responsibility – are to be found in all of our strategic between the cultural sector and touristic and service operators, with an communicational skills. but rather in the same frame, constructed on the same pillars in a documents. Thus, its integration in the development process of the city improved capacity after the title year, in order to empower synergies continuous flow process, where the ECoC is an activation instrument is natural and its impact coherent. and create mutual growth, while using the latter as dynamic cultural The development of the cultural and creative sector requires action on for the development of all five types of capital: cultural, economic, tour-operators. Accessing regional resources is one of the power lines several layers, targeting operators, products and services, audiences, The Phoenix Tower will become a social, physical and symbolic, as mapped in our process. As we take to develop culture and creativity success stories using the of our strategy to ensure growth after 2021, by creating a cross-border financing and nonetheless infrastructure, using both bottom up and symbol of the city’s revival as a lean start-up model, it is inherent that the European Capital of Culture structure that can integrate, oversee and promote investments in top down approaches, involving every stakeholder and shaping the city The strategy’s actions build up momentum for 2021, projected as will produce strong legacies in terms of audience building, cultural culture and creativity in 5 neighboring and trans-Carpathian countries with courage and resilience. We set out to consolidate the local cultural culture and innovation hub. a breakthrough moment, rather than a crowning of our efforts. quality and expertise as well as economic welfare. Moreover, our (Romania, Ukraine, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia). This endeavor peer system and address targeted audiences by offering a wide range of We take to the ECoC as a tool to accelerate different aspects of our resource efficient and step-by-step approach ensures that infrastructures will help spread beneficial effects of Baia Mare’s polarized legacy, while specific events, as well as developing cultural decoding skills according mission, in order to fulfill our vision for 2030. Its purpose is to create of 2021 will not be abandoned or underused after the year of the title. cementing European cohesion and truthfully promoting the sense of to differentiated needs of specific groups. opportunities and facilitate structural change, investor attractiveness, belonging to a mutual cultural space. cultural development and social cohesion, as it has already started We plan on keeping a proportionate budget to the one set for 2020 to do so, given the fact that 93% of our citizens have one common and we look to raise fund absorption ratios, enlarge extra-community voice concerning the action, stating that it is beneficial, positive and partnerships, while using education to further the program’s legacy. powerful. We have envisioned 2021 to be a starting point and also the factor that can help shift the gravity of creative and cultural sectors from public to private, from dependent to independent, creating a solid community of experts, making producers out of operators and capitalizing their new gained know-how, thus bringing prosperity and dynamism to the city’s economy.

14 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Contribution to the long-term strategy Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 15 Cultural community centers covering CULTURAL SUPPORT STRATEGIC all city’s neighborhoods SMART CITY • six multipurpose educational and cultural PROJECTS versatile spaces SOLUTIONS The Cultural Multipass card The interconnected display network DEVELOPMENT • free to use for all citizens and visitors • include all the necessary technology • access and monitoring solution system • environmental-friendly solution for the support – computers, printer, projector, audio implemented by public operators in partnership promotion of cultural events in a dynamic system with banking institutions; manner; PROJECTS • serve as a tele-centers for the management • implemented as check-in solution or ticketing • working as an alternative TV dedicated to and initiation of small scale projects, solution by all cultural operators by 2018; cultural events, broadcasting video or graphic volunteer centers, but also as alternative • useful for real time monitoring and evaluating events promos; exhibition and event spaces of audiences participation to cultural events; • reduces drastically the promotion costs and • generates in-depth reports and evaluations allows remote control for cultural managers and regarding the participation to cultural events promoters organizing events in Baia Mare; Multimedia Hub and Makerspace Center for Support and based on demographic data; • by 2018, will include 300 LCD displays placed Microfinancing in Tourism • allows a transparent and centralized in cultural and social hotspots: cafes, hotels, • supported by the municipality and the University; distribution of subsidies for categories at risk restaurants, libraries, public institutions, • supported by the municipality • internationally funded using structural funds; in order to insure and increase their access to cultural institutions; • internationally funded using structural • includes a mixing studio, workstations for film and cultural events; • easy to scale as any interested partner can funds, privately funded in a partnership with visual editing, photography and filming equipment; • supports contact-less payments and can join the network for free using a user-friendly a banking institution; • includes a projection and audition room that can aggregate promotional discounts from setup; • offers training for cultural and touristic serve as alternative cinema; commercial partners; • servicing, maintenance, listing and assistance guides; • offers technical assistance and guidance for media will be provided free-of-charge; • offers consultancy for attracting funding for projects; • an important step toward our vision for touristic hard and soft investments; • has a core educational vocation, offering free Baia Mare as a technology enabled cultural • offers courses and trainings for the usage of space in educational activities performed motherboard. entrepreneurs, personnel and managers; by schools and NGOs; • organizes, regulates and licenses the • includes 3D printing and industrial design facilities ”cultural couch surfing” program. The culture mobile app as cutting and finishing equipment. • will include a detailed map of venues aggregated with a calendar of events; Center for Excellency in Cultural Cuprom Creative Industries Center • offers real time events alerts using geolocation services Management and personalizes the recommendations based on previous • center for creative industries, art residences choices; • supported by the municipality; and art interventions; • allows instant rating of an event by users and instant • internationally funded using structural funds; • developed in a public-private partnership; sharing of live or recorded videos, photos or status updates • training center for cultural auditors, training center • decontamination and rebuilding insured by in major social networks; for cultural advocacy and fundraising; means of public and European funding; • important in order to raise the participation and the • offers courses of cultural management for both • creative business incubator and accelerator; interaction with both public and private cultural events; public and private operators; • includes a formation center that offers and • an important step toward our vision for Baia Mare as a • offers courses of marketing and communication hosts specialized trainings; technology enabled cultural motherboard. for cultural endeavors; • Includes a conference center for events that • offers consultancy for attracting and managing attract large audiences. corporate sponsorship, as well as national and European funding; • offers training for volunteers. Baia Mare 2021 - Capitală Europeană a Culturii Baia Mare can become the textbook definition of an urban regeneration The social impact of the title year will be perceived on multiple levels. success story by means of using European healthy cultural policies. Investments in amenities, city infrastructure and the broadened scope Why would it be so? Looking from a historic perspective, it is clear and quality of the cultural offer will certainly increase life quality and that we have challenged ourselves before and made it. Currently, overall experience of Baia Mare. The enhanced accessibility and increase we are on the verge of a tipping point, where cultural and creative in mobility within the area will dilute the arbitrary borders that have industries can make a difference by increasing the city’s attractiveness kept us in the remote, making us feel more European and aware of to investors, tourists and young people willing to move in to enjoy our cultural diversity as inhabitants of a cross-border region. Last, but healthy opportunities and great life quality. Even though we are facing not least, all of our efforts to raise social cohesion will have paid off, numerous economic and social issues, we are on a steady growth rate in creating a sense of pride in belonging to a polychromatic community most aspects concerning our community. that provides targeted and efficient care and protection for all categories of citizens, in a healthy social climate. The economy is performing better each year and has considerably risen in volume in the last five years as proven by a 25% increase in local In terms of economic impact, the title year will directly contribute to a GDP. Local initiatives and entrepreneurship examples are becoming better management of regional competition, with a higher power of the more and more successful and present. Half of the local NGOs local market. More and more companies active in the creative industries are engaged in educational activities, while the County Schooling will have appeared, creating new job opportunities, as entrepreneurs Inspectorate is currently undertaking a large European funded program are sure to follow talent we are educating and fostering, as well as the with more than 15000 pupils learning about creative industries as investors we are aiming to involve. Moreover, investments in real estate career choices. Baia Mare is home to an emergent social enterprises and a better usage of the land will consolidated the local budget, able to cluster and is engaging more funds than all of the other regional cities face a new stage of development. The hosting infrastructure is expected into social integration by means of education, while proeminent local to triple, as we have planned to efficiently convert and sustainably NGO’s such as Hopes and Homes Romania are setting international develop new touristic structures. The urban rebranding and enhanced standards in social integrations for children and fundraising. The offer is expected to triple the 2015 incoming visits and annually receive administration is becoming more dynamic by the year, with a new half a million tourists starting 2022. human resource approach that focuses on attracting and nurturing talents. Like Malcom Gladwell would point out, it takes three factors The cultural impact of the title year will be, perhaps, the most visible, to produce growth when at a tipping point: a minority of connectors as the diverse and targeted offering of the city will have grown five that are able to spread know-how, the power of success stories that can times the size it shows today, as a result of our bidding and preparing deliver both gratification and hopeful behavior within the community period strategic actions and the opening of our cultural agenda to and a powerful context to make it all happen turning underdogs into stakeholders from all over Europe. Public cultural operators will be mainstreamers. part of dynamic and open networks, bridging the public and the private and boasting a new found independence and dynamism, due We strongly believe that by becoming the European Capital of Culture to the know-how acquired in the seven year process and the enhanced in 2021, we will create a powerful vehicle to accelerate our growth budgets and procedures. Diverse audiences and high participation rates in a sustainable manner and generate a hybrid approach, a mutation to cultural events will indicate the existence of a mature public with with mutual beneficial effects. Our strategic fields have attracted a healthy cultural consumption habits, nurtured by means of education large numbers of connectors: young leaders and artists, managers and and code-building. curators, creative people and sales people, performing social enterprises and NGOs, education professionals and researchers. We have started All these effects contribute to one of the most powerful results of a and will continue to create success stories based on our strategic European Capital of Culture, the increase in prestige and symbolic principles. We are ready to foster intelligent, sustainable and inclusive capital. The city’s image will benefit from a new positive outlook as a developments. This is why the power of context is important to us, success story, promoting responsibility and proactive attitude as key because this title can light up the spark that will carry our process values of a European community. forward and we are ready to start this challenging journey.

18 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Contribution to the long-term strategy Contribution to the long-term strategy Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 19 In order to get a real feel of how Baia Mare is going to be like 14 A one day years after being nominated the European Capital of Culture in Meet: Izabella, single mother journey. 2021, we simulated a couple of Meet: PAUL, FILM DIRECTOR before and after interviews with I am Izabella, a single mom of two, trying to balance my life between my work in an educational NGO and my personal life. two real life characters in order I’m Paul Manolescu, a film director, photographer and musician from Bucharest. I’m going to Baia Mare to shoot Each day of every week, I am constantly going from one place to the other, handling professional activities, the kids and the house chores. Now to see the real impact it would a medium feature documentary with a local crew. Time management is critical in my line of work. have on their lives. Their visions and then. and needs made us understand in-depth the potential impact of A hectic day in 2015 A single’s mom proactive day in 2030 the ECoC title and the projected A creative industry professional in 2015 A film producer’s work experience in Baia Mare, 2030 results of our strategy.

6:00 AM – I hate my alarm clock! I don’t have the time for my morning exercises, I have 7.00 AM – Time to get up for a brand new day and start it with my morning run. 6.00 AM – It’s Monday, I’ve arrived in Baia Mare by train, after a 10 hours journey. There 7.30 AM – My plane just landed in Baia Mare, after a 40 minutes flight from Bucharest. to prepare lunch and breakfast. I try to feed my kids as healthy as possible; everything I cook is no plane connection from Bucharest to Baia Mare with a Monday morning landing. I I’ve rented a car online and it is waiting for me at the airport. I have booked, as usual, a room for them is organic, from the market and other trustful sources, even if that is a quite time 7.30 AM – I can wake up the kids now, serve them breakfast and put them on the school wonder why… in a central apart-hotel on Airbnb. consuming. The health of my kids is worth it though. bus. They are attending the Art School. 7.30 AM – I arrive at my inn for the check in. Surprise! I have to wait, they say. 20 8.00 AM – I am in the Old Center enjoying one of the best coffees ever and a 7.30 AM – The traffic is unusually crowded this morning, everybody wants to drop their 8.00 AM – I am connecting my tablet to the TV and making some online shopping. The minutes, for the night switch to be changed. I am asking for internet connection, maybe I complementary iPad to read the news. The city is slowly getting alive. A stage is being built kids in front of the school gate. I’m leaving home early, parking the car on a side street so farmers I am buying groceries from will come tomorrow in the city, so the order must be could work in the meantime. up for a concert this evening, and some photo enthusiasts experiment with the morning light. we can walk a bit to school. I want to teach them to safely cross the street and enjoy a few placed today. It’s a beautiful day and I decide to ride my bike to the office. minutes in the morning fresh air. 8.00 AM – Finally, I have my room, my Wi-Fi password and complementary filter coffee 8.15 AM – I have a conference call with one of my partners from Cape Town. I can connect 9.00 AM – At the office everybody is enthusiastic. We have successfully crowdfunded the in the lobby waiting for my ride. to the free Wi-Fi hotspot provided by the local administration. The waiters ask me if I want to 8.30 AM – I have a meeting in the city center with one of the local businessmen; I want to amount needed for the commedia dell’ arte show that will take place in the old city center use one of the meeting rooms provided by the café. convince him to become a donor for my NGO’s activities. The meeting point is not the best next week. I am really proud of our volunteers. They’ve made a great interactive short film 8.40 AM – I meet my local crew in the city’s Old Center. Nice bar, nice music, only one option I would choose for a business meeting, but it is the restaurant where my partner is that promotes the show and the actors. table busy, ours. Baia Mare is a really small town compared to Bucharest. The good part is 8.30 AM – The film team arrives. Everything is in place. We have all the gear requested having his coffee every morning. Their Wi-Fi is weak, and the music is a bit too loud for me. that we could have come here by foot. online waiting for us in the lobby of the Creative Hub. Apparently they also can provide a 10.30 AM – We start the staff-meeting, we have to plan the activities for the Youth Center screening room for free. We revise the script on the terrace. 10.00 AM – The meeting wasn’t very promising. As most of the businessmen in Baia until the end of next the year. We have a conference call with our partners in Finland. On 9.00 AM – We have to rent some gear from Cluj-Napoca. The local setup is decent but I Mare, he doesn’t get involved to much in cultural activities, forgetting the fact that many Friday, 15 Finnish youth workers from Finland will come to Baia Mare to implement a pilot need a high speed camera. I have to send someone right now. There is no online alternative 9.30 AM – We have a stroll to the office. The city seems more active than the last time. I of our youth are using art as a way to express their feelings and needs. Sometimes I feel like educational project. for that. love the air and the smell of the woods. fundraising alone is so difficult. 12.30 PM – I want to register a fundraising consultancy startup, so I access by mobile phone 10.00 AM – We hit the road, by foot this time, to scout the city and make the shooting 9.45 AM – Their office is hosted by a Startup Incubator close to the administrative 10.30 AM – I am waiting in line at the Trade Register. I have to add a new domain the Trade Register platform, upload the documents in order to receive the authorization. strategy for the next filming days. I would like to rent a car and to see the surroundings as complex. The authorities like to keep close to the private sector: if you start a creative business of activity to my company record in order to open an after-school business. Loads of Status: your request is being processed. Estimated time to receive the confirmation: well, but it seems complicated. One of the guys offers to be my ride… Talking about local here you can get subsidize rent for two years office with all the logistic support included. In documents to print, papers to sign, authorizations to be obtained, walking from one door to 30 minutes. hospitality! one of the offices next door, a young former student of the Baia Mare University, has a 30 another... plenty of time lost. employees company developing live translation software. 1:45 PM – I’m having an operative Skype meeting with our fundraising board. Our mentor 12.15 PM – I would like to find some good Italian food and a nice conversation. I have to 1.00 PM – The kids are waiting for me in front of the school gate. I am late, as always. from Cape Town gives us some tips. choose. Italian food or artistic crowd. Italian food is too expensive for artists. And I find out 12.30 PM – Time for lunch now. The incubator has a cool cafeteria open as a social The old one asks me once again why they cannot stay at school until 4 PM with her that artists don’t meet for lunch, so I’ll go for Italian. enterprise – all the profits are reinvested in cultural funding. Our food arrives. The delivery colleagues. . I answer her that I want to spend more time with them. In fact, I don’t want 2:00 PM – The school bus arrives. We will have lunch at our favorite bio restaurant, were girl is from Helsinki and an exchange student. We talked in English, Romanian language them to eat the poor food at the school cafeteria, nor to spend time doing homework in class we will meet my mom. I am also placing my order for dinner that will be delivered home, 12.30 PM – Nice and cozy place, this restaurant. Pretty busy, so the food must be good wasn’t yet an option. She just started language courses at the local youth center. and not learning how to learn by themselves. warm, in the evening. Mom is taking the kids in the park, as I go back to the office to here. And it is. The menu is both in Romanian and Italian. But where are the Italians? OK, prepare the workshop for this evening. It will be facilitated by one of our junior trainers on in the kitchen, I got it! 4.00 PM – I need to get my car back from the old city center, so I book a bike using the 1.30 PM – We have the lunch I’ve made in the morning. At least it is healthy. Note to self: Human Rights Education in Youth Work, a young Syrian. city mobility mobile app. This service is for free for the tourists. call the diary provider for new supplies. Kids change their clothes and off we go again. I have 2.00 PM – I need a place with good internet connection and a printer. I have to prepare to be at the office at 14.45, but we can make a quick stop in the park. 4:00 PM – I took the kids to their theater classes. Now I can write for 3 hours on our my meeting with the Project Team, at 6 PM. I go for the public library. I would prefer a 7.30 PM – I am having a salad in the living room, waiting for the evening to come. I could project in the office coffee shop, nearby. coworking space with some nice coffee, but I hear that the local Creative Hub will open next choose from a variety of hotels, but I am a regular guest here and it feels like home. 2.45 PM – Participants are arriving, class is almost full. For the next 3 hours I will be year. speaking about Human Rights Education in Youth Work in front of 30 local activists 8.00 PM – Finally at home. In 10 minutes, dinner will arrive. Kids are playing the “guess 10.00 PM – Back in the Old Center just in time for the concert. A Hungarian band is on Human Rights. One of my NGO volunteers will take care of the girls who are doing on what’s for dinner tonight” game and never give the right answer. 5.30 PM – On my way to the meeting with the Project Team. I have only two things in already on stage. The interactive public displays advertise a standup comedy show and a café- homework at my office. mind: to buy an external battery for my phone and to find a place with some privacy and a theater show happening nearby. You would not say it’s Monday. 9.30 PM – We are ready to sleep. Kids want to video call my mom to tell “good night”. stable connection for my Skype calls tomorrow. 7.30 PM – Kids are still outside, alone, in the park. For the other kids, is a bit too late, We read a bit and fall asleep. apparently. I am making dinner and hopefully they’ll be in bed by nine. 6.00 PM – I’ve arrived in time for my meeting with the Project Team at their office. We managed to get along regarding the calendar. The team wants to take me to a pub, for a 10.00 PM – Finally I can stay still in one place and write on our project draft. The kids are concert. I am not sure about that, still I’ll follow the group. Apparently is bad luck to refuse sleeping, the phone stopped ringing, all is quiet. I can focus, finally. an invitation.

11.00 PM – Back in my hotel room, after an amazing experience at the pub. A local band was jamming some amazing jazz in some sort of restaurant.

20 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 21 Describe your plans for monitoring and evaluating the impact of the title on your city and for disseminating the results of the evaluation.

