Beyond 2011: A continuation working group for promoting the benefits of Turku European Capital of Culture

Culture does good, even in the years ahead.  In Turku, a working group has been set up in order to disseminate the best practices and models of the European Capital of Culture 2011 project nationwide. It will thus ensure that its accomplishments become deep set within the Finnish cultural arena. The chairman of the working group will be the Director General of the Finnish National Gallery, Risto Ruohonen.

The working group’s aim is to maintain and further develop the arts, culture and related creative industries within Turku and the surrounding region. From a national point of view, it is important to consider how the lessons learnt and the insight gained from them could best be transferred throughout Finland. It is particularly important to find a way to transfer Turku’s knowledge and experience, so that the World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 will also be able to benefit from them.

- The Capital of Culture year has got off to a wonderful start and created solid foundations on which permanent activity can easily be built. Approximately, 14,000 people from almost 60 countries are actively participating in organising activities, demonstrating that Turku 2011 clearly has a local, national and international dimension, says Cay Sevón, Managing Director of the Turku 2011 Foundation, who also coordinates the Capital of Culture year.

The task of the Capital of Culture's continuation group is to develop methods and procedures which can be used to pass on the project’s best practices and spread them nationwide. To achieve this, the working group will receive help from specialists in regions across Finland, and together they will prepare concrete proposals to ensure the influence of Turku 2011 remains long after the year has ended.  Open cooperative activity will have a major role in this, as the public will be invited to participate in the development work.

- Above all, the success of a Capital of Culture year is measured by the legacy it leaves behind – its long-term influence. Successful capitals of culture generate stories and become topics of conversation. And we wish to create these with the assistance of the continuation group, declares Cay Sevón.

The group planning the continuation of the Capital of Culture year consists of leading figures from diverse cultural fields. Vision and experience will come from the sciences, music, theatre, architecture and other areas of culture. This prominent group will be led by the National Gallery's Director General, Risto Ruohonen.

- The working group’s task is important in that the achievements of the year should resonate far into the future.  I strongly believe that we will find ways to pass on the cultural heritage we will create, because collectively the working group possesses the expertise and vision to do so, states Ruohonen.

The Turku 2011 working group will start its tasks immediately and finish on December 1, 2011, when it submits its report to the Board of Directors of the Turku 2011 Foundation.

 A preliminary list of the continuation working group's members (pdf)

 An overview of Risto Ruohonen’s career (pdf)