2010

www.pecs2010.hu

PÉCS, JUNE 12, 2009

PRESS MATERIAL

PÉCS2010EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE

MAJOR EVENTS, FESTIVALS 6

FINE ARTS, EXHIBITIONS 12

CLASSICAL MUSIC PROGRAMS 18

FOLK AND POPULAR MUSIC PROGRAMS 24

THEATRE PROGRAMS 28

DANCE PROGRAMS 31

FILM PROGRAMS 35

LITERATURE PROGRAMS 36

CONFERENCES 38

THE CITY AND ITS CITIZENS PROGRAM SERIES 42

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS 45

MINORITY AND NATIONALITY PROGRAMS 55

4 PÉCS2010 EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE

A CITY WORTH VISITING

Pécs is a unique place by both Hungarian andinternational standards. When you walk around in thebeautiful downtown streets of this multi-coloured city ofa thousand faces, you are constantly greeted by the past,the gentle breeze of ancient times. It is no accident at allthat Pécs became one of the administrative centres of theprovince of Pannonia as early as by the end of the 3rd

century AC. The representatives of different culturesliving here in peaceful coexistence, or replacing oneanother, have bequeathed a significant, world-standardlegacy to the present age in the southernmost city of theHungarian Mediterranean region. The 4th century earlyChristian necropolis of the Sopianae of the Roman agewas included in the World Heritage list by the UNESCOWorld Heritage Committee in December 2000 at itsmeeting held in Cairns, Australia, so this extraordinarybuilding complex was ranked as a cultural treasure withuniversal historical value that is highly important for thehistory of mankind.

However, in addition to the traces of Roman culture, Pécsis also rich in remnants of Turkish culture. Tourists cantake a time journey and have a great time when visitingthe many museums of the city, among them theincomparably valuable Csontváry collection, the AmerigoTot Museum, the Cathedral, the Vasarely Museum or theZsolnay Museum.

The seat of Baranya County – which is rightly called thecity of Mediterranean moods owing to its bustlingatmosphere and lively public spaces – deserves theattention of visitors not only for its legends and past thatare linked to its buildings but also for its present. Itsepiscopacy is one thousand years old, and this is wherethe first Hungarian university was founded in 1367. In2007 Pécs finished in the third place in its category basedon the size of population when the results of theinternational competition “Liveable Cities and Towns”was announced at the award ceremony in London.

EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE IN 2010

13 November 2006 was a historic date in the life ofHungary: on this day the decision of the jury wasofficially announced and Pécs was given the right to bearthe title of the European Capital of Culture in 2010. Theannouncement was as much surprising and pleasing forthe residents of the city as it was justifiable, since the fivepillars of the application entitled Borderless City wasbased on the traditions of the two thousand year-old cityas well as on cultural innovation, regionalism andmulticulturalism. In addition, the authors of theapplication document attached great importance to therole of Pécs as a gateway. The city was defined as a gate tothe Balkans. The most important purpose of the ECoCprogram is to ensure that every city which bears thisprestigious title is placed in the focus of attention inEurope, targeting people that are sensitive to culture.

People who wish to have something new, an interestingand wonderful adventure should not wait until 2010,since as a result of working hard on program developmentthe city has been offering great events to its visitors foryears now – including the 2009 preparatory year; at thetime of festivals the city’s cultural institutions as well as itspublic spaces, streets and squares are all filled with anexciting and bustling atmosphere.

In 2010 the city will await its visitors and the local peoplewith 200 high-quality events in the field of visual arts,literature, film, theatre, dance and science. On every dayof the year the city will offer numerous opportunities forrecreation and education; the public spaces of the seat ofBaranya County will be the venues of unprecedented andonce-in-a-lifetime programs.

A round-the-clock attraction will open the year of 2010.The public spaces of Pécs will be home to carnivals andstage productions, various events accompanied bypainting by light and using interactive projectors atseveral locations in the city, and huge, spectacular shows.

In addition to the traditional and popular Spring Festival,Promenade Festival and Heritage Festival, next year Pécswill also be home to the Fringe Festival. Besides thecarefully selected programs of the parent festival, theorganizers will launch a parallel platform at the largestand most well-known art festival of the world: a series ofevents that will be open to any production, since one ofthe most important tasks of the Fringe is to get togetherand support less known performing artists by providingthem with the opportunity to perform.

PÉCS

HIGH-QUALITY AND WORLD-CLASSARTISTIC PROGRAMS

Just like the lovers of a festival atmosphere, theenthusiasts of the visual arts will also be able to findsomething to their liking in the 2010 series of programs.The grand exhibition entitled The Europe of “The Eight”will be held in Pécs from 18 October 2010 to 31 April2011.

“The Eight” was the first avant-garde artistic group inHungary that created its own special pictorial and graphicart concurrently with the most modern contemporaryEuropean trends. The exhibition to be opened in October2010 will be accompanied by a conference, a series ofconcerts, literary evenings and film shows.