An endeavor of such proportions as the European Capital of Culture requires, The monitoring and evaluation process will follow a cascaded structure, in an Such an endeavor needs to be measured, improved, and adapted according on behalf of all stakeholders involved, a continuous evaluation process, a approach that engages internal and external teams of experts. Yearly internal to the data gathered, a set of proposed indicators and assumed by everyone succession of trials and evaluations, of constant monitoring and improvement. auditing for each local cultural operator involved in the program will be involved. Success means for us reaching the objectives listed bellow and mandatory, while external evaluations by the expert teams will monitor and creating positive trends consistent with our strategy for each identified field of Designing and implementing a 15 year long cultural strategy means having the assess the entire cultural program, as well as the efficiency of actions meant monitoring. Success means also being able to learn the proper lessons when ability and strength to adapt, to cease new opportunities and integrate them to accomplish the strategic mission and objectives. Consequently, based on they’re due in order to fix what we may underperform and enhance our actions within the desired framework, in order to be flexible and embrace change, the external experts’ reports and recommendations, every component will be with positive outcomes. In order to create value, we need to measure and have whenever it may occur. It means planning in advance, start implementing, adapted and improved accordingly. a look at the big picture, to create a dashboard that can provide management evaluating, reshaping and adapting to the new condition then acting again, teams with a clear view of the status-quo. Hence, we came up with a set of key according to Deming’s cycle: plan, do, check, action. We imported the Lean In order to achieve this, local cultural operators will be trained and re-trained in performance indicators, all of them linked to the cultural strategy objectives. Start-Up principle as a backbone for developing our strategy, an approach that the field of cultural auditing, monitoring, and evaluation, whereas the team of provides us with tools to continuously test our vision. We set out to design external experts will be carefully chosen from various research fields, in order to Most of the data is to be collected at grass root levels, by local operators as part scalable programs, showcasing them to the community, always updating to make thoroughly cover all the areas we plan to foster and grow, and also offer valuable of their assumed obligations in supporting this bid. Other general information them grow exponentially and reach their performance targets. input and insight regarding the status-quo of the cultural strategy at a certain concerning economic, social or urban development technical data will be moment in time. Hence, the external evaluation team will cover the following obtained by means of collaboration with public institutions whose purpose is to The monitoring and evaluation processes have been programmed as a part of areas: sociology and cultural studies, cultural management, financial planning gather such input. Moreover, three main sociology studies will be carried out, Baia Mare’s Cultural Strategy, that take to the European Capital of Culture and fundraising, architecture/ urban development, tourism, creative industries, on both Romanian and European audiences, evaluating the Euro-belonging Program as a development core. All evaluations, with certain exceptions education, and media/ communication. External evaluations will be carried sense, local pride statuses, brand recognition and other test areas ECoC-related. regarding frequency (the evaluation process will take place at the beginning and out in 2017, 2019, 2021 (the beginning and the end of the ECoC year), 2024, Such complex research shall be carried by one of the largest sociological study the end of the year), will be faithful to the principles, indicators and proceedings 2026, 2028, 2030. centers in Romania, with whom we have chosen to partner. In addition to that, for evaluation, created and undertaken in the cultural strategy. Moreover, we a research study will be made, assessing the quantity and quality of national and have developed a set of KPIs, meant to measure specific results and provide As practice has shown, many cultural initiatives have failed to develop properly international media coverage regarding Baia Mare as the European Capital of managerial and expert teams with 360° information on the status-quo. They do because of the lack of adequate evaluation or lack of experts to propose cost- Culture in 2021, in different time-frames. Such a study will be conducted by an also show to what extent our set targets have been reached. We have chosen a efficient and viable solutions. To extrapolate, let’s think of a physician-patient independent entity, specialized in measuring media coverage and audiences. All balanced approach to measure results and success, covering learning and growth, relationship: many times, doctors fail to prescribe the right treatment, as they evaluation costs are built within our proposed budget. internal processes, environmental impact, financial and last, but not least, a treat the effect, not the cause. Now think of a city and its planned cultural client/beneficiary perspective. strategy (including the ECoC year) as being a living body that constantly A yearly summary of the evaluation and monitoring process will be included in needs to be nurtured, fed, and treated properly. We believe in the cause-effect a public report, subject to a open meeting with our local stakeholders, published principle, we strive for cost-benefit analyses and innovative solutions, we online and printed. These reports will be available on the project website in apply the Pareto principle and measure constantly in order to sustainably and a dedicated section. The extended reports and analysis will be available upon organically grow into what we have declared to be our vision. request for any relevant partner or financing institution.

22 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Contribution to the long-term strategy Contribution to the long-term strategy Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 23 European The city of Baia Mare is situated near the intersection of three borders and Our candidacy received the confirmation of support from our sister cities: Can you explain your strategy to attract To what extent do you plan to develop shares a rich cultural heritage with Hungary, Ukraine or Poland. Throughout its Bielsko-Biala, Poland; Ivano Frankivsk, Ukraine; Combs-la-Ville Cedex, dimension history, our city was a faithful host for different cultures and nationalities, France; Hollywood, Florida; Gyula, Hungary; Hódmezővásárhely, Hungary; the interest of a broad European and links between your cultural programme a crossing point and peaceful shelter. Our candidacy elaborates on this legacy Nyiregyháza, Hungary; Szolnok, Hungary; Lotzorai, Italy; Serino, Italy; Wels, and explores our roles as translators, mediators and facilitators. Austria. international public? and the cultural programme of other

Elaborate on the scope and quality Both our cultural programming and our cultural strategy were built around The strategic approach focuses on institutional partnerships, rather than on the cities holding the European Capital of of the activities: the need to consolidate and to promote the cultural diversity of Europe, the direct approach of artists and creators, as currently most of the prominent artists Our program envisages to attract the interest of a broad European Culture title? intercultural dialogue and the greater mutual understanding between European are represented by cultural operators or managers. Our cultural programming and international public, for which we designed a marketing and citizens. You will recognize this values page by page, in every layer of our strategy is the result of an open-call based process, doubled or supported by a curatorial communication awareness campaign to get an international reach of or cultural programming, as they cannot be resumed in a chapter of process for each strategic line of programs, therefore in this stage of our at least 5.000.000 people. This campaign is aimed at announcing the Being a European Capital of Culture means, above all, being open to Promoting the cultural diversity this bid-book. candidacy an extended list of artist will not be relevant. However, for our big, the European values and programs. We believe that the partnerships shared moments, the events that can become reasons to visit Baia Mare, the attribution of the title. The marketing strategy further detailed in this with other cities, holding or being nominated for the title of ECoC, of Europe, intercultural dialogue You will discover program lines that bring together several European minorities wish list includes musicians and performers such as Nigel Kennedy or Bjork, bid-book includes several engagement tools and activation campaigns and greater mutual understanding in a single festival, in order to celebrate their commonalities and express their designers and architects such as Ron Arad or Erwan Bouroullec, film directors that will increase our reach during 2021 to at least 20.000.000 people are mandatory in order to enrich the cultural exchange, to increase particularities, international art interventions that tackle local social integration such as Romain Gavras or Jean-Pierre Jeunet and artists such as Anish Kapoor from Europe and abroad. the cross-border artistic mobility and to create solid frames of between European citizens issues, and art festivals or conventions connecting local context with a European or Adrian Ghenie. implementation for large scale projects. We are already in contact framework. You will explore our systemic approach to help the city’s cultural An important pillar designed to increase our appeal to international and we plan to develop strategic partnerships with the cities of Pilsen operators to foster new international partnerships. You will explore a marketing In order to improve our approach regarding news technologies and new trends audiences is defined by the big shared moments included in our (ECoC 2015), Glasgow (ECoC 1990), Essen (ECoC 2010), Valletta Highlighting the common aspects approach that combines awareness campaigns and out-of-the-box tactics in digital arts, we aim to develop partnerships consisting of know-how exchange cultural programming. The proposed agenda for 2021 includes (ECoC 2018), Pecs (ECoC 2010) and Turku (ECoC 2011). We maximizing and contextualizing the touristic offer. and joint public projects with the following institutions and organizations: envisage partnerships with cities that share similar textures, history, of European cultures, heritage the Madeira Interactive Technologies Institute, the Design Research Lab of 15 festivals, fairs, competitions or galas with an international demographics, and socio-cultural backgrounds. We have a special Our city multicultural heritage and background forged the concept of our University of the Arts Berlin, Zentrum Für Kunst und Urbanistik Berlin, participation, covering an inclusive range of trending cultural and history, as well as European candidacy – Culture of Hosting. We are devoted to our mission to create spaces SUPERMARKT, Inter:est, Betterplace Lab, ZKM Karlsruhe, ARS Electronica interests – music, design, fashion, photography, digital art, and interest for urban spaces that have changed their vocation and have integration and current European and events, as well as long term programs that can bring together different Linz. To increase our capacity, infrastructure and performance in the educational theater. Moreover, the agenda will sum up over 50 events engaging risen from being sinking industrial cities to flourishing post-industrial cultures and audiences, enabling them to explore and work together. As one field and foster cultural capital, we aim to collaborate, among others, with international participation – conferences, workshops, conventions, beacons of urban regeneration, such as Essen or Glasgow. On the themes will notice, the vast majority of the content featured in our cultural agenda the following institutions and organizations: The University Network of the competitions – dedicated to specialized publics that can multiply other hand, we are interested in developing tactical partnerships has a European dimension involving cultural operators, artists, managers or European Capitals of Culture (UNeECC), the European Confederation of our message – artists, cultural managers and operators, or creative in specific areas such as film industry (Valletta) or educational and organizations actively involved in the European space and in transnational Youth Clubs, CEMEA (Training Centers in Methods of Active Education), industries entrepreneurs. cultural management (Turku). Featuring European artists, projects and partnerships. a.pass, Ticket for Change, Bureau Europa, École de Recherche Graphique & Animation and ESCP Europe Paris. From the Greek cities that expressed their interest for the ECoC cooperation with operators and We dedicated two of our strategic lines of programs, Open Embassies – Moreover, we would like to emphasize that our cultural agenda expanding borders, affirming identities and Pulse – Encounters in the For the components of our programs that focus on theater and performing arts, features a strategic line of programs that opens the call to projects, title, we have a particular interest for Tripolis, as we share a common cities in different countries, Soul of Europe to the enhanced cultural exchanges involved by the present the list of collaborations will include: the Peter Brook Company, The Wooster performances and cultural products from non-European countries demographic background and a similar size, and Rhodes, a city and transnational partnerships political context. Our cultural programming addresses current issues such as Group, Performance Space 122, Needcompany, Big Art Group, Schaubühne such as Japan, Korea, Chile, Mexico, and Canada. We believe that a similar to ours in terms of rich spiritual heritage, traditions, and migration, tolerance, exile, workforce mobility, local and regional identity or and TUSCH. rich and diversified cultural offer has the potential to appeal to large demographics. minorities. We have dedicated special projects and events to ever trending topics audiences from all over the world. Name some European and such as continuous education, social cohesion, active aging or smart cities. In order to translate and valorize the local and European cultural heritage We will not limit our partnerships or availability for cooperation to Another strategic line of programs, detailed further on, is dedicated to social and traditions – in exhibitions, research projects, publications and media the cited cities, as we declare ourselves open for any proposal or calls interventions using culture and art, exploring new interactions and mediation productions – we charted partnerships with: Horniman Museum and Gardens Last but not least, we will promote and develop our city as a international artists, operators for participations that are coherent with our strategy, mission and tools between cultures and communities. of London, the Textile Museum of Canada (TMC), Musée d’ethnographie de user-friendly space that can offer memorable experiences to large and cities with which cooperation Genève, Centro de Investigación del Patrimonio Etnológico of Madrid, The audiences as well as to groups and individuals with special needs or vision. For us to implement our strategy and our cultural agenda, we need to forge Jordan Archaeological Museum and Museo Textil de Oaxaca, Mexic. requirements. Baia Mare is a family-friendly, bike-friendly, disabled- is envisaged and specify the type partnerships with other European cities, thus accessing key resources, know-how, friendly, eco-friendly, kids-friendly, budget-friendly, multicultural and of exchanges in question. Name the or sharing cultural infrastructure. We have explored collaboration opportunities Other important institutional partnership explored in the design of our strategy tolerant community, a perfect destination for holidays, city-breaks, and initiated contacts with the following cities: Bilbao, Glasgow, Manchester, are related to organizations such as: Biennial Foundation (Holland), Eurozine cultural or adventure tourism, and, of course, for business. transnational partnerships your Essen, Berlin, Valletta, Turku, Leipzig, Pilsen, Pecs, Salzburg, Cernăuți, Tripoli (Austria), Literaturhaus Berlin (Germany), Rijks Museum (Holland), Royal and Marseille. In order to gain international audiences and an enhanced reach, College of Art London (UK), Speos Photographic Institute – Paris (France), city has already established or plans we researched potential partnerships with cities from outside Europe: Santiago IED – Istituto Europeo di Design (Italy), FH Dortmund (Germany), RITCS to establish de Chile, Guadalajara, Portland, Detroit, Seattle, Toronto, Nagoya and Busan, – Royal Institute for Theater, Cinema and Sound (Belgium) and International opening the gate toward new publics and new funding opportunities. Community Arts Festival (Holland).

24 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Contribution to the long-term strategy Cultural and artistic content Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 25 Cultural and artistic content

Our cultural programming vision is based on the synergy of all Each activity listed under the main program lines respects the internal What is the artistic logic of a start-up, following the cycle: prototyping – proof of concept the fields of artistic expression and the convergence of the creative industries. We encourage hybrid events and projects that explicitly – beta testing – proof of market – production – evaluation – scaling. cross the formal barriers of the art branches. We aim to put events As an example, a projected international design fair for 2021 must be with traditional audiences or specific outcomes, such as art exhibitions, supported by seminal events and projects – exhibitions, workshops, concerts or theater shows, in high public impact contexts, expanding publications – happening in the timeframe 2015-2018, and must be their reach, their lifespan and their results, translating them to the local concluded by a series of follow-up events. Another approach we have vision and strategy public and broadcasting them to the digitally connected international used in our cultural programming is the recalibration or valorization of communities. success stories – events or projects that haave become local traditions, with a relevant history and a proven concept, from sculpture and All our ten main strategic program lines are faithful to our affirmed poetry camps to photography workshops, from semiotics conventions vocation as a host and serve as open platforms for local and to private museum exhibitions. international partnerships, bringing together a variety of performers for the cultural Setting the frame and experts, cultural operators and generators, in a dedicated effort This approach allows us to constantly test the audiences’ interest, as to broaden and diversify our audiences, to explore new cultural well as the appeal of the project for stakeholders, investors, donors or interfaces. Furthermore, the program lines allow the participation and financing authorities. Our most important criteria in the evaluation the ownership of a large array of stakeholders: from small business to and development of projects and activities are: public impact, financial NGOs, from institutions supported by the local administration to viability and autonomy, as well as potential of replication or growth. informal grassroot initiatives, as it is our firm belief that culture relays Keeping this in mind, we avoid events and activities that either don’t not only on the freedom of expression, but also on the freedom of have a clear value proposition for the local and national communities, programme of involvement. This openness translates in the effective cohabitation of or lack the relevance for transregional and international audiences. We local and national initiatives, with confirmed international programs therefore want to keep a healthy balance between projects born and and institutions staging top-level artistic mastery. We believe that our raised in unexplored cultural fields and broad audience projects coming mission is to catalyze, contextualize and contain, to create a generous from the already crowded markets, such as festivals, which imply a state-of-the art scene where performers and performance can find the degree of risk in terms of memorability and durability. deserved spotlight and public, calling off restrictions based on their the year? magnitude or artistic origin. Our aim is to become a user-friendly interface between performers and their public, between international acts of culture and their local reflections or counterparts.

26 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Cultural and artistic content Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 27 What is the artistic vision and strategy for the cultural programme of the year? Education Integration How will the cultural programme combine local cultural heritage and traditional One of our main challenges is to create an efficient alternative and We have carefully built our programs around the active integration parallel educational infrastructure. In a five year timeframe we of minorities and other groups at risk, including the physically art forms with new, innovative and experimental cultural expressions? must focus on the development of taste of the local and regional or mentally challenged. Accessibility is an aspect that has been communities, including all age and social groups, regardless of gender, considered in all our strategic program lines, in order to make sure ethnicity or religious beliefs. Another objective is the formation of that the proposed activities and events are open to otherwise excluded a new wave of cultural managers, experts and executives, in order to audiences. Another principle put to work is the active involvement Our cultural programming combines the director-based curatorial process Our vision is to create a flexible, modular and scalable cultural circuit that includes a variety of increase our implementation capacity and also to maximize the know- of representatives of these groups, be it directly or through relevant with an open-call based process, in order to ensure the coherence of our urban landscapes. This is a mandatory approach, as we will keep a decentralized cultural offer strategic vision, but also to have a constant input and feedback from the artistic and nurture the development of artistic projects outside the established, yet easy to deplete how transfer from our guests. On the other hand, our candidacy is a organizations. To guarantee the relevance and the projection of their community and the creative industries. We encourage project ownership and points of interest: the Historical Center, the parks or the museum area. Thus, we strive to reach major opportunity to develop and consolidate the local academic offer needs and values on the activities canvas of 2021, we will engage these self-sustaining initiatives; this is why our cultural strategy has flexibility and our objectives in terms of social inclusion, being a guarantee of the correct distribution of the with a focus on cultural management, creative industries, arts and groups into the design process and the cultural planning. Aiming for dialogue at its core. cultural message and programs across the entire city, leading subsequently to a just sharing of media. social impact with tangible results and clear benefits for these groups the economic benefits. and communities, we have dedicated them a strategic program line As good hosts, we care for our cultural offer for 2021 to attract the interest of a consisting in art interventions and educational programs. broad international audience, featuring twelve international festivals, fairs and Upon reading the following pages, you will notice that the cultural and historical heritage of Organizational sustainability competitions that cover several artistic fields: music, arts, fashion, photography, the city – the mining history, the Baia Mare School of Painters, the woodcraft tradition, the gastronomy, design, theater and literature. In the meantime, our ten strategic sacred architecture, the rich folklore, the culinary traditions, the nature preservations – has Through our projects we want to build strong entrepreneurship and Environmental responsibility program lines should be considered as open platforms, ready for proposals been translated into dedicated or integrated cultural content, functioning as a pillar of our intrapreneurship skills for all the stakeholders involved: individuals, and initiatives coming from independent organizers, entrepreneurs or cultural strategy. We avoided isolating our relationship with our cultural heritage in one specific chapter NGOs, local institutions, the business sector or educational partners. Our city is the only Romanian city with an ecological conservation operators. As a matter of fact, based on our lean start-up approach, we expect of the cultural programming, preferring to keep it as a vivid background for a great number of We focus on sustainable projects that can achieve financial and included in the urban area, while the region hosts an impressive these endeavours to match our cultural agenda propositions. We believe that the proposed programs. Digitally enhanced or experimental forms of artistic expression coexist the ECoC title should be a reason for celebration and involvement for all with our cultural tradition under the same strategic program lines, offering new translation management independence, pushing them away from the assisted number of protected areas, with unique ecosystems. The environmental the cultural communities of Romania and abroad, therefore we focused on opportunities for new categories of public. As a cultural hosting space in 2021, Baia Mare has mentality relying exclusively on public or international funding. responsibility is therefore a mandatory component in all our programs, developing generous, yet clear program directions, as well as decision making the mission to find and to promote common grounds for apparently irreconcilable fields of Our aim is to discover, build and promote replicable and scalable translated in direct actions and sustainable development strategies. Our procedures that allow the involvement of third parties in the organizational cultural expression. success stories and to increase their organizational capacity and vision for 2021 includes a minimum carbon fingerprint objective for all process. Transversal values traction. Furthermore, we are pursuing partnerships with European the activities related to the title of European Capital of Culture, with As stated before, the cultural programming focuses on long-term development and project - The opening of Know-Now 2021 Festival. This organizations that prove solid operational capacities, willing to share multiple implications: ranging from educational projects and awareness Looking at our cultural agenda, you will find a careful balance between events sustainability, in an effort to build a solid frame for cultural operators and artists. Nevertheless, initiative aims to become the biggest public educational event hosted in Europe, bringing Following the consultation with our extended their know-how and their procedures. campaigns to innovative waste management solutions and the usage of with a long lifespan – exhibitions, residencies, urban intervention, festivals – we understand the importance of big, shared moments that can attract visitors from long together the most influential thinkers and board of experts, we established six alternative energy sources. and specific events that target specific communities – workshops, conferences or distances and can appeal to a broad international audience. These specific moments increase performances. This balance is mandatory to maintain a relevant and consistent the potential of our marketing and communication strategy, building and consolidating creators of the moment. Covering a seven day transversal values that every program line Networking flow of events during the entire year of 2021 for all categories of public. our cultural brand. From the events featured in the cultural agenda, the followings have the period, the wishlist line-up for the festival must support, affirm, and translate. These Technology magnitude and the degree of general interest to become ”reasons to come” to Baia Mare in includes preeminent names of innovators and values enrich the content of our program Our urban development approach values the concept of ”City as a Stage”, 2021: Atelier – the contemporary theater festival, HAI! – the European minorities’ festival, game changers: Marina Abramovic, Slavoj No matter the scale of the project proposed, we believe that it must Žižek, Ron Arad, Daft Punk, Ken Robinson, and guarantee a transparent evaluation which transforms the vast majority of public spaces – squares and plazas, parks The Road – the international music and tradition festival, Heritage – the series of fashion include a networking component. The programs projection for 2021 A program projection for 2021 cannot be complete without a clear and recreation areas, promenades and vantage points – into potential open and music events, Point it Out – the international digital photography festival and Autor – Malcolm Gladwell, Alejandro Inarritu, Jon Gnarr, grid for call-for-projects, proposals or follows the creation of a cultural and creative ecosystem that can ensure technological vision. Besides a special program line dedicated to scenes or exhibition spaces for ECoC related or independent events. By 2021 the contemporary jewellery fair and exhibition. These large scale events combine the high Muhammad Yunus, Simon Sinek and Bjork. partnerships. They also serve as a guide for the optimal exchange of information and good practices, as well as the new technologies, most of our programs make use of interconnected the city’s consolidated capacity to host public events will reach a 150.000 professionalism of creators and performers with the large public accessibility. The offer will the implementation of any project, being easily birth of new projects and cultural opportunities. This goal is essential innovative communication and interaction solutions, profiling a city spectators quota. In the meantime, an itinerary of more than 20 kilometres will be completed by international art exhibitions hosted under the program Baia Mare School - The inauguration of the international retrospective exhibition Baia Mare School of translated into milestones, action plans and to enhance the impact of the nominalization to local and national that will work as a plug-and-play cultural motherboard. Our programs be available for outdoor exhibitions, public fairs, street performances or artistic of Painters – 125 years of European metaculture, the kinetic art and interactive installations communities, as well as to further a healthy development of initiatives explore the interactions between culture, arts and technology, but also installations. By using this approach, we can make sure that the incoming gathered under the program Ars Machina, or the industrial and interior design fair Form & Painters – 125 years of European metaculture KPI’s. bringing together over 500 paintings from 20 and projects. In order for this to happen, we encourage niche events, the effective way in which the interaction between the audience and visitor flux will have unrestricted access to a broad offer of public cultural Function. Another layer of programs will become a reason to come to Baia Mare in 2021 is different European museums and galleries. such as seminars and workshops, to include a public component – such culture can be optimized or amplified. events. The no-fee policy is a warranty for an interesting and enriched cultural the one dedicated to non-European culture, featuring artists and cultural projects from Asia, offer for niche incoming tourists – city-break tourists, backpackers – but also South America and the Middle East, rarely presented in Eastern Europe. While designing as lectures, public demonstrations, book launches – that allow broad a proof of our dedication to promote quality cultural products independent of the cultural offer for 2021, our curatorial decisions favoured artistic fields that are currently - The premiere of a solo show by Adrian Ghenie audiences to interact freely with the content and the values. In the the purchasing power of the audiences. The one year long offer of events will underrepresented in Romania in the context of large public events, as well as emerging or – the most celebrated Romanian artist of the same spirit, we designed formal and informal occasions for experts include jazz concerts, DJ nights, photography exhibitions, culminating with trending directions of artistic expression. moment. and performers involved in public events to interact with the local the popular Chestnut Festival that marks the beginning of autumn with a large professional and artistic communities. Expanding the network of variety of concerts and open-air events, currently attracting over one hundred The official opening ceremony is a crucial moment for the success of the following year. - The first leg of our program The secret life of collaborations, references and partnerships are crucial for the European thousand attendants. Therefore, we projected a mix of high-profile events, inaugurations and premieres that will buildings – showcasing video mapping and light design projects built upon the 351 metres high dimension as well as the success of our programs. define our mission and vision for 2021, as well as our leading values: iconic Phoenix Tower.

