The Cultural Capital of Europe

For those unfamiliar with the European Cultural Capital designation, it is an appellation given annually to a particular European Union city. As the Cultural Capital of Europe a city hosts a continuous wealth of International artistic a ctivities of all kinds (music, dance, theater, painting, photography, cinema, design, comics, multimedia, sculpture, street art, etc ). Attendees at the 1990 ICMC in Glasgow, Scotland (the first time an ICMC was held in a Cultural Capital city) can attes t to the cultural vitality generated by the Cultural Capital Organization.

The first Cultural Capital of Europe was Athens in 1985. The initiative of the late Greek Minister of Culture of Greece Melina Mercouri, evolved into a leading cultural institution for Europe and until 1997 it will have passed through twelve European citi es.

During September 1997 the Cultural Capital activities will include such events as the public exhibition of the priceless treasures from the monasteries of Mount Athos for the first time ever!, the National Orchestra of France, the Saint Petersburg ballet, and exhibitions of the drawings of Michelangelo, the engravings of Goya and the story of Alexander the Great.

Click here or on the image below to pay a visit to the official homepage of the Organization for the Cultural Capital of Europe - Thessaloniki 1997.