Tartu hands title of European Capital of Culture over to successors
Although Tartu 2024's closing ceremony, ‘Stay and Create’, will close out the city’s year as European Capital of Culture on Saturday 30 November, the title has already been handed over to its successors. In a symbolic ceremony in the Austrian Alps, the cities of Bodø in Northern Norway, Bad Ischl in Upper Austria and Tartu passed on the baton to Chemnitz in Eastern Germany and the Italian-Slovenian border town of Nova Gorica-Gorizia.
Dagmar Ruscheinsky, the mayor of Chemnitz, was presented with the title by her Tartu counterpart Urmas Klaas. In his speech, Klaas recalled the earliest stage of preparations for the Capital of Culture, for which Tartu’s theme was ‘The Arts of Survival’. “At the time, we didn’t know how big that idea would become,” he said. “The pandemic and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine ensued, lending the leitmotif much more heft.”
Klaas opened his address by saying that Tartu and Southern Estonia organised more than 1600 events which shone the spotlight on local traditions and provided a platform for international cooperation. “For me, the most important thing is that the people who took part in these projects are willing to continue promoting culture in our region and to be as internationally competitive as they can be,” he said.
A similar sentiment echoed through all of the speeches given at the handover event by former hosts, programmers and politicians: while being the Capital of Culture takes a lot of hard work and entails a certain amount of stress, it is more than worth it in the end. A whole year of culture is special for any region, and you must not forgot to enjoy it. The title of European Capital of Culture is not just a badge of honour, but a tool with which to boost democracy, unite people and celebrate cultural diversity.
Kuldar Leis, the head of Tartu 2024, said at the ceremony that although it was sad to be handing over the title, culture and cooperation would always continue in Southern Estonia and that the work that had been done would be celebrated in style at the closing ceremony of Tartu 2024 on 30 November. Leis ended his speech on a light-hearted but practical note, wishing his successors robust mental health.
The handover ceremony took place in the historic Lehár Theatre in Bad Ischl in Upper Austria, a space designed by architect Franz Ferdinand Edangler in 1827 when Ischl was just gaining popularity as a resort town. Originally planned in the imperialist style popular at the time, the venue was renamed the Lehár Theatre in 1940 to mark the 70th birthday of the Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehár. The now privately owned space still bears traces of its former glory, as does its Emperor Franz Joseph lounge, where the attendees gathered prior to the ceremony.
The musical part of the event was provided by Burkina Faso-born singer and musician Mamadou Diabaté, who was involved in the Bad Ischl Cultural Programme project ‘Song/Song: Stories in songs, legends and secret languages’. His melodic numbers in the Sambla language gave the ceremony both a personal touch and a powerful ending.
2025 will mark 40 years of the European Capital of Culture tradition, which began in Athens in 1985. It was the brainchild of the Greek politician and actress Melina Mercouri and constitutes one of the EU’s most consistent and important cultural initiatives.
Tartu 2024 will see out its year as European Capital of Culture with a final party on Saturday 30 November, entitled ‘Stay and Create’. The day will be packed with events. Check out the programme, bring your friends and family and be sure to take part!