28 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Cultural and artistic content Cultural and artistic content Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 29 Digital Masters Living Academia Upgrade now! Developing a learning ecosystem

In the last years, influential thinkers have gained a popularity status This program line will also provide a constant link to each and Technology helped us make the transition toward a democracy of This line of programs sets out to upgrade the audience’s relation similar to that of rock stars. They amass impressive audiences, online every educational and cultural structure in Baia Mare. It stands as a creativity, enabling instant free expression and an ever-growing network with new media and new technology, prototyping new solutions and and offline, in internal conferences such as the TED franchise, their commitment to thoroughly implement and it functions as a catalyst of cultural producers. We developed a series of programs that explore educational approaches. “knowledgetainment” books are constantly bestsellers, they have their and platform to enhance cooperation between cultural, social and and put in context established forms of digital arts, as well as dedicated own TV shows and YouTube channels. Putting this momentum to educational agents, to promote new forms of artistic expression and programs showcasing latest trends and experiments. This strategic line of programs has a significant aperture toward large use, we believe that education must be understood as a living process, transcultural cooperation, to serve as a tool for building social and audiences and is aimed to become one of main ”reasons to come” independent from institutions and curricula. The ability to learn and cultural capital. The cultural and educational programs will cover a for 2021. relearn must not be related to age or to a specific context, must be wide range of specialties, from cultural initiatives to creative industries treated instead as inherent to progress and innovation and prerequisite and supporting domains – fundraising, logistics or financing. We for the access to culture. adopted an extensive approach for the educational field, including in our programs elements specific to continuing education, e-learning, adult learning, training, mentoring, vocational learning, and, of course, education through art. SELECTED LIST OF PROGRAMS

• Point it Out – International Digital Photography Festival • Ars Machina – kinetic arts, robotics and interactive installations A one-month long festival dedicated to digital photography, including A summer-long program that aims to showcase to audiences of exhibitions of acclaimed European artists, workshops, photo-tours, tens of thousands the latest trends and breakthroughs in robotics, catalogues and collection launches. It is preceded and followed by interactional design, device art and installations or kinetic sculpture, SELECTED LIST OF PROGRAMS smaller scale events in order to maximize its impact. bringing to Baia Mare the spirit of Ars Electronica or Burning Man.

• Central European DJ, Light Design and Sound Engineering Academy • The secret life of buildings – video mapping and light design • Know-Now Festival 2021 - An opening event for the ECoC year that • The Art of Taste Festival – Regional cuisine from cooking to food A year-long program that consists in master-classes, public shows competition. A year-long competition based on an international open brings together, for one week, the most influential thinkers and artists science. The one-month long autumn festival explores the common and demonstrations, award ceremonies and concerts celebrating call for entries that targets the most innovative artists in video- of the moment on the same stage: from Macolm Gladwell to Marina traits of the regional cuisine, bridging traditions with the latest excellence in DJing, sound engineering and light design. The program mapping and light design. They will have the chance to bring a new Abramovic, from Ken Robinson to Nick Cave. Includes a TEDx section fusion trends. It aims for international participation of exhibitors and includes over 300 participants and addresses large audiences. life to iconic buildings from Baia Mare, reimagining historical and exclusively dedicated to art. performers, as well as large audiences. industrial spaces. • Aristoteles Workshop – The 11th edition of Artistoteles Workshop • Beyond the Lines – Drama and Screen Writing Master Classes • Urbanism & Activism – In the search of change accelerators. will bring together teams of editors, producers, directors and • Coding Culture – hackaton for cultural causes. Center - A year-long program that brings forth best practices in drama Residencies and exhibitons. operators from all over Europe, giving them a one month time span to and screenwriting through workshops and open text rehearsals. Its produce a documentary movie on a local subject. Includes private and • Internet of Things, a search for meaning – open source results include published books and collections, as well as theater • Culture 3.0 – innovation conference for cultural agents and public projections, workshops and DVD launches. solutions for cultural mapping. shows featured in a special section in the international Atelier theater operators. Writing, implementing and funding successful project ideas. festival. • European Digital Publishing Convention. • The Alternative University – a working proposal for a European educational revolution - A year-long program to share best practices and connect practitioners in education from all over Europe, with an estimate participation of 2.000 people directly involved in conferences, open door events, workshops and publication launches. Open Embassies ArteCrafts Expanding borders and affirming identities Take matter into your own hands

We believe that our mission, as a symbolic Capital of Europe, is to The purpose of the programs listed below is not only to attract a The traditional and new school crafts have recently gained the attention This way, we are taking a very important step towards restarting the open new cultural embassies and to consolidate international relations broader international audience, as well as cultural performers and and dedication of the audiences, as an organic response to a cultural craftsmanship tradition of the Maramureș region, opening at the with the rest of the world, as the title of ECoC must not be perceived operator from around the world, but it also represents a unique marketplace dominated by mass production, consumerism and short same time new opportunities for investors and creative industries as a limitation to aggregate and express the European culture to a occasion to address issues of great interest such as the new wave of lifespan artefacts. Our programs celebrate the diversity and mastership entrepreneurs in fields such as fashion, contemporary jewellery, or film European public. Right now, Europe is facing multiple challenges in migrations, the cultural and political crisis in the Middle East or the of crafts and applied arts, offering exposure to less promoted fields of industry related services. terms of identity and international mission, passing a maturity test economic, and cultural feedback from Asia. We are talking about creation. that evaluates the strength of its institutions and its policies, together a forward thinking exercise that may set the frame for common with the cohesion of its cultures. We believe that the acceleration of European programs and tactics, providing insights, documentation and international cultural exchanges is a key element in reimagining the organizational infrastructure. role and faith of the European Space. SELECTED LIST OF PROGRAMS

• Autor – Contemporary Jewellery Fair and Exhibition • International Woodworking Workshops - Architects, artists, SELECTED LIST OF PROGRAMS The 2021 edition of the fair and exhibition will focus on ephemeral craftsmen and designers will be invited, by using an open call, to enrol jewellery, inviting Romanian and international artists to explore new in a series of workshops that use wood as a medium for public art and materials and techniques that celebrate beauty and the value of artistic intervention in the public space. This line of programs bridges • Cultural Migrations – A year-long line of activities consisting in • Exile – Culture and Borders - This line of programs proposes, each moment. This line of events has the potential to attract both international trends with local know-how, promoting local traditions conferences, exhibitions, concerts and publication launches, set to through a series of exhibitions, documentary film screenings and book specialised and large audiences. as a valuable European assets. explore and to chart the subject of current cultural migrations. launches, an alternate history of the Balkan exile in Western Europe, United States and Canada. We designed it as a one year-long program • Form & Function – Industrial & Interior Design Fair • Make it happen – European Makerspaces Network Meeting • Big in Japan – A subjective history of counterculture to showcase preeminent creators and artists who were forced to leave In 2021 Baia Mare will host its first international industrial and This line of programs opens new cultural partnerships with Japan, their countries of origin. interior design fair, profiling itself as a regional center that follows • Reinventing the wheel – Traditional crafts workshops for social offering open-air movie projections, concerts and exhibitions to large the footsteps of Cologne or Milano. The one-month event will include inclusion, economic development, and boosting creative industries audiences. The proposed subject – the way Western counterculture • The Korean Corners – Shape shifting projections. Exhibitions and exhibitions, but also a fair section featuring the most important local was mirrored in the Japanese culture during the last century – strives movie projections. and European designers and producers. • Engraving International Competition & Workshops to attract and is designed for large international audiences. • Language as software / Language as virus - International • Highlights – European Costume, Makeup and Set Design Awards • Convertible divas – Product & fashion design exhibitions • The Middle East Cultural Studies Hub - During the title year, Baia convention. The first edition of the Highlights Award will celebrate the excellence in Mare will host a temporary hub dedicated to cultural studies on the support jobs for the film industry, theater and performing arts. It will Middle East. This line of activities will be open to scholars and experts • Crimes of culture - Dissidents, activists and terrorists. Interactive bring together professionals and artists from all over Europe in a show from all over the world, but also to large audiences through open installations and exhibitions. crafted for large audiences. events such as concerts or screenings. • Romanian Ambassadors of Culture – rewriting the Romanian brand • Digital Bridges with South America. Film and digital publishing joint mile by mile projects. Play along! Portal Gamification and Play Ethics Signs & Rituals

The Maramureș region is very rich in terms of spirituality, being an We want to valorize this unique particularity through a series of Gamification – the use of game design elements in cultural or social Pilot projects that make use of online tools and have a competitive epicenter of legends and myths, magical and sacred practices, spiritual programs that expand the limits of interpretation and perception of contexts – is an innovative approach that incites the access and layer can boost the confidence of the cultural institutions, encouraging art and architecture. Its religious background is eclectic, hosting in spirituality, reactivating sacred spaces through out-of-the-box cultural involvement of the audiences, and an effective way to appeal to the organizational cooperation, intrapreneurship and a more assertive harmony all the main Christian churches and confessions, as well as projects, putting traditions into new lights. international public in search for new experiences. We decided to relation with their audiences. other religious or spiritual practices. The traditional art of the region translate, into the cultural field of today, worldwide crazes such as the gathers powerful symbols that can be found in an amazing variety of escape room phenomenon or mass treasure hunts, as a solution to The raised Play Along cultural flag is a great opportunity to rally new cultures from all over the world. broaden our audiences and diversify the interfaces to culture and local categories of tourists and to diversify our calendar of activities covering history. Gamified activities are proven solutions to engage traditionally new meanings and interpretations of contemporary culture: the video excluded or ignored age groups, such as infants or elders, but also a and online gaming industry or the active sports subculture with its great answer for family time. associated arts – electronic music, turntablism, VJing, graffiti and other hybrid forms of street art. We are determined to promote and support the adoption of the Play Ethic in social and educational programs, taking into consideration the role of this vision as a catalyst for creativity and inclusion. SELECTED LIST OF PROGRAMS

• Unseen Stories – interactive shows in mining galleries. • Sound & Spirit – Opening churches for concerts A year-long program that brings to light the mining tradition of Baia A year-long series of events that bring classical music, opera and Mare through a series of exhibitions – fashion, traditional art, local contemporary music in sacred spaces. The joint capacity to host SELECTED LIST OF PROGRAMS mythology, folklore – as well as concerts or theater shows taking place audiences in the churches of Baia Mare surpass 10.000 seats, making in old mining galleries. them perfect destinations for this type of cultural events.

• One night at the museum – treasure hunt tours of museums • Play Again – educational programs, therapy and learning through • The Road – international music and tradition festival • Cultural EcoTours – discover the wooden churches of Maramureș at night - A line of activities scheduled to take place in spring and games - A year long program dedicated to otherwise marginalized Hosted by the acclaimed musician Grigore Leșe, the festival will by bike. autumn, on weekend nights that will allow visitors to explore the city’s categories of public, such as seniors or children. It will make use of assemble traditional performers from Nepal, Korea, Middle East, museums in gamified tours. A perfect way to engage local audiences games and direct interaction to engage large categories of public in Eastern Europe and South America. The festival will explore ritual • The limit of visual memory. International media and anthropology as well as tourists in symbolic competitions. open space and indoor events. music and dances in a contemporary frame. workshops and exhibitions.

• North ComiCon - European Competition of eSports and Digital Arts • Jump of faith – The active sports scene proposes a vibrant • Romanian Constellations – explore regional folklore through • Layers – sacred architecture. Churches, sanctuaries, powernodes. Digital arts, cosplay and eSports attract live audiences of tens of subculture including art, fashion, music, photography and cinema. astronomy Tours and exhibitions. thousands and reach millions of views online. We dedicated a week- This summer long activities line will combine sports and arts, A continuous program that lets visitors at the City Observatory long event to this field of activity in order to reach young international demonstrations and concerts, and will include a Special Olympics learn more about the local folklore and mythology by exploring old audiences and specialized media. section. constellations featured in ancient myths and stories.

• Escape Games – Explore the history of art and the history of • Cool School – mobile art labs • Heritage – Fashion and Music Events our city - Escape rooms and escape games are an emerging A summer-long series of events designed for broad audiences, entertainment trend all over Europe, attracting masses of loyal • Smart Cities – a better living gamified. Interactive digital showcasing fashion and accessories collections from all over the enthusiasts. Our program aims to open at least ten thematic rooms installations for cultural tourism, designed for mobile devices. world, inspired by the traditional arts and crafts. Includes exhibitions, that will allow thousands of tourists to experience our culture in an concerts and magazine launches. entertaining manner. • Game design workshops – solving social issues level by level Translating traditions PuLSE In search of new audiences Encounters in the Soul of Europe

Bringing history and the cultural heritage to life is a mandatory The main goal that we address is to put a vast array of information Baia Mare is, at least geographically, the Soul of Europe. We want to We aim to establish and chart common grounds, encouraging objective for each cultural capital, an objective that demands a display in context and to develop effective interfaces for the public and the emphasize this particular trait through several programs that showcase translation programs and building networks of multipurpose cultural of vision and clear selection criteria. This line of programs has a very cultural operators. possible interpretations of the soul of Europe, the immaterial bond that touch-point such as libraries, creating long term constructive initiatives. important role for the development of audiences expectations and their keeps together so many cultures and nations. This line of programs We are also interested to promote the diversity, the differences that abilities to interact with the cultural phenomenon. is highlighting the importance of cultural and artistic mobility, define our cultural landscape: the specificity of national minorities and advocates the actual practice of interculturality at a personal or cultural development or the evolution abroad of Romanian artists. This institutional level. search for new idioms of a European artistic lingua franca cannot and will not avoid territories that are already developing their translanguage such as: experimental films, poetry and sculpture. SELECTED LIST OF PROGRAMS

• Art & Parenting – good taste begins at home! - We plan to host • European Gala of Ballet and Opera - In November 2021 we plan to and interact with over 500 families in a year-long program, exploring host a large scale European event, opening the magic world of classical arts as a family building activity. From educational tours to parenting ballet and opera to large international audiences. The one-week event camps, we want to offer a broad selection of tools and contexts in will combine live performances and conferences, digital shows and SELECTED LIST OF PROGRAMS order to foster new approaches into parenting and the development of album launches. cultural capital. • Secular foods – Food as a performing medium. Workshops and • Baia Mare School of Painters – 125 years of European metaculture • Read our future – European librarians’ convention - The City • The Wandering Gallery - As maximizing the access to culture and public demonstrations The School of Painters founded 120 years ago was an iconic moment library will host a large scale convention of publishers and librarians, our cultural offer is paramount, we will inaugurate an art caravan, in the history of the city, an example of interculturality and cross- celebrating new forms of interaction with the readers as well as travelling throughout the city and the region for a whole year. The • An animated history of European Arts. International animation border cooperation that previewed the values of the European Union. international success stories. It will include book and new collections caravan will function as a mobile exhibition and cinema, as well as an competition and exhibition This program will include retrospective exhibitions, interactive launches, as well as launches of cooperative projects. info point promoting the cultural agenda. installations, anniversary publishing as well as conferences and • Summer Express – youth summer master classes for music, dance, workshops. • Eastern Europe, an interpreter heaven - International convention. • Transcending shapes – from sculpture to 3D printing - In a series performing arts of public workshops and demonstrations we want to bring large • HAI! – European minorities’ festival - Focusing on Ukraine and • Experimental movies marathons from private international audiences closer to the essential shapes and forms that can be • The long way home – exhibitions, concerts and conferences of Hungary, the HAI! Festival aims for becoming a two weeks meeting collections identified in all the major cultural traditions. Artists, craftsmen and internationally appraised local artists place for minorities from all over Europe. It will aggregate folklore and designers will interact and remix the old and new in everyday design electronic music, live performances and exhibitions and is open to • International Sculpture and Poetry Camp projects and public art throughout the summer months. large international audiences.