WORLD STARS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC IN PÉCS

One of the basic pillars of the Pécs2010 ECoC programswas to make the two thousand year-old seat of BaranyaCounty the city of cultural tradition and innovation. Thesymphonic orchestra of Pécs, today called the PannonPhilharmonic, has been an important representative ofthe musical culture of South Transdanubia for 200 years.Year after year, the orchestra brings several famousrepresentatives of the Hungarian and internationalmusical life to Pécs and its region. It will be no different in2010 either; the audience interested in classical music willhave a chance to enjoy the performance of stars like theRobi Lakatos Ensemble; Andrea Meláth, Peter Mikulas,Maxim Vengerov (Russia), Péter Eötvös, Dezsô Ránki, orthe Liszt Ferenc Chamber Orchestra.

The distinguished partner city of Pécs is Szeged, whichwill be the venue of the Mezzo Opera Competition andFestival. One Hungarian and four foreign opera housesparticipated in the program of the Festival in thepreparatory years. Another opera production will also beinvited in 2010.

Of course a lot more could be said about the series ofprograms, since the diverse cultural events offered byPécs and the entire South Transdanubian region cansatisfy every age group and field of interest.

Let us meet in Pécs in 2010!

5PRESS MATERIAL

MAJOR EVENTS, FESTIVALS

OPENING CEREMONY OF THE ECoC YEARDate: 10 January 2010Venue: Public squares in PécsOrganizer: Hungarofest Nonprofit Ltd.

The ECoC year will officially open on the 10th of January2010 with 24 hours of ongoing attractions between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. (or even until 10 a.m. the nextmorning) in public spaces of the city of Pécs, includingcarnival and theatrical programs, interactive walls,projections at several different places in the city, paintingby light in the evening.The central message and the concept of the ECoCprogram will be formulated in the opening ceremonyprogram, in its visual presentation and content profile.A European tender is planned to be called for theorganisation of the opening ceremony.

THE DAY OF HUNGARIAN CULTUREDate: 22 January 2010Venue: National Theatre of PécsOrganizer: Hungarofest Nonprofit Ltd.

In 2010, Pécs, the European Capital of Culture, will hostthe Day of Hungarian Culture. The traditional formalaward ceremony will be held in the National Theatre ofPécs. Key program of the event: Beethoven: Triple Concertoperformed by the Pannon Philharmonic, Kossuth-prizewinner pianist Jenô Jandó, violinist Barnabás Kelemenand the young cello talent born in Pécs, István Várdai. Theconcert will be conducted by Zsolt Hamar, theinternationally acknowledged musical director of thePannon Philharmonic.

The related fringe programs will be spectacular andentertaining events that present the given branch of art(whose representatives will be rewarded at the eveningceremony) and they will also involve passers-by in theactions in an interactive way.Visitors will encounter different styles and genres ofmusic – changing hourly – during this whole dayprogram.

ECC 25 - LES RENCONTRES CONFERENCEDate: 2–7 March 2010Organizer: Hungarofest Nonprofit Ltd.

Essen, Istanbul and Pécs will all commemorate the 25th

anniversary of the European Capital of Culture program,possibly the most successful cultural program in thehistory of the European Union. The central part of thePécs ECoC program will be a conference co-organizedjointly with a French civil organization. “Les Rencontres”


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traditionally holds its general meetings and thematicconferences in the cities of the European Capital ofCulture. The organization’s philosophy includes definingprogressive cultural concepts and analyzing local andregional cultural phenomena that affect Europeanculture. The conference will be attended by members of theEuropean Parliament, cultural ministers and mayors ofEuropean Capitals of Culture, politicians, artists,scientists, and people representing the Europeanintellectual life. The main focus of the planned conference will beEuropean culture. The diversity of languages, ethnicgroups and religion is a historical experience in EasternEurope, which Western Europe is just beginning toexperience, due to the growing immigration. The analysisof the different historical and cultural traditions can helpEurope solve its current conflicts and work out its futurecultural concept. The “East-West” idea can give the Hungarian culturalgovernment a chance to establish the country’s long-termcultural policy. As far as Pécs is concerned, the conference can be adeterminative event that can have a positive impact onthe European reception of the entire season. Thepartnerships to be established throughout the conferencecan also further Pécs’s plans for European integration.

PÉCS SPRING FESTIVALDate: 15 March – 9 April 2010Venue: National Theatre of Pécs, Dominican House, CellaSeptichora, Basilica, Cathedral Museum of Stonework,Bartók Hall, University of Pécs Assembly Hall, MusicPark,Youth House, Third Theatre, Uránia CinemaOrganizer: Pécs Cultural Centre

This event is meant to be a celebration of classical andcontemporary arts. Its main endeavour is to represent thebest of the cultural and artistic values of the world, andwithin that, primarily the values of Europe and Hungary.The Festival will be rich in genres. Classical,contemporary, jazz and popular music, dance, literature,theatre and folk performances, chamber and choirconcerts, folk art exhibitions will all be represented in theprogram series of the Festival. Performers will be localamateur and professional bands and soloists, world-famous Hungarian artists and bands as well as renownedartists from all over the world.The International Jazz Weekend is traditionally anintegral part of the Pécs Spring Festival. For the first time,in 2012, the International Jazz Weekend will grow into athree-day event.Performers planned for 2010: Andrea Rost (HU),

Compania Antonio Marquez (ESP), Pat Metheny (USA)and the Balázs Elemér Group, Richard Bona (USA),Bobby McFerrin (USA), Mezzoforte (IS), Trilok Gurtu(India), Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company (USA),ContempoDanza (Mexico), Al Di Meola (USA)Further information: www.pecsitavaszifesztival.hu

FRANCOPHONE WEEKDate: 20–26 March 2010Venue: House of Arts and Literature and different cultural institutions of Pécs Organizer: Alliance Française in Pécs, Embassy of Switzerland, Embassy of Belgium, the Embassy of Canada, Hungarofest Nonprofit Ltd.

