culture | Turku 2011

Eurocities Culture Forum in Turku March 16th to 19th

Eurocities Culture Forum took place in Turku. The links between culture and well-being - Culture does Good! - were discussed during the four-day meeting. Additionally, the topics how cities finance the cultural services and is it always culture sector where the cities cut the costs, will be addressed.

Eurocities promotes the role and place of local governments in European policy making. It is a network of big cities and aims at influencing and working with the EU institutions to respond to common issues that impact the day-to-day lives of Europeans.

Eurocities has several thematic forums, of which Culture Forum is one. The forums realise common projects and meet to exchange good practises.

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Chairman of the Board of the Turku 2011 Foundation Christoffer Taxell, Managing Director of the Turku 2011 Foundation Cay Sevón, President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso, Mayor of Turku Aleksi Randell and Finland's Minister of Culture Stefan Wallin.

Barroso believes in the success of Turku's cultural year

During his visit, President Barroso spent time at Logomo, the city’s new exhibition and events centre for creative art, the main library and the 'Life on a Leaf' house of artist Jan-Erik Andersson.

During the visit, which was organised by the City of Turku and the Turku 2011 Foundation, President Barroso was introduced to the Capital of Culture project and other topical issues taking place in the city.

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Alexander Stubb liked culture exercise

The Central Park of Culture and Exercise invited Turku residents for a jog with the patron of the project, Alexander Stubb. On Tuesday 1 March, some twenty culture exercisers participated in the open-to-all culture jog containing statues and steps.

In addition, music played by the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra was enjoyed during the event.

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The Heart of Finland route takes you on a time travel

The Heart of Finland route winds near from Turku Cathedral to Vanhalinna in Lieto

The route will take you on a time travel through the history of Turku and the different phases of Finnish society and culture. Audio guidance English is available for theme Villages and the Cultural Scenery (history of the villages). Signs are posted along the route.

Due to construction work on the eastern side of the river near the Railway bridge (Rautatiesilta), we recommend crossing the river allready on Tuomaansilta-bridge.

Further information:

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In Martti you can get married or meet by chance

Where and when is it good to kiss in Turku?

This route is an insight into intimate Turku love stories. Where and when is it good to kiss, and how was courting done in the different decades of the 20th century?

This tour can be done with an audio guidance (in Finnish), the narrator of which is a casanova from Turku, Ruben Oskar Auervaara.

Printable route map in English (pdf, 1,66MB)

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Flames launched Turku’s Capital of Culture year

Over 60,000 people followed the children's lantern parade and came to watch the amazing opening performance by Aurajoki River. The freezing temperatures did not seem to bother the audience as it watched the drums, flags and flames communicate over the river. The backdrop to all this grandeur was one of the largest ever fire spectacles.

The former Wärtsilä Shipyard was chosen over a year ago as the stage for the British Walk the Plank group. The place encapsulates Turku’s past: highly competent, international, the river and the sea.

”The opening show respected Turku's identity and encouraged us to look to the future," Liz Pugh, the producer from Walk the Plank, told earlier today. According to Pugh, Turku is the capital of romance and snow.

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Fire Dragon Drawing

The spectacular opening brings fire and love above River Aura

Turku will open the Capital of Culture year 2011 with a three-day weekend full of events and activities on 14–16 January 2011. The opening performance “This Side, The Other Side” on the evening of Saturday 15 January is the single largest event of the year. Concerts and events for the entire family will draw the audience to the city centre.

On Sunday, the festivities will continue in the city districts and also elsewhere in the Finland Proper region. The audience is expected to include tens of thousands of visitors from across Finland and abroad.

The opening weekend of the Turku Capital of Culture year offers both city residents and visitors lots of interesting programme. Finnish and international guests will already arrive in Turku on Friday.

Public events will begin on Saturday at noon and climax with the evening’s opening act and the Logomo evening party.

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Cultural gifts for presents

Coming up with a personal Christmas present is rarely this easy. Great gift ideas include tickets to Turku Capital of Culture events, some of the fun Turku 2011 products, or the unique Aboa wine.

The most desired 2011 events include the LogoMotion Turku 2011 Opening Party, the Energo performance by a cappella group Rajaton, and some of the Bridge of Sound concerts, for example. Get to know the programme and wrap an experience up as a gift. The tickets are available through the Lippupiste ticket office.

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Editorial: This Is It!

When Turku residents first expressed their wishes for the Turku Capital of Culture year in 2005, Eini, a 78-year-old pensioner, wanted more trees and flowers on the streets, Matti, a CEO, asked for top international performers and Sanna, a student, requested cultural surprises for her city neighbourhood. “I wish Turku had more trampolines,” said Samu, 10 years. Well said, Samu! Uplifting the city spirit and image, high-flying experiences and joy to city residents and visitors – that is what the Capital of Culture is very much about.

The Capital of Culture year is born out of the hopes and visions of thousands of people. It is built on the artistic inspiration, hard work and daring commitments, providing both moments of success and occasional frustration, whilst bringing together contributions from throughout Finland as well as nearly every continent in the world.

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Jyrki Lehtola

Reeeeal nice culture

According to our built-in vocabularies, culture is something that everyone needs to engage in – otherwise you are merely half a human, which is an unfortunate state of affairs if you actually prefer being whole.
Fortunately, engaging in culture is nowadays easier than ever before. Culture has become nice and it can be just about anything – as long as it is nice.
The brief history of engaging in culture the easy way:

Boooredom. I’m dying of boooredom. Those two guys on the stage. God. They are mumbling and waiting for something while they are mumbling– I bet that something never even arrives.
Oh, atonal music. Love it, just love it. It makes me think of atonal music.

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