• Atelier – the contemporary theater festival - Founded in 1992, the international Atelier Festival has set out to celebrate, during the title year, audience records of tens of thousands spectators, focusing on open-air shows, street performances and events taking place in unconventional spaces. You are welcome! Social Art & Interventions Reinventing the city together Open hearts for open futures

We are dedicated to transform our city in a canvas for artistic Our approach to public relations is a constructive one, as we position We believe that one of the active leading roles of contemporary art is Social inequity, marginalization or discrimination are some of the issues expression, but also to create institutions and collaboration occasions ourselves to be a non-intrusive partner and supporter of quality to contextualize and mediate social issues that escape the authority and that we want to address by starting a series of programs that explore for professionals. We plan to maximize the urban impact of creativity, reporting and free speech. competence of conventional institutions or social actors. Art in itself is the power of artistic intervention and mediation. This line of programs expressed throughout the whole year of 2021, and to help creators a vehicle for change, an accelerator of social processes and a testimony is very important for increasing local social cohesion, as well as for translate it in long-lasting results: urban reconversion projects, public Completing our mission as hosts, we want to open thousands of of inconvenient truths. promoting good practices in terms of tolerance and solidarity. art, publications, reports or multimedia products. doors all over our city, this cultural circuit including not only official institutions and public business, but also private museums and even Considering the devastating effects of the late economic crisis on the private residences. journalism ethics, we take responsibility in offering full support to the media sector, welcoming journalists and producers and giving them the necessary tools and means for excellence. LIST OF PROGRAMS

• Break down the walls – 12 cultural interventions for communities at • The Phoenix Challenges – street art and urban Interventions risk - In order to insure the inclusion of all communities, each month A program designed to open the old industrial platform, including the of 2021 will host a cultural intervention in a specific local community Cuprom Phoenix Tower, for street art interventions. Meant to last for at risk. The interventions will range from community theater shows the whole summer of 2021, the concept is based on an international selected LIST OF PROGRAMS to landscaping, architecture or street art and will facilitate the call for proposals. This line of programs will include workshops and involvement of the direct beneficiaries. demonstrations, as well as side activities such as album launches or concerts. • Open houses, private museums and private exhibitions month • MeltingPotRadio – the international online radio station project • Music is my Passport – social activism music festival - This spring For one month during the summer, the cultural circuit will include festival sets out to mix activism and music using the city open spaces • Write your world, write yourself – creative writing for social private art collections, work spaces, and private events, opening to the • Cultural CouchSurfing – explore new cultures at home as stages, in an attempt to maximize the impact and the audiences. integration workshops public new layers of our cultural heritage and artistic life. By 2021 we We propose an open platform for hip-hop, world music, punk, rock and aim to have at least 30 private spaces enlisted in this program. • Printed in Baia Mare. One-month residencies for printed and online electronic music with a social dimension, bridging Berlin with Belgrade, • Social Theater & Theater Forum Convention magazines and Marseille with Sofia. • The Loft Project – industrial reconversion of multifunctional • Educational Social Enterprises & Impact Investment Convention spaces - Using an international call for projects, two industrial spaces • One week = One story. International residencies for journalists • Charity Auctions & Fundraising Excellence School will be open for reconversion throughout the entire year. The elected architects and designers will have our support for transforming the • Cultural Management Summit spaces into temporary living and working quarters open to the public. • Artistic research and trend watching residency • Nomad MakerSpace – internships and residencies for new technology projects - During the whole year, we’ll open our city for residencies and internships that explore new technologies and new forms of interactions between cultural operators and their audiences. Our focus on education implies a strong and dedicated connection A secondary, yet crucial, support layer is defined by independent Our endeavors would not be complete without the involvement of with the relevant local institutions. We have a working partnership collectors, private museums and theaters: the ethnology museum of grass-roots initiatives and of informal, yet goal-oriented, communities. with the County’s Schooling Authority, manifested, among other Desești, the Artscape Theater, or the Florean Museum – curator of one We have the manifested support of the local riders and active sports Our success depends on the ownership developed and assumed by the local community programs, in a unique professional orientation campaign focused of the biggest private collections of contemporary art in Romania. event organizers – a fast-growing community of enthusiasts with a for the concept, cultural programming, and specific events. We have design an on creative industries that targets 15.000 teenagers from Baia Mare In the same capacity building spirit, we are proud to announce a public visible international profile composed of snowboarders, bikers, DJs, and the surrounding area. The Schooling Authority is an effective declaration of support for our initiative assumed in a joint protocol by promoters, graphic designers and musicians. In the same field of implementation frame for programs that encourages and even builds upon the open gateway and an experience facilitator that intermediates our access the main churches and spiritual confessions active in Baia Mare. informal group, we value the collaboration of the Hungarian ethnic to nearly 60 schools and educational institution, one of our main The local creative industries are a pivot for the medium and long term community, organizing already traditional festivals and events such participation and collaboration of local institutions and artists, aiming to discover, target-groups in terms of audience formation. We are also developing a sustainability of our programs. We have productive collaborations as the Foter Festival, but also fervent promoters and producers of nourish and accomplish their hosting skills. strategic partnership North University Center focused on innovation, with local IT&C companies such as Trencadis and Quick Mobile, independently funded exhibitions, concerts or publications. How has the city technology consultancy and smart city infrastructure prototyping. On who proved themselves to be active and valuable partners in the During the organizational set-up of our candidacy, we received positive the other hand, we are committed to work closely with local NGOs development of the digital infrastructure, online dissemination and proactive feedback from the hospitality industry, including a dozen which have solid backgrounds in the formation as well as volunteer and of the data warehouse solutions required for the success of our of clubs, bars and pub that host theater plays, standup shows, concerts, involved, or how does We believe that cultural interventions and programs that don’t have the formal or hosting fields, such as: D.E.I.S. (focused on youth workers formation programs. We have also accomplished solid partnerships in the field poetry readings and exhibitions, but also from several hotels and hostels informal support of the local communities are eventually intrusive and ineffective. and educational programs), Team for Youth (part of the European of product and interior design with local startups or major companies interested in articulating a common network that can consolidate our Volunteer Service), Greentin, YMCA Baia Mare, Somaschi Volunteer such as Aramis. We also would like to emphasize the strong support hosting and event organizing capacity. it plan to involve, Every single event of our program has a local pillar and profits from the involvement Foundation, Go Serv, Young Roma Maramureș - YRMM, American received from the local media, counting six newspapers, two televisions of local operators, experts or artists. The local involvement ranges from the technical or International School of Transylvania or Reinvent Association. channels, two radios and eight online news portals. local artists and logistic support to the creative involvement in the design of the projects and the events. Our cultural programs leans on the support, participation and representation In order to maximize the effects of their involvement most of the mentioned cultural organizations of the local artists. They inspired or expanded our concepts and their know- artists and creators are included in the Core Team, Local Initiative Group of the how is crucial for the success of our endeavor. We count on the direct support Extended Board of our organization, along representatives of the local cultural and involvement of the local art community including: Dan Aurel (painter and institutions: Radu Macrinici (writer and theater director, artistic director of the Our main logistic partners, with a proven capacity to host international events and manage elaborate programs and partnerships are: the Museum art theorist), Mircea Bochiș (painter, visual artist), Gyorgi Csaba (sculptor and City Theater), Laura Ghinea (visual artist, president of the Artist Union) or Teodor in the conception and of Art, the Museum of History and Archeology, the Museum of Ethnography and Popular Art, the Village Museum, the Museum of Mineralogy, The County Center for the Conservation and Promotion of the Traditional Culture, the Union of Artists, The City Theater and The City Library. cultural manager), Tiberiu Alexa (director of the Art Museum, historian and art Ardelean (professor and journalist, director of the City Library). All of the institutions listed above have proficient international partnerships, a consolidated operational capacity and their own marketing and critic), Mircea Ciplea (visual artist), Ioan Anghel Negreanu (painter), Valentin implementation of the communication tools. For instance, the City Library is also active at an international level with subsidiaries servicing Romanian communities Itu (painter), Nicolae Apostol (painter), Dorel Petrehuș (painter), Ion Marchiș If the city receives the title of European Capital of Culture, the Extended Board and international scholars in Moldavia, Ukraine, Spain, Hungary, Portugal, Scotland and Canada. The Union of Artists has strong regional (sculptor). We have already established an active collaboration with the local will be completed by artists born or educated in Baia Mare, who gained national connections with similar entities in Hungary, Ukraine and Poland, translated into exhibitions, art camps and residence programs. Several of our community of photographers that includes reputed names such as: Dan and international notoriety such: Cosmin Năsui (curator and art critic), Zoltan cultural program? programs are naturally build around the already set up infrastructure and these existing opportunities, as we mutually decided to increase their Vezentan, Mihai Grigorescu, Laszlo-Tibor Olah, Hajdu Tamas, Vasile Dorolți or Bela (painter), Mircea Suciu (painter), Adrian Ghenie (painter), Bogdan Rață scale, audience, international dimension or overall impact. Silviu Gheție. Representatives of Baia Mare’s active community of writers – (sculptor) or George Remeș (actor, cultural manager). Marian Ilea, Nicolae Scheianu, Romeo Roșiianu, Ștefan Mariș – gathered around In order to develop of know-how transfer capacity and to benefit from their big-scale vision and expertise, we have worked closely in the cultural the online platform and the magazine e-creator.ro, were also included in the programming with local based major players from the non-governmental field: WWF Romania, the Hope and Homes for Children Foundation and ASSOC – the most successful Romanian cluster of social enterprises destined for communities at risk. These powerful organizations support content of the cultural programming. our efforts as consultants, shaping our procedures and approach in key fields for the management of our project: fundraising, international funding, budgeting, recruitment and management of volunteers. Furthermore, we value them as strategic partners in order to project a strong strategy and reach meaningful objectives in terms of integration of socially challenge communities in our programs as well as sustainable All the collaboration listed above need more than a frame of reference; they need a frame of action. Therefore we started to implement five strategic infrastructure projects aimed to assist and operationalize their involvement development and environmental responsibility. and initiatives and to function as interfaces for international partnerships: the cultural community centers, the Multimedia Hub and Makerspace, the Center for Excellency in Cultural Management and the Cuprom Creative Industries Center.

40 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Organizational structure Organizational structure Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 41 Capacity to deliver

Hosting is one of our core values, hence it is our mission to make our The city stands testimony to its history, that has shaped it into a city of guests feel welcome and enjoy a memorable experience, no matter who both art and industry, of freedom fighters, of independent thinkers, of The City Council has initiated and established a series of partnerships The City Council and Cătălin Cherecheș the Mayor of Baia Mare they are and why they are here. Thus, we take to quality tourism as a bourgeois and miners aside. Touristic attractions in Baia Mare are rich with the most relevant local and regional political forces and authorities have launched a public call for solidarity addressed to the central challenge, a duty to honor. Accommodating a visitor is not only about and diverse. From perfectly preserved medieval towers or fortresses to Please confirm and in order to assure a predictable and stable frame for the funding and administration: The Presidential Administration, The Romanian ensuring a bed to sleep on, but rather about sharing a part of our lives, diverse churches, museums of art or mineralogy, from dark mines to implementation of our programs and projects. Parliament, The Romanian Government and the Ministries of Culture in generosity, with new people. Local spontaneous happenings, great beautiful chestnuts preservation park, each visitor stands to witness a and Education, as well as the representatives of all political groups restaurants, trending bars, cultural events, traditions and customs, unique corner of European mixture and evolution. evidence that you have The County Council publicly and officially expressed their represented in the Parliament. In this open letter, supported and leisure activities, they all offer a glimpse of the local lifestyle, celebrating determination to support directly the efforts of the organizing broadcasted by local and national media, he calls for the unconditional What is the city’s diversity in unity and also, granting a chance to escape the mundane. The city’s polarization of Maramureș offers our visitors the chance to association through funding of the cultural programs. They also collaboration of all statesmen, regardless of their political background, easily reach and discover an untouched cultural space, that religiously broad and strong pledged the allocation of the necessary funds for the needed as the title of European Capital of Culture should be considered as a Currently, Baia Mare’ s capacity to accommodate tourists adds up to preserved the traditional way of life with modesty, determination and infrastructure projects required in order to insure the city capacity to program of national interest, no matter which city will be awarded the absorption capacity about 650000 single layovers in 1785 available beds per one year, while dignity. The handcrafted architecture of Maramureș and its magnificent deliver in terms of accessibility and cultural infrastructure. title based on the applications. The call for solidarity received positive Maramureș holds almost triple that capacity in 4805 beds, in a time- wooden churches have been charted by the UNESCO as world heritage political support and a responses from representatives of the political groups who expressed distance basin of 30 minutes drive radius. What is interesting about values, with 8 such sites within half an hour reach from Baia Mare. Representatives of the local political forces signed a common protocol their interest to transform it in a public protocol of collaboration. in terms of tourists the local tourism market is that hotels provide less than half of the that states their dedication to support the endeavor of the organizing accommodation capacity, while B&B-s, inns and guesthouses account All of these are testimonies certifying the city’s great touristic sustainable commitment team. Representatives of the youth political organizations were It is important to emphasize the strong popular support that the for the majority of beds. development potential that is being charted and shaped by a tourism directly involved in the preparation of the bid book and of the overall current local administration can count on. The elected Mayor, also accommodation? strategy of the city, currently undertaken by the municipality. We plan campaign. running for office in 2016, had won the elections of 2012 with one Tourism is one of the most interesting sectors for investors, while prices to double at least the inner city’s accommodation capacity by means from the relevant local, the most impressive percentages of Romania, attracting 86% of the are medium and low, considering the quality of the services, as one of maximizing the existing infrastructure, converting heritage and Protocols of collaborations were also signed by representatives of four cititzens’ votes. The public confidence in the performance of the overnight stay ranges from 20 to 60 Euros a night. Baia Mare boasts a standard buildings into hotels, restaurants and other tourism-related sister cities and twin towns form Ukraine and Hungary, and also by the current administration is still high after the four yeas mandate, so we high-end restaurant scene, with focus on traditional cuisine, but also amenities. There are also plans to build new touristic infrastructure regional and national Governor of the Transcarpathian Region. These protocols stated their can predict a stable political environment in the local administration Italian specialties, developed by a strong community of expats that in the next years, by the creation of the Firiza Eco Tourism Park by dedication to endorse and to support logistically the implementation for the next four years that can assure the success of medium and long chose this city to build flourishing businesses here. 2021 that will solely accommodate 2000 more beds. Moreover, in process. term cultural projects and infrastructure projects. accordance with our hosting values, we have started to develop a plan public authorities. Our city offer covers a wide range of accommodation and amenities to establish a couch-surfing, vacation rentals and subletting network, The heads of the locally represented churches and religious to suit every need: families looking for places to spend time together, inviting residents, but also locals that live throughout Europe and hold congregations also signed a collaboration protocol stating their professionals set out to enjoy dynamism, seniors awaiting the chance to a significant housing stock unused in the city, to open up their homes availability to endorse and to support the implementation process, relax and discover new things, youngsters looking for adventure, nature to tourists or adventure seekers, thus creating new opportunities to expressing their interest to host special events and programs. and sporting enthusiast among mat others. Baia Mare turns out to be a generate local income. These accommodations will be audited and user friendly city for any guests or hosts, offering enhance accessibility certified by the Center for Micro-financing in Tourism, planned to for the disabled and cycling enthusiasts. operate starting mid 2016.

42 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Capacity to deliver Capacity to deliver Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 43 In terms of cultural, urban and tourism infrastructure what are the Baia Mare is situated in Northern Romania, at the epicenter of Local authorities are already drafting a special incentive policy for geographic Europe. Just 50 km away from both the Hungarian and airways, in order to attract low-cost and line operators that engage Ukrainian border, the city stands at the heart of the TransCarpathian flights to important hubs such as Vienna, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Paris projects (including renovation projects) that your city plan to carry out region. In up to five hours driving distance on European roads and and many others, thus easily connect Baia Mare to all European cities. highways, it is easily reachable by a number of nations: Hungarians, Ukrainians, Slovaks, Czechs and, of course, Romanians. In terms of railway mobility, major investments in the rehabilitation of in connection with the European Capital of Culture action between now the infrastructure connecting Baia Mare are planned as 2020 priorities The regional capital of Maramureș is accessible via a numerous types of by the National Transportation MasterPlan that has just been approved transportation means. It is connected to the national railway system, it by the Government. Also, half of the county roads of Maramureș have and the year of the title? What is the planned timetable for this work? has an international airport 10 km away from the city and express roads been recently modernized into Express Roads, and the other half is link it to major cities in Romania, including the country’s capital city, set to be rehabilitated by the end of 2017. Moreover, by means of the Bucharest. Public and private operators aside offer hour-to-hour road support partnership signed by the Local Council of Baia Mare and transportation services to major cities in the region. Even if it is not the County Government, the latter has set out to invest whatever is part of the TEN-T network, it is directly linked to the Mediterranean necessary in terms of accessibility and touristic infrastructure, in order What are the city’s corridor by means of connection to the Hungarian city of Debrecen, to meet all requirements of a hosting the European Capital of Culture Every infrastructure plan that the Integrated Urban Development Our plans also include the foundation of the Baia Mare Academy As a result of an international contest open to all artists, the tallest only 167 km away, as well as the Rhine-Danube corridor, via Arad, by 2021. Strategy sets in motion is related to the ECoC action, as, alongside the of the Arts, set to operate in a converted historical building starting Eastern European tower, the Phoenix tower, rising 352 m above accessible in 350 km. Also, the largest airport hub in Transylvania, Cluj development of culture, creativity and life quality, it is listed as one of 2017, with a curriculum that teaches new and innovative approaches the ground, will be transformed into the largest multimedia light assets in terms Napoca, is reachable in 1 hour and 45 minutes drive. We believe that local mobility and accessibility is very relevant to a the document’s main pillars. Our aim is to enhance the attractiveness, to creativity and culture, also boasting a strong European dimension, installation. This Lighthouse of Europe will be the symbol of our successful ECoC. This is why we have started to innovate the local accessibility and sustainability of the local economy by means of smart, as most of the visiting professors will represent our educational partner rebirth, leading the way to Baia Mare and welcoming all of our guests While physically articulated to a wide variety of transportation transportation sector through a sustainable mobility plan, taking coherent and efficient public investments. It is our strong belief that institutions. to shelter. of accessibility infrastructures, time-distance indicators are not yet at high accessibility bold measures to ensure low emission, but time-efficient, attractive a successful ECoC city setting needs to integrate a variety of projects, standards. This is why, by 2021, the county’s and the city’s conjugated and affordable transportation. Even though our system is currently setting high standards in city aesthetics, urban services and amenities, Recently, we have retrieved the “Minerul” Cinema, one of the most The ”City as a stage” vision constitutes one of the basic pillars of the efforts are aiming at empowering the mobility and accessibility of Baia well developed, our goal is to have the most efficient local and county as well as hospitality facilities. representative culture spaces in the city, that was left to decay by its 2021 cultural programming. Hence, a consistent portfolio of projects (regional, national Mare within the region, the country and Europe, as well. transportation in the region, ensuring high mobility of creative workers previous owners. We are planning to restore it starting mid 2016, focuses on rehabilitating and upgrading public squares, targeting their in Baia Mare and Maramureș by 2021. Moreover, we’ve already In terms of cultural infrastructure, we are planning to carry out turning it into a multi-purpose performance hall, but we have already makeover into perfect hosts for a variety of events, in a contemporary The Baia Mare International Airport is currently undertaking a large established a touristic free bus route within the city, connecting of the numerous projects in order to update, outsize, revive and create started to employ it, by hosting different cultural events and reclaiming approach faithful to Jan Gehl’s human scale architecture and urban and international scale modernization project that will allow large airplanes to land by cultural hotspots that we plan on extending early next year, enhancing generous spaces for creative activities. Existing museums will be it as a core space of our community. Moreover, projects are currently planning vision. Rehabilitation projects of public squares prioritize the beginning of 2017. the experience of all our visitors. subjected to hard and soft interventions, rehabilitating what shows being drafted for the rehabilitation of the two buildings used by the the capacity to host both outdoor and indoor cultural and commercial such a need, but also granting a better experience in accordance with Municipal Theater, while legal proceedings are being filed in order to activities, as well as spontaneous happenings in iconic settings. transport)? requirements of a European prime touristic destination: proficient retrieve and update the Dacia Cinema, as well as the Culture House. Most city squares are bound to be open only for pedestrians, in a guided tours, great promotional campaigns, multilingual information We expect all of these spaces to be operational at high performance sustainable urban mobility approach, favoring non-polluting means of facilitated by means of the highest technology available. We are also standards by 2021. transportation. creating new such spaces, converting and restoring heritage buildings such as the Pokol Castle in the Borcutului Valley, or the House of John The conversion of the abandoned industrial Phoenix platform into a Hunyadi into city museums of excellent quality, reviewing the binomial Creative Industries Center and City of the Arts is one of our flagship relationship between the evolution of city and of its culture. projects in relation to the European Capital of Culture action. Decontaminating and retrieving 55 hectares of valuable city center One of the most important projects related to the ECoC that we have land will represent the basis of establishing a best practice urban started and will be finishing by mid 2017 is the rehabilitation of the regeneration project, employing all types of financial incentive policies Colony of Painters, the historical headquarters of the 125 year-old in order to accelerate the rebuilding process by means of public-private School of Painting of Baia Mare, holding state of the art residencies for partnerships. artists and exhibition halls.

