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Lille and the 25th anniversary of the European Cultural Capital initiative

Catherine Cullen, Deputy mayor in charge of Culture

1) You have attended the 25th anniversary ceremony of the European Cultural Capital initiative, in Brussels the 23rd and 24th of March 2010. You were also present at the round table on “the past and the future of the European Cultural Capitals”. How would you assess these discussions and this event in general?

This event has been very useful in terms of meetings and exchanges. Indeed, the discussions were very rewarding because every European cultural capital was able to share its own experience, failures and successes. During this event, we had also the opportunity to cross many people who were present during the events of Lille 2004. Moreover, I hope that this event was useful for future capitals that have received many tips from the ancient capitals.

2) Did the 25 years of European Cultural Capital allow creating a network of European cultural capitals?


To my knowledge the issue has not been addressed. The European capitals cross and meet very often, we are regularly into contact, but there is yet no such network of European cultural capitals. The issue was not discussed during this event but this may be a good idea for the future.


3) By comparing your experience with other cultural capitals, what are, according to you, the elements that have made the originality of Lille 2004 compared to other capitals?


The originality of Lille 2004 is based on two major points. On the one hand, the European Capital of Culture has always been intended as a beginning, a start for a new cultural development of the city. Longer-term investments have been designed from the beginning with, for example, the establishment of 12 \"Maisons Folies\" in the Nord Pas de Calais and in Belgium, cultural and multidisciplinary places to see and enjoy...


The second element is the citizens’ participation. The enthusiasm we have received from the public was a huge surprise, but we have also worked for it from the beginning, with the launch of calls for projects, volunteers ... This is how we have come to involve 17 000 ambassadors in the project Lille 2004.



4) Have you thought about applying for funding from the programmes Media or Culture?



Of course, if there are opportunities, we are ready to apply for other projects.



5) Did Marseille contact you, in order to benefit from your experience?



We do have ongoing contact with Marseille, and our teams know each other very well.



6) How do you manage today the impact of this success and the post-European Cultural Capital challenges?


In 2005, we increased the budget for culture by 30%, which is not negligible. In addition, the Maisons Folie work well and represent a very open multidisciplinary cultural dynamism.

The project Lille 3000 is also very important. This association includes some members of the original team of Lille 2004 and organizes every 2 / 3 years a major cultural event around a certain theme. In 2006, the theme of the first edition, entitled “Lille Bombaysers”, was India. In 2009 the second edition of \"Europe XXL\" focused on countries that joined the EU and those who could do it 20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The next event will be held in 2012 in connection with the London Olympic Games, proximity obliges!

All these events are a great cultural force for the metropolis.


7) The border was an important concept for Lille 2004…


Indeed, Lille was the 1st European cultural capital to expand into a regional euro area (with Belgium) and it continues to do so today with the formation of the Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai Eurometropolis. Thus, some Maisons Folies are located in Belgium and there is a concerted effort for creating a network of cultural teams and events on Eurometropolis.