Newsletter 2019-05-14-E: Our colourful city, East-West festival, artists in Fürth, photography, fine arts and our tiny Capital of Culture

Dear <<First Name>> <<Last Name>>,

The goal we’ve set ourselves is to mobilize the support of the population that is necessary for a successful application. To be honest, this is (only) one major goal, amongst others. Nevertheless, that is the core: it should become a Capital of Culture of, by and with the citizens. All those who shape the process are looking for good ways to reach different groups of the population, from different parts of the city, with different backgrounds. It’s a challenge, but none we should capitulate to. If we constantly approach new people, we can permanently broaden up. Little by little, more interest is created, people join in and more residents can help shape what makes a city worth living in for them.

With mobilizing greetings
#NUE2025

Involving more city dwellers, shaping a city for all

To reach out to as many corners of our city as possible for the process and to let the Capital of Culture become their Capital of Culture – that is a declared goal of all those who shape the application process here. What does it mean? Culture is everything relevant to our city life. Not merely activities of elites of any kind, but what makes the life of each single person in the city. But just like any organization, we do have certain origins, and we predominantly reach the corresponding networks. That is quite normal. However, we should be satisfied with it, rather actively consider how we can overcome this more or less invisible hurdle. It is important because we do not want our city to be divided into many parallel groups. Of course, different traditions have their place, but at the same time, all of us city dwellers should all remain connected. Shaping the city together, we can make it more liveable for everyone.

We need to try often, we need to persevere. Physically, the Kulturhauptstädtla (see following article) brings this to life. We at #NUE2025 actively make contact with a wide variety of groups in the city, exchange ideas and invite to thematic plenaries again and again. We also need you, because you have many more ideas than we do.

Please spread the word, address more people: Your neighbours, colleagues, members of your sports club, and in many other environments. What moves them? What is important for them to feel comfortable in the city? Ask them, and let us share your insights!

Kulturhauptstädtla –
Submit your contribution now

In midst of buzzing city life, in July, a tiny Capital of Culture will show up: the “Kulturhauptstädtla”. It will invite visitors to linger, to discover and to meet with a diverse cultural programme; it will also host a café. The aim is to reach out to people who have so far been little interested in (sub)culture and sustainability. The Kulturhauptstädtla will be a sustainable, creative and integrative place. There are still a few slots available in the programme. Interested parties can register with an idea.
Further information/the registration form can be found here (German only! – The deadline for the printed programme has unfortunately already passed, as to our knowledge).

Fürth artist gathering (plenary)

The municipal gallery (kunst galerie fürth), in cooperation with NUE2025, invites all Fürth artists to a meeting.

Not only would Nuremberg like to become the European Capital of Culture in 2025. The cities in the greater area (= Erlangen, Fürth, Schwabach) and corresponding districts should and want to contribute to and support this application. Of course, we all don’t know whether Nuremberg will make it into the shortlist of applicants next year. 2025 seems a long time away.
But already for the so-called “Bid-Book” (application file), which has its editorial deadline on 30 June and is document for the first application round, the application office N2025 not only gathers informal declarations of intent of the cities are expressly desired. The bid coordinators actively encourage discussions with different groups of the citizenship, and, yes, even project suggestions are conceivable and welcome.

Within the meeting, proposals for projects can be discussed, which may already be included in the above mentioned bid book (without a commitment to realization). We of #NUE2025 will of course be here to explain basics, discuss projects and answer questions.

After the so called “open calls” this is another small step towards a kind of citizen participation. On 04 June especially for the visual artists of Fürth!

When? Tuesday, 4 June at 18:00
Where? KunstWerkRaum at Geleitsgasse 4 in Fürth

Photography plenary (retrospection)

On April 25, 2019, a strongly motivated group met and discussed the changes in photography, what photography could do for the Capital of Culture, and regarding social change in general. Photography is probably even more affected by the change than other sectors. Overall, incoming service orders are declining.

Photographers are less influenced by their equipment than by the good view, which makes it possible to capture the moment authentically. It is less about technology than about using the possibilities to create something special. A good photo thus creates relevance and stands out from the crowd. In our opinion this is a very important function, especially in society, which seems to become arbitrary in many places. Especially for this environment, which is strongly characterized by change, there was agreement: the future can be shaped, but the young generation is indispensable. In this respect, we will try even harder to reach and activate them.

The minutes can be found here (German only).

Fine arts plenary (retrospection)

On invitation of #NUE2025 and Kunstvilla, 10 representatives of visual arts institutions from Nuremberg, Fürth and Erlangen, together with Prof. Hajo Wagner of the application office N2025 and 5 representatives of the citizens’ initiative NUE2025, met for an exchange on 8 May 2019.
The application topics and the corresponding triad (work/learning/game) put the participants in relation to Nuremberg and established that the topics offer many points of contact. Concretely, the following activities are planned: to start another networking meeting in Fürth in order to gradually integrate the other centres better and to discuss a network of institutions that goes beyond specific topics.
Further information will soon be available in the minutes that we will publish on our website.

Est West Festival (Ost-West-Festival) in the SENF metropolis

Theater Erlangen is looking for artists from all areas of the region who are artistically active or want to be active on the topic of “30 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall” in order to bundle this in a large festival from 7 to 10 November. Everybody remains completely independent and autonomous. Above all, the idea is better connect, to stimulate an exchange where it should not yet exist and to make culture more present.

Theater Erlangen would publish a programme booklet with all events.

If you are interested, you can find out more at the info meetings in Nuremberg, Fürth, Schwabach and Erlangen:

  • Erlangen, Foyercafé, Markgrafentheater, 04.06.2019
  • Fürth, cinema Babylon, 14.05.2019 as well as 03.06.2019
  • Schwabach, Foyer Bürgerhaus, 15.05.2019 and 29.05.2019
  • Nuremberg, Filmhauscafé in the KunstKulturQuartier, 20.5.2019

You can also find some more information on the information flyer (German only).

Next meetings

  • Thursday, 16. May 2019 (third Thursday of the month), this time exceptionally 19-20:30,
    from 21:00 on, there will be a jazz concert in the pub, to which everyone is welcome to stay (admission: 10 Euro)
    Regulars table #NUE2025 (Stammtisch)
    Balazzo Brozzi, Hochstrasse 2, Nuremberg
  • Tuesday, 4 June 2019 18:00
    Artists’ meeting in Fürth on the subject of the Capital of Culture
    KunstWerkRaum, Geleitsgasse 4, Fürth