The circles mark a 15 minutes drive radius The circles mark a 60 minutes drive radius

44 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Capacity to deliver Capacity to deliver Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 45 Conversion Rehabilitation

The central cultural axis of Baia Mare will faithfully follow the course Sports and leisure activities will be integrated within our cultural of the Rivulus Dominarum, developing the shoreline of the Săsar River program, as satellite components, faithful to our competitive values into an iconic and unique system of public cultural outdoor and indoor and the culture of fair play, proven by our European sporting success settings, aggregating social interaction and creativity as vertebrae of stories. We also plan on using the sports infrastructure for the ECoC Baia Mare’s city life. Moreover, alongside this spinal cord, the newly- title year and for cross-thematic events. The Stadium’s rehabilitation created University Square will entirely rebrand the modern city center. works have started and will be done by early 2017. Furthermore, we set out to build the Olympic Lascăr Pană Center expecting for it to The Heart-Shaped City Center ensemble will harbor the triptych of become operational by 2021. renewed pedestrian public squares, with facilities including a large scale underground parking: the Liberty, Peace and Citadel Squares. Five years time seems too little to develop and support major and The latter has just been finished early this summer, portraying the numerous investments, worth more than 100 million Euros, but we quality of urban living-rooms that we propose for our City as a Stage have always faced challenges in a highly competitive approach, putting program, thus proving our capacity to deliver high-end urban spaces all of our efforts in building a bold, but feasible project portfolio, Colony of painters for the ECoC. Renovation works of the Revolution Square are set perfectly integrated and calibrated to our capacity to manage and John Hunyadi Arts Museum Pokol House Digital Museum to begin in early 2016, while the ground-breaking of the Traditional deliver. The timeframe and high quality standards of projects we have Project ground-breaking: mid 2016 Project ground-breaking: early 2019 Project ground-breaking: early 2015 Marketplace renewal project is scheduled for summer 2016. Plans developed or that are currently under construction constitute solid Project completion: mid 2017 Project completion: mid 2020 Project completion: mid 2017 to rebuild the Train-station Square are also in place, turning it into a proof of our commitment to rebrand Baia Mare as the European city of Worth: 2 million Euros Worth: 4 million Euros Worth: 4 million Euros visionary antechamber of what bold Baia Mare sets out to be in 2021: the East with the highest life quality. Investment: European & local funding Investment: European & local funding Investment: Local funding the European Capital of all Cultures. ECoC component: arts museum and heritage center ECoC component: museum of culture and city evolution ECoC component: artist residencies, exhibition halls We have organized and structured a financing plan of the portfolio, Projects regarding tourism and infrastructure development also have supported by a holistic contingency alternative plan. Its mixes strong ECoC components, servicing and targeting needs that apply the usage of European funding, by means of Romanian available to hosting such a large scale one-year-long event. The Touristic Eco operational programs (the Regional Operational Program, the Large Park to be built in Firiza will include a traditional village set up as a Infrastructure Operational Program etc.), government funding, local living museum, promoting the Maramureș way of life and customs, funding, supplier’s credit services and public-private partnerships, in enhancing not only accommodation capacities, but also the variety order to dynamically develop all urban infrastructure projects set to be Theater Rehabilitation of cultural experiences offered by the city. Moreover, our sustainable operational by 2021, employing our basic principles: cost-efficiency, Cuprom City of the Arts and “Minerul” Multi-purpose mobility projects include a holistic network of bicycle lanes connecting sustainability and high-quality. Creative Industries Performance Hall *project currently under development, to be publicly funded by all important spots of the city, set to be finalized by 2018, that will the Local City Council bring about possibilities to wander, explore and hit different cultural *Currently under legal acquirement proceedings Project ground-breaking: mid 2016 events throughout the city. Project completion: early 2018 Project ground-breaking: early 2017 Worth: 5 million Euros DACIA CINEMA Project completion: late 2020 Investment: European & local funding Worth: 25 million Euros ECoC component: multi-purpose performance hall *Currently under legal acquirement proceedings Investment: European funding for decontamination, local funding for acquirement, public - private partnerships for development Projects regarding the development of ECoC component: Creative Industries Center, Tallest Culture House European Light Instalation- the Phoenix Tower culture and creativity infrastructure *Currently under legal acquirement proceedings

46 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Urban Infrastructure to host City as a Stage “It is a man who brings bliss to any place”. This is the saying that starts almost every Outreach Romanian success story, the first step towards building communities, putting teams together and giving a voice to the meaning and motivation that guide our everyday life. The passionate involvement of people leads the path towards new, innovative projects and brings about the feeling of success.

However, one cannot provide a thorough overview of a certain A tight relationship has been established with the Baia Mare Artists community without first explaining the cultural and social background Union, which brings together teachers and independent visual artists, of its very existence. The perception of the Maramureș people among who are a source of inspiration in the process of our application and Romanians is that of an archaic, conservative society that has kept its have offered their support and advice. traditions untouched for a very long time. The very core of this identity CITADEL SQUARE Explain how the resides in the general perception of the locals as tough, straightforward Our strategic partners, Hope and Home for Children, ASSOC LIBERTY SQUARE + Săsar Esplanade and fearless, on the one hand, welcoming, hardworking and a suitor of and Young Roma Maramures, have been systematically consulted underground parking Project ground-breaking: late 2012 Project ground-breaking: mid 2017 life itself, on the other. throughout the entire process of developing the strategy, with regard Project completion: mid 2015 Project completion: late 2020 local population and to the social dimensions of our application. Based on their expertise Project ground-breaking: mid 2017 Worth: 3 million Euros Worth: 17 million Euros The Baia Mare community proved its spirit of cohesion and its at local, national and international level, they provided realistic ways Project completion: early 2020 Investment: European & local funding Investment: European & local funding, Public-private ”maramuresean” particularity once again by supporting and getting and approaches of mixing culture and education in order to positively Worth: 10 million Euros ECoC component: intimate outdoor stage setting, partnerships your civil society involved in our efforts to create the cultural strategy of the project, impact even the most disadvantaged members of the Baia Mare Investment: European & local funding for the square, urban lounge ECoC component: diverse outdoor urban stages, glass although we didn’t want to contaminate public opinion with community. public-private partnership for the parking pavilions for exhibition halls and other cultural activities programmed convictions and conceptions. However, the support ECoC component: outdoor stage setting have been involved in groups and pages created spontaneously by citizens of Baia Mare WWF and the Center for Sustainable Development GREENTIN were on social media platforms are examples of enthusiastic grassroot consulted regarding the ecological and sustainable aspects. Together initiatives. Alongside online initiatives, the local community also we will develop the ECO Charta for cultural events. Consequently, REVOLUTION SQUARE Train-station Square University Square the preparation of discussed the impact and the meaning of what being European Capital each cultural operator or event producer must respect the ecological of Culture would represent. This was carried out in over 20 formal criteria regarding the waste management, smart energy equipment, Project ground-breaking: early 2016 Project ground-breaking: late 2018 Project ground-breaking: early 2018 and informal gatherings that included over 1000 people, met in their environmental preservation. Project completion: mid 2017 Project completion: late 2020 Project completion: mid 2020 own environment, in their own district councils. The pathway to Worth: 3 million Euros Worth: 4 million Euros Worth: 5 million Euros the application and exponentially grow this impact will start in every living room of the The School Inspectorate of Maramures County, through its program “A Investment: Local funding Investment: European & local funding Investment: European & Local funding city, spreading then to the neighborhoods, on the main streets towards different kind of school-week”, has implemented an intensive cultural ECoC component: outdoor stage setting ECoC component: gateway to the city, urban lounge and ECoC component: outdoor urban lounge, glass pavilions the city center, thus generating a snow ball effect. As pointed out in education project among children, as they were put into different structure for outdoor alternative events for cultural activities will participate in the statistical survey carried out in august 2015, 95.67% respondents contexts, those of art consumers. For one week, the youths became key wish for Baia Mare to become a cultural and touristic center. This audiences, they turned into art critics, cultural managers or even artists the implementation figure shows the common aim represented in every layer of the society. as they were exposed to live concerts and theater shows, museum visits PEACE SQUARE Out of all respondents, 51,4% say they want to be actively involved in and exhibitions and, more importantly, they were given a voice by “Izvoarele” MarketPlace the city’s metamorphosis. From the grassroots to the field of experts, being asked to project their vision with regard to the city development Project ground-breaking: mid 2017 Project ground-breaking: mid 2016 of the year. professionals and institutions, one in every two persons gathers his/her through project competitions. Project completion: early 2019 Project completion: late 2018 forces and resources in order to reach this common goal. Worth: 2 million Euros Worth: 8 million Euros Investment: European & local funding Investment: Local funding Therefore, on every layer of the Baia Mare community, actions ECoC component: outdoor stage setting ECoC component: outdoor alternative spaces for have been made towards creating a new image of the city, towards components of the ECoC program (cuisine, local flavors transforming it, one step at a time, from the industrial center it etc.) used to be into a cultural one. While elaborating this application, one identified key component of success was to addresses the local communities and their needs.

48 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 49 We have built our cultural strategy and the subjacent programs There are 24 school magazines that are currently used as tools to with a clear goal in mind: arts and culture should work as a social promote values and culture among young people. As one of our local integration vector, our efforts of reimagining the city should include The way we projected the concept of the cultural program of Baia Mare 2021 Our objectives are made to empower the entire community and to share the strategic partners, the County School Inspectorate provided us with all the communities and groups instead of serving as a group or group we fully engaged the entire community in a complex learning process. The ownership for our project with it. The learning context will host, by 2021, valuable information and insights regarding the young generation’s differentiator. The open access to culture is a mandatory premise for all architecture of this learning process was inspired by both the gap proved by 10.000 pupils and students integrated in cultural projects. The volunteering needs as integrant part of the local community, in order to foster How will the title create in our programs and must be understood on multiple levels: the analysis and the aspirations declared during consultations with all the centers will manage, by 2021, 5.000 volunteers and the number of educational the development of cultural values and cultural competences, stakeholders involved in the educational sector. In order to increase the cultural projects will rise to 520 projects per year. Each volunteering center will have contextualized, adapted, and shaped according to the functional capital, to enrich the taste for culture of beneficiaries, a consistent focus on a volunteer coordinator, playing the role of counseling and coaching in order framework of the young generation. your city new and sustainable • Every part of our cultural programs, even the narrow casted or the niche programs, has a component dedicated to the education is mandatory. to achieve and acknowledge the skills developed during the projects. These centers will be multifunctional in terms of human resources development: large public, free of access charge. The focus and dedication Another School Inspectorate’s ongoing project, “Learn to learn”, opportunities for a wide The relation between education and culture follows the cause-effect logic. recognition of skills using the volunteer certificate, as well as generating projects promotes a proper vocational orientation for a number of 15.000 to translate the results – using media reports, exhibitions, Hence, our intervention has two major directions. First, raising attention and and communities of practices. The response to a very problematic aspect of our students from Maramures County, with special incentives for children publications, open demos, online broadcasting, and educational motivation of traditional educators - teachers, schools, universities and parents youngsters’ society is the low rate in high school graduation. These centers will from Roma communities. Among other objectives, the project range of citizens to attend modules – is essential for the selection and evaluation of the – to get in line with the needs of the generation they foster and the economic also offer counseling services and peer-to-peer learning sessions, engaging socio- emphasizes on the creative industries sector, that is recognized to have projects. challenges ahead. Second, creating contexts for quality complementary methods educational animators, youth workers, psychologists, and parenting advisors. a long-lasting tradition in this region, and seen as a viable and healthy to develop valuable competencies and practice opportunities. The future belongs The result we forecast is a 15% higher graduation rate at the high school final solution for increasing the rate of employment. or participate in cultural • We have designed dedicated programs that aim explicitly to to communities; therefore we encourage the sharing and the networking exams – Baccalaureate. surpass the marginalization of specified communities – based through communities of practice. The City Theater and ARTSCAPE, an independent local theater, are activities, in particular on gender, age, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientations or The number of educational NGOs in Baia Mare is higher than expected. 45% two other important pillars when it comes to shaping audiences and We base our approach on the strengths of the educational environment in Baia of the local associations and foundations are mainly implementing informal and building cultural capital. Our informal consultations we had with their religious concerns. We are especially concerned to overcome the discrimination of specific age groups, to encourage the Explain your overall strategy Mare, such as the infrastructure, the currently applied social integration strategy, non-formal educational projects. With the support of the Regional Educational management lead to identifying and drafting common ways to increase the high level of tuition and an important number of European Funds projects Authority – the School Inspectorate, Baia Mare can quickly become an young people, volunteers, the access to culture and active living for the elders, as well as and diversify audiences as well as theater products, in order to cover of the Regional Authority of Education; and plan to connect these efforts with important regional educational center hosting events that are paramount for the participation of infants in events and programs in order up all the areas of public interest, given the fact that the data collected for audience development, and the opportunities at a national and European level. So the city turns into the the development of social and cultural capital of young generations. Therefore, by the sociological survey show that 30.53% of the respondents would marginalized and disadvantaged, to extend our public and empower taste formation and major learning context that shelters the Living Academia program. This program alternative educational initiatives such as RestartEdu, Teach for Romania, rather attend a theater event. development. has the attribute to connect, develop and co-create the learning processes Connector or Cross Learning House have been invited and some already in particular the link with throughout the city. accepted the invitation to relocate or extend their main international events Local representatives of the creative industries sector provided us with including minorities? • Furthermore, we are preoccupied to extend the access here, in Baia Mare. clear insight regarding this sector of the economy and their efforts to culture for the low-income communities, opposing the We adopted an extensive approach for the educational field, including in our to make themselves visible in the local and regional market. Using gentrification of the artistic and creative landscape. We believe education and the participation programs elements specific to continuing education, e-learning, adult learning, With regard to vocational learning, another important and integrant component informal and formal consultations with over 50 company owners Please also elaborate on the that culture is anything but a class privilege; on the contrary training, mentoring, vocational learning, and, of course, education through art. of our vision, we plan to foster form of public-private partnerships. We will or managers we came to understand that, on the local market, the that it should set the basis of an ecosystem, a Temporary This program line will provide a constant link to each and every educational and encourage and develop this type of partnerships between local highschools and creative industries are developing, though they are still not properly accessibility of these activities of schools. cultural structure in Baia Mare. universities, on the one hand, and the creative industries, on the other hand, recognized as an alternative according to the mass conception of a Autonomous Zone, suspending hierarchies and tradition power networks, and encouraging mobility, self development and self by proposing new and innovative courses such as sound engineering, video career plan. Many talented entrepreneurs who show a potential for An important strategic step, agreed and accepted by the official stakeholders, is post processing or photo editing. Our target is to have minimum 20 such affirmation. In order to support these communities we started development and job creation, confront themselves with issues like lack to persons with disabilities and the Educational Agenda of the municipality, adopted in 2015 and implemented partnerships per year and an employment rate of 89% after graduation. The of community support and lack of local know-how. The Maramureș to prototype the Cultural Multipass Card, a digital solution to starting with 2016. This agenda plays the role of a common proactive platform existing professional schools and Universities are in the process of developing Business Club, a local network of young entrepreneurs, is more than the elderly. Specify the relevant subsidize their cultural consumption. for schools, parents, students, private sector, NGOs, cultural operators to initiate new programs and curricula in support-fields of the creative industries. eager to get involved and help boost the creative industries sector by and implement new common projects with co-financing from the municipality. Another important initiative will focus on the creation and opening of a Center promoting it at community level. We believe that the Open-Door policy is a good place to start. Our for Excellence in Cultural Management, a joint project featuring the local parts of the programme selection of programs is affirming a more daring paradigm, setting We are ready to accept the challenge of becoming the main educational and university, the City Theater and several important cultural operators. Formal meetings with business sector representatives, local institutions, the frame for a Find-New-Doors policy. We encourage, through open cultural center in the region by creating the most important center of creative and the civil society were initiated regarding the adoption of the long- international call for projects, the implementation of experimental industries. Because we are aware of that, as we are at a tipping point and we have Baia Mare hosts some of the most revenant success stories when it comes to term cultural strategy. All the three layers of participants concurred that planned for these various pilot projects aiming to improve hybrid forms of collaboration for to overcome our own limits, to see the opportunities ahead. Therefore, in the attracting funds and implementing EU funded projects in the educational the city application for the title of ECoC is beneficial and necessary. educational field we are also adopting the lean start up paradigms to prototype, sector. By making use of such know-how, we will create a community of experts The latest consultation results, held in September 2021, concluded that integration and empowerment of the communities or social groups at groups. risk. From the Roma communities to the single parent families, from measure and scale the projects. in order to reach our proposed target and attract external funding of at least 1,5 the common efforts that have been made and will be made onward, million Euros/ year. will dramatically transform the vocation and business profile of the the young unemployed to the new wave of immigrants, we encourage city. new approaches that involve impact investors, entrepreneurs, think- tanks along with the traditional partners: NGOs, local administration or international entities.

50 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Outreach Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 51 Management. Finance What is your fund raising strategy to seek financial Operating budget for Income from the support from Union programmes/funds to cover operating expenditure?

City budget for culture: the title year: public sector: Our proposition to organize and develop a Center for Excellence in Cultural Management is a warranty of a proficient approach to the attraction of financial support from the European Union by operators that will be part of the ECoC Please explain the overall operating budget (i.e. funds What is the breakdown of the income to be project. It will feature a dedicated office, aiming to inform, train and assist What has been the annual budget for culture in the city over the last 5 years that are specifically set aside to cover operational received from the public sector to cover operating public and private cultural operators in obtaining European funding for artistic, (excluding expenditure for the present European Capital of Culture application)? expenditure). The budget shall cover the preparation expenditure? educational, social and research programs. The Center will focus on raising Romanian absorption ratios in creative and social funding, by promoting best phase, the year of the title, the evaluation and The municipal budget of Baia Mare, such as any other local budget in Romania is composed of the city’s own revenues, as a result of collecting land, patrimony and other types of practices and supporting applications for the following programs: Creative taxes, but also by getting income out of public investments or businesses. Moreover, part of the annual budget values come up from divided and redistributed taxes (like the VAT) that provisions for the legacy activities. Please also fill in Europe, Europe for Citizens, Erasmus Plus, Eurimages, grants offered by the are collected at central level. In five years’ time, Baia Mare’s expense budget rose to 170% of its 2011 value, adding up to 76 million Euros in 2015. This performance is a result of a the table below. European Cultural Foundation or the European Youth Foundation and other multitude of factors, yet mainly due to the increase of investments and to the economic growth. available financial opportunities or instruments.

As six out of seven major public cultural institutions operating in Baia Mare are not funded by the municipality, but by the County Council, low budget percentages destined for cultural activities are, in this case, natural and not necessarily symptomatic of the city’s cultural life. However, related expenses calculated as a percentage out of the total annual budget According to what timetable should the income prove that the current administration extends its support to culture. Moreover, the city’s candidacy to the European Capital of Culture title and the long-term cultural development to cover operating expenditure be received by the strategy have settled new funding objectives and assumptions in terms of cultural expenditure. city and/or the body responsible for preparing and implementing the ECoC project if the city receives the In case the city is planning to use funds from its annual Which amount of the title of European Capital of Culture? budget for culture to finance the European Capital of overall annual budget Our operational budget adds up to 40 million Euros in expenses over an 8 Culture project, please indicate this amount starting does the city intend to year long time span. Among others, it covers educational, artistic and cultural from the year of submission of the bid until the European spend for culture after activities to be developed by operators under the cultural programming Capital of Culture year. the European Capital of guidelines, respectful of our lean start-up approach to be able to prototype, assess and then scale successful endeavors. To this extent, funding allocations In approaching the public funding plan of the ECoC operational budget, we Culture year (in euros and are exponentially growing each year up to the 2021, while consistent amounts chose to calibrate risk by assuming the largest part of expenses as covered by the In order to have a truthful projection of what Baia Mare’s budget is able to support in % of the overall annual are set aside to ensure strong and coherent legacy programs. The budget municipality, without overbearing our local treasury. This does not only prove in terms of cultural expenditure for the next 8 years, we have undertaken a complex proposal aims to be cost-efficient and purpose-appropriate. Hence, marketing that we are committed in implementing and fulfilling our vision, but also that procedure of forecasting revenues for the given period, taking into account new budget)? expenditures will be focused on booming communication efforts in the year we are strong, confident and that we believe the ECoC to be a priority plan for investments that connect to important tax collection and also the budgetary previous to and the year of the title, in order to provide with envisioned the city. Other amounts envisioned to be publicly supported are much lower, as growth rate, stable for the last five years. To this extent, we have also studied capital We believe that a proactive and outreaches. Moreover, our ECoC approach, as a whole, turns to using efficient we chose to diminish dependencies on different types of authorities. We opted investment and necessary operational expenditure that can put pressure on the sustainable community invests a and innovative tools, able to prevent useless expenditure that only produces in favor of a reliable approach, limiting the impact on central and regional local budget. Hence, we have drafted a plan that is feasible and pragmatic, based on considerable amount in culture. This short-term or inconsistent effects. budgets. existing data. is why our goal is to reach a stable 4.5 percentage of the local budget to We aim at tripling our cultural budget by 2023, while redeeming it with 4.5% of be yearly spent on cultural activities, the total city expenses, in accordance to our pledge to deliver our mission. As the starting 2023. As economic forecasts Have the public finance authorities (City, Region, State) already voted on or made financial commitments to adjacent table shows, we have pre-established amounts to be annually spent on show an ascendant city budget for cover operating expenditure? If not, when will they do so? cultural and creative activities, with a clear projection of what ECoC related cost the next 10 years, it is safe to project allocations are to be set aside. The European Capital of Culture will be publicly that expenses dedicated to culture will The City Council, alongside the County Council of Maramureș have signed a mutual seven year protocol, carefully establishing obligations and roles of each party funded out of the city’s cultural budget, with different amounts schedules for each overpass the 7 million Euro milestone in carrying out the European Capital of Culture action, including provisions of financial support of the project. Moreover, we are currently developing an elaborate year pursuant to specific yearly objectives. The largest amount proposed by this in 8 years time. 10 year budgetary plan, organizing and structuring capital and operational expenses of the city, with the ECoC at the heart of strategic fund planning. Its purpose is financing plan, about 40% of the total city contribution to the project is to be spent to create a efficient and reliable framework for all of our development plans. *2016 expenses will be used for the purpose of creating scalable cultural endeavors, truthful to our 2021 program and independent of our nomination or lack thereof. for activities in the title year. Yet, more than 5 million Euros will be appointed to **MEUR is an acronym for million Euros the legacy project, in order to properly evaluate and accelerate beneficial impact of The National Government has not yet established the support amount for the nominated ECoC. To this extent, the Mayor of Baia Mare has launched a public the ECoC. appeal for culture addressed to central administration offices, promoting the need to have a strong position to this matter, before the selection phase, in order to allow candidate city budgets to be thoroughly built.

52 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Management. Finance Management. Finance Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 53 Income from the BUDGET FOR CAPITAL PRIVATE sector: Operating expenditure: EXPENDITURE:

What is the fund-raising strategy Please provide a breakdown of the operating expenditure, What is the breakdown of the income to be received What is your fund raising strategy to seek financial to seek support from private by filling in the table below from the public sector to cover capital expenditure in support from Union programmes/funds to cover sponsors? What is the plan for connection with the title year? capital expenditure? involving sponsors in the event? As a great part of the ECoC related capital expenditure is planned to be supported by funding from Union programs, our approach needed to be solid, Baia Mare boasts an up and coming creative reliable and result oriented. Hence, projects that constitute capital expenditure industries sector, with successful large-scale for the European Capital of Culture action have already been planned and businesses that benefit from an open and included within our Integrated Urban Development Strategy. This planning committed relationship with local public document has charted, identified and scheduled all measures and actions authorities. They are traditional sponsors of Operating expenditure breakdown is fairly planned, proportionate to needs and necessary in order to maximize European funding absorption ratios. cultural endeavors of the city and have already objectives, as well as tools per each of the main expense chapters, covering costs for stated their support of the ECoC program. the entire 8 year period of the proposed ECoC project. The cultural program adds A wide range of operational programs and investment priorities of European Moreover, since an important part of ECoC up to 26.5 million Euros in expenses, with almost 67% of the budget covering events structural funds, as applied by Romanian Management Authorities will be related projects will require technical and and activities. 20% of costs are planned to be invested in high quality and effective used for the purpose of developing capital expenditure projects: the Regional service support, barter plans for such projects promotion and marketing campaigns, while 10% of the project expenses are destined Operational Program and all its 12 financing lines, the Large Infrastructure will be put in place, faithful to our efficiency- to cover administrative expenditure. Less than 4% of the total amount is to be used for Program and others. Our project portfolio has been calibrated to obtain high seeking approach. We deem ourselves open and services, specific acquisitions and unforeseeable events. scorings in European funding evaluation, having met all depicted criteria in faithful to any national or international sponsor Operational Programs. Moreover, we have called upon management authorities partnership, with mutual tangible advantages. Planned timetable for spending operating expenditure to provide us with guidance and assistance in preparing projects that will be We aim to offer a wide range of benefits to submitted as applications for European funding available in Romania in this contributors and sponsors, in direct relation current exercise, 2014-2023. Thus, by means of preparing high quality and to their needs, may that support be of image detailed financing plans for our capital expenditure, we believe we will be promotion, staff building and training, national successful in implementing our program, as such. and European marketing services or association 82% of the total infrastructure related costs is to be publicly-funded, in a with powerful events and brands. balanced expenditure breakdown, with 40% of expenses covered by municipal funding and the other 42% by means of attracting structural European funding. Have the public finance authorities (city, region, State) In addition, the Baia Mare 2021 Foundation The remaining 18% is set to be privately invested, as we are planning to develop has the know-how support from prestigious text-book examples of public-private partnerships, in order to fulfill investments already voted on or made financial commitments to organizations with success and experience in schedules and objectives, without overbearing local budgets or being exposed to cover capital expenditure? If not, when will they do so? raising budgets for social care and education, unnecessary risk, by setting European funding milestones that are unlikely to Financial commitments to cover capital expenditure by means of European such as Hopes and Homes for Children pragmatically happen. Romania or Habitat for Humanity. Moreover, funding are not possible since all budgets of Operational Programs and as one of the most successful local entrepreneurs investment priorities are open to competition appeals. Hence, the Management is currently building the largest crowd-funding Authority cannot commit to attribute one amount or other to the city. However, platform in Romania, we have partnered in the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Administration has published order to assist not only the Baia Mare cause, expected city absorption ratios. Baia Mare’s projected operational budget but any other nominated ECoC, in the effort of exceeds 100 million Euros, by cumulating all European funding managed by ensuring private funding milestones. the Ministry. Moreover, by means of approving investment lists projects to be acquired and local objectives to be funded, the City Council has voted and accepted all ECoC related capital projects.

54 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Management. Finance Management. Finance Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 55 Organizational structure Baia Mare 2021 Foundation - Organizational Layers

How will this structure be organised How will you ensure that this at management level? Please make structure has the staff with the clear who will be the person(s) having appropriate skills and experience to the final responsibility for global plan, manage and deliver the cultural leadership of the project? programme for the year of the title?

What kind of governance and How will you make sure that there is delivery structure is envisaged for an appropriate cooperation between the implementation of the European the local authorities and this Capital of Culture year? structure including the artistic team?

56 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Organizational structure Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 57 We believe that collaborative work is the only approach for innovative results, but we value reaction speed and decision making. We want to emulate the flexibility of a start-up , but also to scale our delivery capacity fast in order to match our international partners. We fully understand that our legitimacy relies on the accurate local representation of the local stakeholders, as our relevance relies on our international aperture and proven performance. Taking these matters into consideration we designed a flexible and quick responsive organizational structure, the Baia Mare 2021 Foundation – founded, endorsed and In our organization layers we praise the lead-by-example paradigm, The cultural strategy is a programmatic document accepted and supported by the City Council, that includes three layers: translated into flat management schemes and expressed leadership endorsed by all parties involved – public institutions, cultural based on competences instead of hierarchy. We apply some of the operators, business environment, civil society, and the community. principles of the holacracy model pioneered by start-ups and 3.0 In order to ensure that such an initiative of these proportions is economy entities, in order to encourage the ownership of every carried out and constantly improved and adapted, an internal and member of our team as well as their personal development. We focus external team of evaluators will audit every year (internal auditing), on tangible results, milestones and objectives, in order to support respectively every second year (external evaluator) the stage of and update our long term cultural strategy. We believe in modular implementation. The internal teams will evaluate, and will be trained meetings based on naturally congregated talents around publicly as cultural auditors in order to do so, on the cultural operators/ The Core Team The Local Initiative Group The Extended Board assumed projects. We don’t delegate, we aggregate task forces, on a department level, whereas the external teams will evaluate the whole scalable team structure that values open learning and online project progress, having the 360 degrees approach. In order to do so, a team management tools such as Trello or Basecamp. of 10 independent experts from various fields – sociology, cultural - Locally based team of experts and managers (20+ - Includes representatives of key local institutions, - National and international experts, covering all the management, tourism, finance, urban development will proceed in people); creative industries, cultural field and informal groups; horizontals and verticals in our cultural programs (40+ Our approach aims to break organizational silos, and to prototype auditing effects of implemented actions, mapping good practices and people); the startup mentality as well as the lean startup techniques in the outlining areas where targeted initiatives did not succeed, in order to - Covers and ensures the administrative and legal - Works under a commonly agreed protocol – the cultural management field. We strive for our projects and programs rethink and boost the effectiveness of our plan. requirements and the project vital components: Green Charta – including values, criteria, strategic - Works under a commonly agreed protocol – the to have a great degree of accountability, but also an equal degree of overview, strategic vision, research, planning, directions; Blue Charta – including values, criteria, strategic autonomy, in order to be flexible and scalable. We measure success Our organization encourages and integrates within the core team monitoring, reporting, evaluation, financial, directions; by the value of our people. We fully understand that, for a long a number of 14 local interns and mentees, representatives of local fundraising; - Can initiate proposals for local projects and term strategy to be successful, we need to lay human capital as the youth associations and cultural NGOs, as well as freelancers, programs; - Includes representatives of the Cultural foundation of our construct, as the basis for securing sustainable, grass-roots entrepreneurs and members of groups at risk such as - Is the guarantee of continuity, responsibility and Ambassadors; results and generating a ripple effect at all levels. Hence, we single parents or Roma ethnics. In 2016 we plan to become a host accountability; - Provides feedback, advice and mentorships for any commit to rallying highly qualified professionals, engage talents, organization for at least 20 incoming international volunteers part of local projects in the process of being evaluated; - Can initiate proposals for international projects and constantly train and re-train local human resources, in private and the European Volunteering Services network under the supervision - Has the final responsibility for global leadership programs; public institutions, in order to develop and foster cultural capital. of the local host NGO Team For Youth. By 2021, we want to enlarge and includes the Operative Team (General Director, Thus, by 2021 and far beyond the title year, Baia Mare will have a our core volunteer base to at least 150 people. We believe that this the Artistic Director, the Strategy and Development - Provides feedback, advice and mentorships for functional, efficient, and cascaded network of cultural production approach is vital in order to ensure the know-how transfer to young Director, the Financial Director, the Program any international projects in the process of being and productivity. professionals setting the basis for a solid, sustainable good practice Coordinator Manager and the Creative Director ) evaluated. community. – the supreme decision making instance. It is the acknowledged responsibility of the core team, along with -Is a guarantee of much-needed redundancy and the support and endorsement of the local authorities, to carry second opinion checking for vital processes: selection out the strategy and work as a facilitator and binder between all of projects, international partnerships, project stakeholders involved, from local and regional authorities to political development and mentorships, cultural agenda, representatives, cultural field and civil society. fundraising;

58 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Organizational structure Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 59 The appointed General Director and the Artistic Director have been As we consider innovation, communication and education being part chosen from a shortlist of cultural managers and project managers of our brand DNA, we favoured the candidates who: whose qualifications matched very specific job requirements: Both of our directors have been formally appointed in the - have strong applied communications and marketing skills demonstrated summer of 2015, with a mandate to supervise and coordinate by a relevant background in the creative industries, media, public relations - an in-depth understanding of the local and international artistic field, the preparation of the bid book, as well as to elaborate and or organizational communication, notably the contemporary scene, preferably as insiders or practitioners, prepare for implementation the cultural programming and the - a relevant experience of over fifteen years in cultural management and/or - demonstrate good knowledge of educational trends or have a relevant organizational strategy. Their contracts are not limited to these creative industries, practice in this field, explicit tasks and do not have an established expiry date. They - proven abilities to manage budgets, long term projects and large scale The decision making process - are tech-savy and early adopters of trends and technologies, will be subject to an internal evaluation every three months teams, performed by an internal commission formed by at least five According to which - proven ability to interact and to engage international partners and - demonstrate innovative and disruptive thinking abilities, experts or managers featured in the organizational diagram. audiences, - are fluent in at least two broad circulation languages. A second yearly public evaluation, based on their published Stage 1 criteria and under which - strategic vision and strategic planning experiences. activity report, will be performed by a commission of 11 representatives of the Local Council, cultural institutions, Any organization having a project proposal As stated before, the human resources strategy is a very important component of our strategy, therefore we have chosen as top manager two creative industries, local art scene and educational field. The will have access to an online evaluation Stage 3 arrangements have the directors with real leadership skills, won can capacitate and empower the efforts of the team, and can bring together rich professional experiences results of the evaluation as well as the activity reports will be tool – the Project Management Canvas – from different fields. Our human resources policy strictly and firmly rejects any discrimination based on gender, ethnicity or religious beliefs. made available to the public in order to insure the mandatory that will follow 10 criteria: Based on the scale – international or general director and the Building our core management team, we assumed the need to keep a proactive gender balance and to include in the management structures institutional transparency. national – the project will be put in representatives of categories at risk. 1. Ecology; contact with extended board or the local If based on the internal and public evaluation, the 2. Sustainability initiative group for consultation, feedback, artistic director been concept initiation, input on strategy or Our General Director, Andreea Ciortea, has been directly involved Our Artistic Director, Vlad Tăușance, is a writer, strategic planner performances of the Artistic Director of General 3. Education Stage 5 in the implementation of the cultural program for European Capital and innovation consultant. In the last 15 years, he worked closely Director cease to fulfil their job description and 4. Technology mentorship. requirements, or their conduct undermines the chosen – or will be chosen? of Culture, Sibiu 2007. As an international cultural manager she with the emerging art and music scene in Bucharest and Timișoara, 5. Networking The project is now entering the values and the image of the program, they will follow After this stage, using the Project overviewed or coordinated over 200 projects, some of them as setting up events and communication platforms. He has a relevant 6. Integration implementation phase where the an independent mediation process. If vacated, Management Canvas, the project score will project manager of the German Cultural Center in Sibiu. She’s an background as a publisher, a journalist and a public speaker. He was 7. European dimension competences of experts from the Core their positions will be subject to an open call-for- have to be higher than 65 points. accomplished serial entrepreneur in the creative industries field and a listed recently as one the most important voices in creative education. 8. Consistent strategy Team are used for guiding and supporting application supported by a screening process certified trainer. 9. Impact the organization in delivering best results. What are – or will be – their The Artistic Director’s fields of action will include: performed by an at least two independent human 10. Organizational capacity building Stage 4 The General Director`s fields of action will include: resources consultants or professional recruiters. - drafting, developing, implementing and revising the cultural strategy; In the case of new appointments for the top Each of the ten domains listed and The project reaches this stage after it respective profiles? When will - strategic planning; - drafting, developing, implementing and revising the cultural programming management positions of Artistic Director or General explained will be evaluated with a receives a report from the team of experts, they take up the appointment? - supervising of the programs implementation according to the strategy; for the timeframe 2016-2021; Director, the former managers will be committed by a maximum 10 points, and every project the Local Initiative Group or from the - legal representation of the organisation in relation to the local and national - developing strategic lines of programs, key events and partnerships; legal agreement to assist them directly during a 6-10 that passes this phase will have to have at extended board. authorities, national or international organizations, other institutions and - scouting, selecting or approving the content for ECoC 2021; months taking-over process. least 50 points. business partners; - representing the organization in relation to the artistic community, At this stage, the organization’s Operative - mediating and facilitating the relation with the local authorities as well as creative industries, specialist and managers; The collaboration between the core management Stage 2 Team including: General Director, the communication between the Local Initiative Group, the Extended Board team and the local administration is regulated by a and the core management team; - supervising the implementation of the programs; the Artistic Director, the Strategy and What will be their respective series of protocols and procedures, agreed by both - coordinating of the ECOC Project 2021 between the city authorities and The applicant will be audited by a team of Development Director, the Program - coordinating the programs with the twin ECoC 2021 city , the international parts. Moreover, the strategic and tactical vision other municipalities or regional authorities involved; cultural networks; experts from the Core Team in terms of Coordinator Manager and the Creative fields of action? presented in this bidbook was designed in close - approving and amending the organizational decisions concerning business - supervising along the Creative Director the communication and marketing organizational capacity, relevance, historic, Director will decide, using the simple relations, acquisitions, personnel or finances; of the projects. coordination with the major development strategies infrastructure, and financial capacity. All majority if the proposed project will be of the city, assumed by the administration as well as - supervising the internal financial process, the audits will be summarize in a report. approved. by the local political forces. - approving the cultural agenda as member of the Operative Team. - developing and implementing the cultural programming for the timeframe 2016-2021;

60 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Organizational structure Organizational structure Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 61 Andreea Vlad Teodor Laura Mihaela Raluca Ciortea Tăușance Ardelean Ghinea Pușnava Medeșan

POSITION AGe POSITION AGE POSITION AGe POSITION AGE POSITION AGe POSITION AGE General Director 37 Artistic Director 36 Partneships and 64 Activities Manager 38 Strategy and Development 26 Education and 28 ventures expert Manager Formation Manager

Level of experience in cultural management area/ relevance on the domain Level of experience in cultural management area/ relevance on the domain Level of experience in cultural management area/ relevance on the domain Level of experience in cultural management area/ relevance on the domain Level of experience in cultural management area/ relevance on the domain Level of experience in cultural management area/ relevance on the domain Andreea is a senior cultural manager and trainer, integrating various areas of Over 15 years of entrepreneurship and freelance in the creative industries; has Over 30 years of experience in the management of cultural institutions, in For 8 years she has been involved in the management of UAPR (Union of Artists For the last five years has developed, managed and grown the first cultural Over 10 years of creating and implementing educational and cultural projects expertise such as cultural management, higher education, youth work, lifelong managed and implemented marked validated projects related to advertising, university education, journalism and event organizing. Considered as an excellent from Romania), Baia Mare subsidiary. She worked for one year within the publication for young architects, an independent and self-sustained platform or events in NGO`s or business sector. Her projects had both national and learning, and adult education. She has 15 years of experience in event and project media and online. Active as a journalist, writer, cultural management trainer ambassador of Romanian spirituality in the world, his prestigious professional Medieval Music Festival from Alsace, France, afterwards performed two stages, that set out to reform competitiveness and education in the fields of architecture, international range. She also worked as a communicator, trainer, consultant, management, ranging from conferences and workshops in the academic field to and consultant. Over 10 years of experience in event management as organizer, career is crowned with the Order of „Cultural Merit in rank of Knight” and with each of 3 months to the Arts Museum from Nantes, France and to the City Hall urban planning and industrial design. Has participated in drafting public policies event organizer, competence evaluator, and co-producer of cultural TV show on digital art and festival organization. By her 37th birthday, she will have written, promoter, consultant and communicator. two awards from the Romanian Academy. of Clisson, France. and strategic urban plans for local cultural sustainable development. Active as the national television . As an entrepreneur, Raluca Medesan in co-owning and implemented and/or monitored over 200 cultural and educational projects. She urban planner, strategy consultant, journalist and entrepreneur. concept store with native design and traditional clothing. also benefitted from a Robert Bosch traineeship in cultural management and is a Biggest achievement Biggest achievement Biggest achievement certified trainer, evaluator and human resources creative designer. During the last four years, Vlad Tausance has designed and implemented an With the true vocation of a founder, he designed and advised the „Petre Dulfu” For 15 years she has been a tenured lecturer at the Art and Design University Biggest achievement Biggest achievement educational program focused on applied creativity and innovation. Over 500 City Library Baia Mare, considered to be the most modern departmental library Cluj-Napoca, was an associate professor at Nice Sophia-Antipolis University, For the past year and a half, Mihaela has drafted and coordinated the Integrated Raluca has been part of the team in charge with designing, testing and Biggest achievement professionals and managers have attended his workshops, and program is in southeastern Europe. In order for the Romanian Diaspora to maintain spiritual France for 10 years, where she taught the History of Photography. For 4 years she Urban Development Strategy of Baia Mare, overseeing and consulting implementing the curricula for a new job standard in Romania: “Youth Worker”. She is the initiator of the Universal IA Day (Romanian Blouse Day) in Sibiu, considered to be included in the high school and academic curricula. ties with the country, he set up 10 libraries in: Moldova, Ukraine, Hungary, was associate professor at Ecole Com-Sup, Casablanca Maroc, where she taught the development of more than 50 projects, worth 200 million euros in In order to test and calibrate the curricula over 600 practitioners in this domain an event that fosters the dialogue between traditional and new forms of creative Spain, Scotland, Canada, Portugal, for the Romanians. Photography and Visual Communication. At the North University from Baia implementation, collaborating with more than 100 organizations, public bodies obtained the certificate. expression and conjoins different cultures and ethnic identities through the KEY COMPETENCES Between 1992 and 1996, he was Senator of Maramures and Vice-president of the Mare she was an associated painting professor. For the last 4 years, she has been and stakeholders. feminine lingua franca of the embroidered signs. As of September 2014, she spun Strategic planning, innovation, media and marketing, cultural programming, Romanian Chamber of Senate. the President of the Baia Mare subsidiary of UAPR and has been coordinating KEY COMPETENCES a cultural initiative into a small enterprise for creative industries, the IA Sibiu event organizing. the rehabilitation project of the Colony of Painters. She coordinated 5 editions of KEY COMPETENCES Training and Development, Organisational Development, Project Management, concept store that counts over 50 collaborations with creators and artists. KEY COMPETENCES Painting Symposiums at Baia Mare, financed by the Dorel Cherecheș Foundation. Urban planning, architecture, professionalised media and marketing, public Event Concept and Coordination, Artistic Management, Community Building. Notable projects Management and leadership skills, broad knowledge and expertise in cultural area, She organized and participated at forums, workshops, conferences, summer policies KEY COMPETENCES schools, personal and group exhibitions, collective exhibitions with guests from In 2015 Vlad was the coordinator of the online strategy for the presidential excellent communication and writing skills, innovation, cultural programming, Notable projects the country and abroad. Cultural & event management, organizational development, project writing, campaign of Romanian president Klaus Iohannis. In the last 5 years, he managed analytical thinking and results oriented. Notable projects Raluca created educational training designs for strategic projects such as: training, coaching, leadership development, team building & team development, the implementation of large scale online platforms for official institutions such KEY COMPETENCES In 2011, Mihaela founded the Romanian Association of Young Architects “The institution of Youth Worker in Romania”, “ ANTRE(pre)NOR pentru strategic planning, academic advising, public relations, project evaluation. as: the Romanian Government, the Airport Company of Bucharest and several Notable projects and also, for the next three years, coordinated, as Editor-In-Chief, the first PERFORMANTA”, Social Entrepreneurship Community, Editor in EU/RO national management authorities for European funds. Founder of the Center for Research and Documentation Baia Mare, affiliated to Illustrator, artist, project coordinator, cultural events organiser, academic professor independent publication for architects and designers with national broadcast. 26 Magazine. Working in an environments full of diversity she became very Notable projects Specialized in brand building and brand communication, Vlad has developed Romanian Academy (2014). He successfully coordinated the implementation of in the higher arts education. Since 2012, she has been actively involved in drafting policies and projects for passionate about learning and human development, truly excited of the evolutions In 2007, when the city of Sibiu was European Capital of Culture, Andreea had publishing projects and communication programs for international brands such as Biblionet project in Maramures County Libraries. the Urban Development Plan of Central Bucharest and other local urban plans in this domain as well as in assisting people reaching their goals. the opportunity of implementing quite a few important projects included in the Vodafone, Orange, ING, Grolsch or Decathlon. Notable projects in Romanian cities. In 2013, Mihaela coordinated the development of the first official programme. Among them, “Klangräume”, a Goethe Institute project in Link to Baia Mare In partnership with the municipality of Baia Mare, in capacity of President of Innovation Hub for Architects, in partnership with Lafarge Romania. Link to Baia Mare cooperation with the Tesla Institute in Berlin and the German Cultural Center Link to Baia Mare In 2011 is awarded with the title “Honorary Citizen” of Baia Mare for “the the Baia Mare subsidiary of UAPR and as local councilman, she managed the In the past 5 years Raluca had valuable connections with educational and cultural in Sibiu. Andreea was a member of the team that set up *artlabs, a center for art, Vlad has worked closely for the last six years with local business in from the ability to maintain the sacred fire in the sanctuary of our fortress”. Member of rehabilitation projects of the Colony of Painters, of the Arts Gallery and Studio Link to Baia Mare NGO`s from Baia Mare and Maramures County. Also, representing Grigore Lese, technology and design based in a former heating plant in the Sibiu suburbs. creative industries field implementing brand and awareness campaigns and the City Council and County Council, actively involved in the life of the city, 11 in Baia Mare. She coordinated the Annual Arts Festival of Baia mare, editions Starting 2014, Mihaela is an active consultant based in Baia Mare, developing a the iconic traditional artist, her connection with the cultural environment from Since 2010, Andreea is part of the team organising the Craiova International developing online platforms. He has gained valuable insights and aggregated an he successfully coordinated notable cultural events at local level, and in 2011 of 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. number of local public strategies and policies for the city. She is one of the experts Baia Mare grew very strong in the past two years. Shakespeare Festival, coordinating the logistics, communication and volunteer efficient network of talents. he received an award from the Maramures County Council’s President for the who has coordinated and drafted the Cultural Strategy of Baia Mare. section. For the last seven years, she has trained over 500 professionals, young construction and management of the „Petre Dulfu” County Library, for the Link to Baia Mare STUDIES people and seniors in developing their hard and soft skills and over 1000 people STUDIES Project „Maramures in all and before all” and for „Familia Română” magazine. Born in Baia Mare, currently living here with her family and carrying out a large STUDIES In 2009 she obtained a BA in Public Relations and Communication at the attended the team building and team development programs that she created. He followed the Political Sciences specialization at the University of Bucharest and part of her activity in this city, even if a part of her professional engagements are Holds Bachelor and Master Degrees in both Journalism and Urban Planning, National School of Political and Administrative Sciences. She’s a certified trainer STUDIES connected to other structures situated in different towns. Link to Baia Mare currently studies the History and Theory of Art at the University of Timișoara. as an alumni of the University of Bucharest and the Ion Mincu University of of trainers and competences evaluator, and a member of the Training Café Between 1970 and 1976 he followed the courses of the Faculty of History and Architecture and Urban Studies of Bucharest. Community of Practice. Her scouting into traditions and developing new partnerships in the field of Philosophy in Cluj-Napoca. Between 2005-2006 he obtained a Postgraduate STUDIES fashion industries took her to the city of Baia Mare as part of the Fashion and Degree in Administrative Law at the West University “Vasile Goldis” of Arad. Laura has a University Bachelor of the Arts Degree in Graphics, issued by the Arts Heritage Festival team. In 2008, he obtained the title of Doctor in Philology (PhD) with the thesis and Design University from Cluj Napoca (2000) and another degree in Political “Romanian and its cultivation in ASTRA’s works” from the University of Baia Studies at the European Studies Faculty, Babeș Bolyai University from Cluj STUDIES Mare. Napoca (2000). She obtained a PhD in Information Communication at the Nice Andreea Ciortea holds a Masters’ Degree in German and Intercultural European Sophia-Antipolis University, France (2006). Studies awarded by the “Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu and is a certified trainer, project manager & evaluator, educational adviser, as well as a human resources specialist. Also, she is a Human Synergistics Consultant, Balanced Scorecard practitioner and Belbin Team Roles Adviser. How are you planning to Contingency planning overcome weaknesses, including with the use of risk mitigation and planning tools, contingency planning etc. Have you carried out/planned a risk assessment What are the main strengths and weaknesses of exercise? your project?

A risk assessment exercise facilitated by a team of management We firmly believe that we are able to turn weaknesses into growth The main challenge that can pose threats to our initiative is the As previously stated, we have mapped and prioritized major risks However, our risk mitigation process has also mapped medium risks consultants was conducted in order to evaluate the European Capital opportunities by using the adequate innovative approach, specific to difficulty in dealing with certain social integration issues that are connected to our ECoC project, accepting all low and medium risks that, if disturbed by external factors, can become liabilities. Hence, we of Culture project. The exercise was based on a previous research and each need it may address. In addition to that, our strengths are solid particularly hard to handle on medium-term. We aim at overcoming and mitigating by means of settling prevention actions, as well as have decided to use a firm prevention approach, also putting in place a concluded with process simulation for the next five years, as well as and if properly valued, they are able to become vectors of growth. the controversial image Baia Mare has gained by means of the fallback plans, A and B. The main goal of this exercise was to plan series of fallback plans. Dormant audiences, their lack of flexibility and for 2021. The exercise allowed us to explore and integrate new options ecological accident of 2000, as well as misrepresented Roma issues coherently in order to maintain assumed objectives achievable, no the difficulty in integrating certain social deprived groups were such and actions that can prevent threats to our objectives and increase We believe that our outlook on the ECoC project and its holistic that gained international media coverage and allowed the city not to matter what risks or unforeseen factors and events we may subjected issues that we addressed by integrating long-term cultural education opportunities. In the meantime, all of our development strategies – integration with all strategic documents of the city is one of our become a top of mind when it comes to tourism and cultural vibrancy. to. To this extent, we have defined time periods for action and and aggregating vectors of social change in our program, in order to the Social Development Strategy, the Cultural Development Strategy, strengths, validated by the usage of six solid embedded transversal The lack of international exposure of the local cultural offer, the identified triggers for the provisioned fallback plans, subsequent to the dismiss linked undesirable effects. Choosing to use cross-fertilization the Integrated Urban Development Strategy – have been built as risk principles: sustainability, education, technology, social integration, limited audience development actions undertaken so far and the faulty identification of minimum operational needs. techniques is set to avoid inefficient capacity building of local mitigation planning instruments. networking and environmental responsibility. Moreover, the lean start- touristic promotion are matters that we will address by means of the operators. up approach guarantees a coherent and firm development of all ECoC ECoC project, controlling damage and proficiently acting to reshape We considered the possibility of not meeting budgetary projections To this extent, we have identified all relevant risks associated to the actions we will undertake. the stated system of factors. as being low, due to solid financial prognosis, conjugated to the Risks concerning infrastructure scheduling, implementation and costs project and have subsequently assessed the probability of each risk economic stability of the country. However, our cost-efficient approach have been dealt with by using a proficient approach in urban planning concerning impact on cost, schedule, performance or capacity. The One of our greatest assets is the dynamic administration of the city of Urban renovations are a big part of our endeavor, as ecological and deals with preventing unreasonable expenditure of funds. When it and by drafting a financial additional contingency plan that has critical evaluation of all threats has been completed and we have settled Baia Mare, with a complete understanding of the European Capital rehabilitation issues are still left unsolved in different relevant areas comes to cultural development associated hazards, we have charted identified different support mechanisms, shall European funding delay ways to prevent, mitigate and deal with fluctuating factors. Moreover, of Culture action and its capacity to deliver high quality projects, of the city. As up to 40% of our projects are to be funded by means the lack of diversity in event range and the limited quality thereof or fail. Such fallback options include private funding or partnerships every proposed action has been built upon a lean start-up architecture, as it has proven before. Any of Baia Mare’s cultural endeavours of European Operational Programs, handled by the Romanian as low risks, to be mitigated by means of lean start-up building. The with banking institutions that have already expressed their interest in as we chose to monitor risk and beta-test by using this sustainable will be beneficial not only to the local community, but will also Government and its assigned Managing Authorities, we aim at possibility of encountering problems in attracting operator interest backing our plans. Another medium risk we deemed acceptable and development tool, ensuring the success of our endeavors. impact Euro-belonging and dialogue, as it stands at the heart of the reducing any associated risks that may not be within the reach of in engaging within the ECoC framework is irrelevant, since we have took on in terms of prevention is the lack of positive international TransCarpathian region, polarizing five nations within 4 hours reach. city administration, by opening and nurturing a strong institutional already consulted and agreed upon collaborating. In terms of challenges media coverage. To this extent, we are preparing an international Other high points that are able to create momentum for our actions dialogue. in creating and fostering a solid Euro-belonging sense, we believe journalism residency program in Baia Mare, already tested in August by are the rising economy, the local life quality and affordability, the smart that such a risk is minor, since the local community, as well as sister a prototype action. Our marketing strategy is flexible and scalable and technical infrastructure of the city and the community’s adhesion to communities easily affiliate to European values even today. has multiple reaction mechanisms in order to manage our image and the ECoC, complimented by its natural capacity to integrate and host. reputation.

64 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Contingency planning Contingency planning Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 65 Marketing and communication strategy

Could your Culture of Hosting artistic

Our cultural brand, as well as our artistic program revolves around a The hosting values propose, in the meantime, a short, yet clear and self-explaining value proposition: “Baia Mare – Culture of comprehensive definition for the role and mission of the European Hosting”. Union. The intricate political and economic construction was built upon the principles of hospitality: the assumed respect for the alterity, Hosting is a concept that sums up the core European values: tolerance, openness to novelty and new experiences, sharing of the program be interculturality, proactive and free connectivity of ideas, traditions and symbolic and factual capital, of resources and infrastructure, free knowledge, integration of all groups and audiences under a generous circulation of individuals, enhanced cultural exchanges. and welcoming concept. The culture of hosting is, in this context, a powerful link between A good host is, per se, a proficient networker, a connector, the specificity of the local culture and the manifested values of the and a catalyst. Hosting is not only about communication, it is European Union. It’s a generous, yet particular, flexible, yet meaningful communication. Hosting is not only about nurturing and sheltering concept, that summarizes the cultural tradition of our city and our culture; it is becoming a culture in itself, forging values, language, strategic projection of values on the European canvas. summed up by symbols, ethics, rituals, heroes and, subsequently, its own frame of interpretation and action. Our logo visually summarizes our intention to host all the forms of the artistic and cultural expression, to bring together the tradition and the The hospitality proved to be, during a series of tests and polls, the top- experiment in arts and crafts, from performing acts to digital enhanced of-mind value cited by both visitors and natives when asked to describe installations. We are open to host the most diverse expressions of Baia Mare and Maramureș, the surrounding region. It is, therefore, the knowledge and feelings, and we took a pledge not to be biased in our intrinsic foundation of our cultural brand. selection by popularity, proximity to norm or to mainstream. Layer by a slogan? layer, our cultural programming effort aims to add new meanings to the definitions listed above.

Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 67 What is the city’s intended marketing and communication And, yes, everything is about communication. Answering the The major whys shaping phone is marketing. Choosing a T-shirt instead of a suit or the other way around, is marketing. Downloading an app is our strategic vision are: strategy for the marketing. Strategy is about marketing. Human resources are about marketing. Budgeting depends on marketing and, of course, is about marketing. And marketing is above all, about European Capital of communication. Considering the answers above as starting line, we have spent a great deal of research and creative work in order We must gain solid We want to create In dense and competitive mediums such as the cultural and the to define and to validate a cultural brand for our city that conveys a strong visual and verbal identity. Based on a international awareness. autonomous creative industries field, communication must be an organic part three months period beta-testing and more than 20 focus-groups, we are confident that our brand: Culture year? * communication-ready of the organizational culture. Marketing and communication MILESTONE: an international cannot be organizational silos, isolated from the other processes; reach of 8.000.000 people cultural programs *in particular with regard to the media strategy and the instead, they must act like transversal structures bringing together • Our management efforts will focus on capacity mobilisation of large audiences. At the final selection stage, talents and aggregating task forces from all the departments for is memorable, distinct and, in the long run, easily recognizable by consideration must be given in particular to the partnerships specific tasks. Our communication vision is flexible and goal building Everything is marketing We want to build long- • Training, formation and planned or established with the written press and the oriented, favouring efficient approaches. This vision serves also both national and international audiences lasting local and regional know-how transfer are core audiovisual sector with a view to ensuring media coverage of the as a contingency plan that can help us actively adjust the long event and of the plans relating to this strategy. awareness. activities in the majority of term communication strategies that can rarely manage the instant our programs has the recognition and support of the local communities, feedback of the audience or remain valid in a five years timeframe. MILESTONE: becoming a We believe that an agile strategic vision, backed by strategic top-of-mind cultural and determining (stimulating) immediate adoption and ownership, and touristic destination constructs and tools, is equally important as an strict calendar of is suitable for dissemination and translation in various mediums How will you mobilize implementation. We plan to enable and by various multipliers our citizens as Any healthy marketing and communication strategy starts with We want our messages communicators by your own citizens as some honest answers for a key question: Why? If we elaborate on to be accessible for all involving as active has the potential to become a love brand, iconic and seminal this question, more legitimate question marks will follow. What types of public. stakeholders in our is our motivation? What are our purposes? How can we translate candidacy process, by: • Including heterogeneous these purposes into objectives, milestones and action plans? What international public, • offering them multiple communicators of the insights can we highlight based on these inquiries? • Including social categories levels of engagement at risk • extending our offer Our logo summarizes our value proposition and our strategic vision using a horizontal section of a six pieces • Featuring dedicated with multiple personal wooden knot, a traditional Maramureș symbol that can be found in most of the ancestral European cultures. year to the outside solutions for categories with development opportunities It is the only such world-known knot structure, that protects the inner void, like a womb, as a metaphor special accessibility needs to shelter, hosting, protecting, nurturing, all principles that are specific to our candidacy. This visual representation also promotes the value generated by juxtaposition of tradition and innovation, of arts and world? crafts, of different layers of cultures.

68 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Marketing and communication strategy Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 69 Hosts Guests Connectors and Message Receivers and Connectors and Message Receivers and Message Co-creators Message Multipliers Message Co-creators Message Multipliers

• Local cultural institutions • The local existing, emerging and developing • International networks of cultural • The national and international, Defining the audiences for our communication and marketing strategy allowed us to develop a clear and public managers and cultural operators culturally active public coherent approach in terms of messages and necessary communication tools. We decided to structure them • National cultural institutions and the in two categories: Hosts and Guests, in order to map them based on their involvement potential and also to central administration • Local media • Cultural managers and operators such as: • International journalists, online gallery owners, curators, movie and show influencers and bloggers calibrate our messages accordingly. • Local cultural independent cultural • National media producers or event organizers managers and operators • National and international educators • Bloggers, online influencers, and • National and international NGOs • All the political actors active at a local and independent online journalists • International performers and artists regional level • The niche national and international media • Key Opinion Leaders • Incoming Tourists • Performers, artists, cultural personalities • Investors, including impact investors and • Cultural ambassadors angel investors • Local, national, regional and international Public, audiences Each category is divided into two strategic categories: NGOs, with a focus on: cultural associations • Performers and artists originating from • Creative industries entrepreneurs and and foundations, youth organizations Baia Mare or that are frequently active in investors and host-organizations for volunteers, the area. and communities Connectors and Message Co-creators. We are talking about aware Message Receivers and Message Multipliers. In an era of environmental organizations and grass-root • Cultural funds managers and proactive communities and categories of public we want to enable interconnectivity, the notion of inert public is obsolete. Every receiver movements, social integration and social to participate in our campaigns, in order to shape and broadcast their is now a potential message multiplier, narrowcasting his reviews, support organizations • Cultural tourists own messages. Co-creation has already been tested by commercial opinions, memories, and thoughts to a network of peers. This peer-to- brands and cultural institutions as an innovative way to engage peer distribution of messages is an important pillar of our strategy, and • Exposed social categories or categories • Adventure tourists and backpackers communities, to earn their trust and build loyalty. It is also crucial to one relevant example that illustrates it is the inclusion of the tourists as at risk: single mothers, unemployed youths, empower them to propose, initiate, and facilitate potential projects and message multipliers. seniors, members of ethnic minorities such as • Business tourists partnerships, as this approach will create the much needed legitimacy, the Roma minority, immigrants momentum, and traction for our programs. • City break tourists • Local educators, professors and trainers active in the educational field

• Local creative industries

• Local hospitality industry

• Representatives of the cities and regions situated in the proximity of Baia Mare, including foreign countries: Ukraine, Hungary, Moldavia, Slovakia or Poland.

Baia Mare 2021 - Capitală Europeană a Culturii 70 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Marketing and communication strategy Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 71

Penetration of dedicated Platform corsairing Interconnected display network networks of professionals Focus on rich content, publication We have started to test the promotion of our cultural values and and digital initiatives Strategic partnerships with media In order to minimize our carbon print we are expanding attractions on popular third party websites: travel directories, entities and institutions with an established Besides the public networks and channels, we a city-wide network of displays covering meeting places, booking websites, cultural magazines or business portals. An important component of every line of programs proposed brand and strong communication networks will focus on getting our message to worldwide cultural institutions and public spaces. Broadcasting our networks of specialists and cultural managers We plan to tune and scale this cost-efficient for 2021 is the content output, essential for the documentation, calendar of events in real time on low-consumptions approach that supports our peer-to-peer dissemination, and optimization of the impact. We will The collaboration with reputed cultural and media brands such as the Robert Bosch Foundation and the LED displays is a sustainable alternative to low-impact marketing tactics. be faithful to this approach in the following five years of Tactical media techniques is an insurance that our programs and our cultural brand MitOst Association, to give you just some printed materials such as flyers or posters, but also examples, using already existing boards, preparation, assuring a constant flow of high quality content a great opportunity to attract and promote gain the correct exposure. Another significant benefit of The access to culture is often limited by a narrow bulletins, newsletters, discussion relevant for international audiences and made accessible sponsors, or to emphasize the role of the this approach is the symbolic value transfer through brand through translations: monographs, magazines, promotion that uses a strict, recognizable, but limited associations. Future partnerships with festivals such as groups or forums. European Union in our programs. catalogues, audiobooks, podcasts, EPs and LPs in impact visual and verbal style. Imagine a poster for a User-generated mobile map for transmediale Berlin, institutions such as Ars Electronica available online and offline, documentary Philosophy conference that uses the visual code of a music cultural navigation Linz or Literaturhaus Berlin, or media channels such as features, interactive maps festival poster. Imagine a radio spot for a museum that ARTE, to give you just some examples, are relevant and websites. uses the last pop music hit as soundtrack. Imagine hip- We are currently testing an interactive map that steps toward our success. The same principle Open calls for projects and proposals hop artists promoting eco-tours and online games allows users to navigate through the city’s cultural applies to local partnership with cultural Peer-to-peer PR and on open platforms that dynamically unveil you the history of the offer and to interact through photos, videos and centers, museums, galleries, and peer-to-peer marketing city. Now imagine the viral potential of this reviews, generating content and proposing dynamic festivals. In order to engage the local, regional, national, and approach. hierarchies and point of interest. The map will be As stated before, we rely on the power of European communities as active stakeholders in our available on smartphone and mobile devices and the online communities to broaden our reach programs, we want to implement the ”3 minutes & 3 will integrate internet of things solutions that by reviews and direct recommendations. We clicks” online applications that would allow them to deliver valuable information concerning intend to encourage this approach through propose projects or apply for residencies, fellowships, event attendance, weather or Tactics and tools dedicated activation campaigns and or internships. Supported by a clear an transparent traffic conditions. integrative publishing and monitoring selection process with properly explained evaluation tools that link multiple social criteria and instant publishing of the results, In order to reach the milestones previously listed we will networks and platforms. this type of solution can prove to be a Innovative tactics ask for innovative tools. We want to focus on several tactics: breakthrough in terms of massive go beyond the familiar and mandatory press-release- public involvment and poster-TV-spot universe, exploring new alternatives MeltingPot Radio endorsement. that can engage more effectively new audiences. Baia Mare will host a radio studio with a dedicated Here are a few of our on-going projects: broadcasting licence open to international DJs, Dedicated online platform producers, news anchors and journalists in residence or in touch online. We plan a lean start, focusing on online Our online platform integrates a sum of features: unlimited foreign broadcasting and podcasting; and scale our capacity Trans-platform campaigning with languages modules, unlimited interactive tools such as polls and forms incrementally. In 2021 the radio studio should offer multilevel messages for public consultation, interactive maps and calendars or real time to all visitors a 24 hours cultural alternative to broadcasting of events and booking solutions. The backend interface allows commercial radio, covering our events and The presence on the social network or the citations on prime- instant updates with zero maintenance costs, as well as limitless scaling of projects live in at least 3 languages. Calibration of tools and channels based on time news are not communication objectives, only contextual the functionalities. By 2020, the platform will evolve into a plug-and-play the media habits of specific communities solutions to reach a specific milestone or an audience group. We interface for organizers, managers, artists, and curators allowing them are focusing on brand and communication vehicles with a long to explore locations and venues in virtual tours, to upload documents, Facebook, for instance, is a great landing platform for communication at a life span that are relevant in multiple platforms and mediums: promotion materials and print files, reducing this way considerably the national level, as more than 7.000.000 Romanians are active in this network, video productions, high-quality visual support, relevant well logistic costs of events and programs. and the advertising costs are relatively low. However, for specialized international documented stories – communication kits available under communities – journalists, artists, or creative industries professionals – we will focus Creative Common licence that journalists or artists, TV our campaigns on their native platforms, for instance Twitter, LinekdIn or Behance, networks or publishers can use, build upon, mix, using English as campaign lingua franca. modify and broadcast for free. 72 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Marketing and communication strategy Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 73 Baia Mare has an estimated 7,3 percentage of adult population Their sense of belonging is still very strong; a great deal of their Another strategic layer of message multipliers are the residents of Baia Mare, owners working in other cities. More than three quarters of this percentage revenue is reinvested in the construction or rehabilitations of homes or tenants of properties. We have launched an official support program operationalized choose employment abroad, often on a seasonal basis. Work in their family home villages or invested in small business and real by the City Council that helps them – by attestation, microfunding, consulting and migration is focused in Western Europe, in countries with a estate properties in Baia Mare. It is an already traditional manner for hospitality training programs – list their properties and vacation rentals or couchsurfing significant Romanian Diaspora such as Spain, Italy, Germany, them – documented in documentaries such as Pride and Concrete spots. In 2016 we plan to launch our first activation campaign promotingCultural France or UK. These figures apply, with small variations, for the and other anthropological studies – to express their pride, to state entire region, giving us some interesting facts to build upon. More their success and their status. They regularly return home during the Couchsurfing – free to discover as an alternative way to explore and experience Baia than 15.000 people from Baia Mare and the surrounding area, summer season to attend or to host traditional weddings, or during Mare and the surrounding region. This strategic, yet efficient, approach has three most of them between 18 to 45 years old, are active members of the winter holiday, in order to reunite the extended families around objectives: local communities abroad. We are talking about an age group with elaborate celebrations marked by intact ethnographic rituals. an appetence for technology, active online, constant consumers, reviewers and broadcasters of online content.

1 Organically increase our accommodation capacity with at least 1.000 beds We see them as our ambassadors, our unfairly forgotten link between tradition and by 2020. contemporaneity, between Romania and its Western audiences. If properly activated Crossing borders Why don’t you move in? 2 Raise our international awareness using free online promotion tools with by online and word of mouth campaigns, and provided with calibrated promotion a tremendous adoption rate worldwide such as: Couchsurfing, Airbnb, kits, their reach in terms of communication can go, in a five year timeframe, to more Craigslist or FlipKey, to give you just some currently trending examples. than 150.000 people. With a solid institutional and advertising support, the viral We aim to become, by 2020, a top 5 destination for Romania on the mentioned potential and spread of these out-of-the box campaigns can reach online much larger websites, with over 800 properties listed in a 30 minutes drive radius. The audiences, up to 1.000.000 people. We plan to start in 2016 the first step of the Bring estimated audiences reach for this program can total more than 1.000.000 home a friend! campaign, aiming to determine and help the working abroad citizens of tourists by 2021. Baia Mare to invite members of their residence communities to join them during the summer or winter holidays. Another program dedicated to our informal ambassadors is 3 Promote our city as a hip destination embracing the sharing-economy a holiday home-exchange program, aiming to incrementally increase our international trends, appealing to young and dynamic audiences. We are counting on the awareness and to develop the incoming tourist flux during peak seasons. We value this buzz factor of this initiative, and we’ll enable it through PR campaigns approach to spread our message because it is true to our key values: hospitality and aimed at economical publications, travel blogs and websites, as well as openness to all cultures. lifestyle publications with a targeted reach of 250.000 professionals.

74 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Marketing and communication strategy Marketing and communication strategy Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 75 A third activation layer for the local community is our Cultural Ambassadors Program, aimed at engaging local personalities, cultural performers, key opinion leaders and creative industries professionals with a proven international mobility and reach. We want to extend the meaning of this title beyond its honorary function. The chosen cultural ambassadors – reaching a 300 threshold by 2020 – will be trusted with an international mandate for negotiations with cultural operator, investors, artists and other significant categories of public and collaborators. The first appointed Content is King, or so the communication gurus restlessly preach In order to complete our networking and capacity development ambassadors will be: the musician Grigore Leșe, the photographers Cosmin Bumbuț, Hajdu Tamas and for the last decade. We plan to progressively abandon the invasive vision, we took the responsibility of supporting, logistically and Alexandru Paul and the creative director Șerban Alexandrescu. PR paradigm based on costly advertorials and costly TV commercial. financially, as well as hosting the most important Romanian events Instead, we want to transform our city in a blooming regional capital dedicated to journalism excellence: the international conferences The of journalism and film production. We have already prototyped a Power of Storytelling and the SuperWritings Prize. residency program that hosted five independent journalists from Romania, enabling them to find their own local stories, free from Another consistent initiative is Printed in Baia Mare! – a support pressure regarding the angle, source of financing or intrusive editorial program for magazines, fanzines and publishing houses searching This approach intends not only to identify, celebrate and empower policies. We plan steadily to scale this program in the following years for high quality subsidized printing solutions. Our aim is to support local talents and doers. Instead of isolating the chosen ambassadors by including international journalist from prestigious publications the temporary relocation of Romanian and regional editorial teams, from the local community, we plan to promote them as role- such as Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Die Welt, El Pais, Le allowing them not only to research local subjects, but also to locally models and to extend and enhance their community involvement Welcoming the Monde, The Economist or Time, but also extend our open invitation print a special edition of their titles. By the end of 2020, we want through public events and interventions ranging from exhibitions to more narrowcasted media producers, sites of publications: Printed in Baia Mare! to become a quality stamp, promoting the to conferences, from concerts to workshops. The objectives of this film industry Wired, Monocle, Jet Art, Vice, Habitat, Beaux Arts, as well as to professionalism of the local dozens of printing houses, but also approach are: independent bloggers and journalists from Europe. These intended proving our long-lasting support for the media field. Another key step we will take in order to profile our city as a harbor residencies programs have three objectives: In the same spirit, this year we launched the first edition of the Proud to represent • To promote our candidacy using our star endorsers through a for quality journalism and media professionalism is the hosting of A new home for Cultural Journalism Competition, and it is our declared goal to series of video and audio commercials aired in partnership with a the 11th edition of Aristoteles International Documentary Film support the regional professionals in researching and completing local mainstream TV and radio network, as well as with international Workshop in 2016, a one-month long unique applied training journalism complex and valuable projects, with an appeal for international infotainment channels with an overall audience of 3.000.000 people. program that enable 5-10 teams of producers and filmmaker to 1 • To propose local subjects to broad international audiences. The competition also intends to create a local • To create online communicational momentum around the cultural document, film and produce a full documentary feature on a audiences, using the principles of transparency and support network that can assist our international guests in their ambassadors using activation campaigns. We have implemented an local subject. This strategic decision is a letter of intent expressing professional solidarity. In a five years’ timeframe, we aim documentation process, as well as to create a community of practice online application allowing the local community to propose and elect the determination of our city to become an alternative center to to support through this line of programs more than 50 with an independent agenda and strong, manifested ethics. their ambassador of choice. By 2019 we plan to have a community Bucharest for the film production industries. The drastically lower articles addressing a worldwide public. of more than 30.000 people gathered around this campaign, with an rental and production cost, the privileged geographical position in estimated online peak reach of 500.000. the proximity of four states, as well as the diversified landscape, are definitely strong advantages that support our agenda. 2 • To set the foundation for future institutional • To enhance the local spirit, promoting new role-models and fresh partnerships with media and journalism networks such values as part of the city’s DNA. By the end of 2015, our candidacy website will host a section as ARTE, ZDF/ARD, BBC, euronews, InterNations or Word dedicated to international filmmakers containing: a location Alliance. The forth layer is built upon volunteer programs with a scouting section, a casting section and a list of local service communication component, involving local and international providers including: equipment rentals, logistics, makeup and hair, 3 • To enhance the quality of local and regional participants. By 2020 we plan to host 500 international volunteers set design, accommodation, and catering. Another project that journalism and media production, through workshops, that can internationally capacitate and promote the local efforts to brings our long-term project to life is the creation of a state-of-the- communicate the values and the programs summed up under the conferences and professional trainings developed in art media production studio, open for local educational projects, partnerships with our guests. title of European Capital of Culture. On local level, we have started but also serving as a functional headquarters for international media to build a network of volunteers with strong communication and productions. To sum it up, we plan to be, by 2020, the host of at media skills that will reach the 5.000 members threshold by 2020. least 20 local film productions and 4 international productions, and the subject of at least 20 documentary features.

76 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 77 We live in a media democracy, where everyone can become a reporter or a media producer with entitled rights to his or her 30 seconds of fame. YouTube and Vimeo, Instagram, Vine, and Periscope are defining a new media landscape instantly reaching audiences from around the globe. Using competitions, photo and video workshops, Our sociological research indicate that a vast majority of 92% of the people aware of our candidacy, photo tours and activation campaigns, we plan to encourage representing at their turn 68% of the adult population, correlates the European Union as author alternative broadcasting of photos and videos projecting their invitation and vision for 2021. A properly used hashtag on Twitter or of the European Capital of Culture. We can conclude that we have a solid base to build our Facebook is a great solution to complete, in terms of lifespan, reach communication upon, at least at local level. However, in order to ensure the adequate perception, and conversion rates, the awareness performances of a classic form we will make sure to highlight this link using: of communication such as primetime TV story. Using common tags such as #baiamare2021 or #youarewelcome, a high profile landing page on Facebook and an integrative app, every resident with a smartphone can virtually and de facto become a promoter of his or • A dedicated 360 degrees awareness campaign, focused on the online medium and our own media productions, her city. By 2021, our milestones in terms of social networks and as well as the inclusion of traditional media partnerships and media planning; alternative publishing reach are: How does the city plan • A special section on the website dedicated to the institutional relations and partnerships involved by the European Capital of Culture, promoting and putting to action the principles of transparency; 500.000+ fans and followers on Facebook, Twitter to highlight that the of other emerging trending social media platforms • A dedicated clip promoting the European Union’s authorship of the project with a one year lifespan, broadcasted on heavy rotation on our interconnected display network. 10.000.000+ combined peak reach for all the European Capital of Peer-to-peer. communication and publishing platforms Step by step. 20% benchmark engagement rate for our published Culture is an action of The European Union’s role as a creator and a catalyst of this program Our institutional partners from all fields, as well as our volunteers posts and materials cannot and should not be resumed at the positioning of a logo on the will be part of induction programs supported by online follow- promotional materials or specific websites. Adverts and press releases up, allowing them to familiarize with the rigors of public 500 news and stories originated in the online the European Union? that follow strict guidelines and regulations are a must, and a good communication, the recommended guidelines and the mandatory medium broadcasted by TV stations or published starting point as well. The brand manual for Baia Mare’s candidacy quotations and institutional brand exposure. Based on constant by newspapers for the title of ECoC is already including a dedicated section monitoring of the local media, if needed, we can expand the covering the correct communication of tutelages, partnerships and induction program. A dedicated audit and monitoring team using collaborations, elaborating on written and visual standards, on an instant listening tools such UberVu will supervise the quality of our extended list of media, and offering several guiding templates. presence in the international media, and intervene, if needed, to True to our innovation values, we decided to walk the talk when it ensure the correct representation of the European Union role. comes to promote our city as a cultural destination, using peer- As stated before, our core team has strong communication skills, to-peer recommendation networks dedicated to tourism, such and all of the managers have a relevant marketing or public relations as TripAdvisor, as well as booking sites such as Booking.com or backgrounds. We plan to scale the extended board, our team of Venere.com. Our goal is to become, in a five year timeframe, a top experts, as well as our local support group based on this criteria, as 5 destination in Romania, empowering user cross-reviews from responsible impact communication must be assimilated as a must, residents and visitors through awareness and activation campaigns in not delegated as an ordinary task. This way we can make sure that partnership with the local hospitality industry. This out-of-the box every spokesman, frontman, decision maker and influencer involved approach, supported by advertising campaigns, training programs, in our project can deliver, fast-check and also improve the correct dedicated apps, and online support, can be translated into an public message emphasizing the role of the European Union. outstanding online reach of 2.500.000 people by 2021.

78 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 79 What makes our application so special compared to others? Why choose Baia Mare? Editorial Team The real competition that you face when applying for the title of ECoC is yourself. It is the perfect occasion to ask yourself what are the things that we Andreea Ciortea, Izabella Kiskasza, Raluca Medeșan, Mihaela Pușnava, Vlad Tăușance The 2021 European Capital of Culture competition has beautifully challenged Romania. An entire process of awareness, self-seeking and reshaping city priorities and strategies, having can improve starting tomorrow, or even today. This application was a great culture at its core, has been set in motion. The city of Baia Mare and our entire community opportunity for us to evaluate ourselves, to convert our heritage into a strong Consultants, advisers and experts decided to accept the challenge, but first and foremost, we raised the bid in a competition with motivation, to transform our dreams into implementation-ready strategies. Radu Macrinici, Laura Ghinea, Teodor Ardelean, Tiberiu Alexa, Ioan Marchiș, Mircea ourselves and our future. We truly believe that this endeavour can change the vocation and the destiny Bochiș, Mihai Grigorescu, Ștefan Dărăbuș, Florian Sălăjeanu, Grigore Leșe, Iulia We have drafted a master plan with multiple partitions linked together in an effort that goes far of our city. We value this competition as an important chance to develop, beyond 2021, a project that aims at boosting the city’s economy, developing social and cultural rather than a race for a title. Gorneanu, Costel Bucur, Steli Grigore, Alexandra Cantor, Danina Arsene, Paul capital, setting the benchmark in Romania in terms of talent aggregation and creative economies. What makes us special is our will to struggle for our values and to succeed. Manolescu, Roxana Bucată, Timea Hont, Valentina Nicolae, Rodica Brad, Adriana Suciu, We firmly believe that our nomination will be the gearing up for growth we have prepared for in We have put together all of our efforts in order to build a project that is Annamaria Somay, Bianca Herlo, Rareș Crăiuț, Hannes Nehls, Ana-Maria Moldovan, the last years. To us, it is a driver for true and thorough change, as we see culture to be the high impact step for a sustainable city development. Loyal to this purpose, the Municipality lends its ingenious, sustainable and has the capacity to evolve into a textbook Amelia Bănică, Cristian Kit Paul, Mario Kuibuș, Stefan Paskucz, Ildiko Mitru full and utmost support to all actions related to what has become the strategic project of definition of city renewal. We have said it from the start: we are at a tipping Baia Mare – European Capital of Culture 2021. point. Aiming for the European Capital of Culture nomination is an effort to Visual concept and identity correct and accelerate the sustainable development of our city, overcoming Cătălin Cherecheș, our limitations in order to become a healthy, prosperous and cultural city, a community united in its diversity. Mayor of Baia Mare Photography Dan Mezok, Mihai Grigorescu, Viorela Tarta, Ciprian Strugariu, Florin Rusu, Cătălin Pop Add any further comments which you deem Special thanks to necessary in relation with your application. Adriana Moldovan, Anca Feher, Georgiana Popovici, Radu Țolaș, Dan Coardă, Laszlo-Tibor Olah, Hajdu Tamas, Vasile Dorolți, Dan Bucă, Horațiu Săsaran, “ Whether we will obtain the nomination as European Capital of Culture or Ionuț Caraba, Romeo Crișan not, we are ready to act as we have planned, truthful to the mission we set ourselves to carry. This program’s purpose was and is to make us compete Supported and advised by the Municipality of Baia Mare with ourselves, challenging and pushing our status quo, as a city and as a and the Mayor of Baia Mare, Cătălin Cherecheș community. Last, but not least, please always care to remember and spread the word: whenever in need of a great host or a new experience, Baia Mare is here to welcome you!

80 Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture Baia Mare 2021 - European Capital of Culture 81 Piata Libertății nr. 15, 430321 Baia Mare, România