The Francophone Week in Pécs is traditionally held in theweek of March the 20th, since this date marks theFrancophone World Day. In 2010, this series of programswill celebrate its 18th anniversary. The programs,organised by the Alliance Française in Pécs, are open tothe city and the region, so the outcome is alwaysextremely colourful and diverse (educational, culturaland sport programs). Education is traditionally importantfor the Francophone Week, shown, among others, by atheatre festival in the French language for secondaryschool students that is attended by several hundredHungarian and foreign students, an internationalconference organised by the University of Pécs and by aculture and civilisation contest organised for elementaryand secondary school pupils. Other traditional programsof the Francophone Week include, the Francophone FilmNight, which is also to be held in 2010 and four concerts.These concerts will be complemented in the ECoC year byseveral other events that are likely to generate a lot ofinterest: such as, a pétanque competition, a gastronomyevening, a fashion show organised by the GalerieLafayettes Department Store and several street theatreperformances. The French Ilotopie Company will perform „ColourfulPeople” during the festival. Several other Francophonecountries will be involved in the planning of the programsin 2010. Among others, Belgian, Swiss and Canadianproductions will be performed during the FrancophoneWeek.

FRINGE FESTIVAL 2010Date: 2–4 April 2010Venue: Pécs – playgrounds in the city centreOrganizer: Hungarofest Nonprofit Ltd.

The Fringe Festival, the largest and most widely-knownarts festival in the world, was first held in 1947 as part ofthe Edinburgh International Festival. The Fringe has beenorganised for three years now in Hungary as part of the

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Budapest Spring Festival. The essence of the Fringe is thatin addition to the carefully selected programs of themother festival, the organizers open up a parallelplatform, a series of events where anybody can put on ashow as long as it can fill the available halls. One of its keytasks is to collect and support less-known performers byoffering them an opportunity to perform. The Festival ensures a stage and basic facilities, while anyother costs should be borne by the applicants. In order toensure that as many people as possible go to see theshows in this riot of events, the performers publicisethemselves out in the streets before and during theFestival, thereby creating the colourful, spectacular andvibrant atmosphere that is so characteristic of Fringefestivals. The success of former Fringe Festivals isdemonstrated by the fact that several of the 90 companiesthat annually appear in the Festival are approved aftertheir shows by a professional jury consisting of theatreand musical experts and festival directors and are laterinvited to other important festivals too.

PROMENADE FESTIVALDate: 12–21 June 2010Organizer: Pécs Cultural Centre

This is a traditional summer festival, one of the mostimportant series of events in the summer in the region.

Music programs: in addition to jazz and world musicconcerts on the centre stage performed by exemplaryperformers of Hungarian popular music, every yearseveral renowned foreign groups and young talentedbands from Pécs are invited to perform in the BarbakánCastle Pit; not to mention the events of the EuropeanContemporary and Impromptu Music Festival.

Dance events: the young group of choreographers anddancers of the “new generation” and traditionalist folkensembles, so characteristic of multinational Pécs, and somuch loved by audiences, will stage several danceproductions.

Visual arts: the students of the Faculty of Visual Arts andMusic of the University of Pécs will enrich the event byspecial outdoor exhibitions and appropriate installations.

Planned performers in 2010: World&Jazz, Béla SzakcsiLakatos, Attila László, the Tin-Tin Ensemble, Frenky Látóand his group, László Süle, Ballet Pécs.

Further information: www.setaterfesztival.hu

CIRCUS AND STREET THEATRE FESTIVALDate: July 2010Venue: Public spaces in PécsOrganizer: Hungarofest Nonprofit Ltd.

The idea of the Festival is based on the need to organiseoutdoor family programs that can arouse the interest of awide range of local people and visitors by their nature,scale and number and also to involve the man in the streetin the ‘buzz’ generated by the ECoC program. Whenworking out the concept, one of the key criteria was togive a more focused role to the genre represented bycircus and street theatre in the 2010 programs.

An important aspect of working out the concept of thisevent was to motivate both the local people and thetourists to discover the city and its features with the helpof the different artistic tools used by the artists invitedfrom Budapest and abroad who look at Pécs from anoutsider point of view. The street theatre performancesinclude some 3 or 4 major productions that will beprepared for or adapted specifically to the unique venuesof the city. A dozen of national artists will be invited tocreate projects which will establish new connections withthe man in the street and question the usual socialrelations, actions and urban codes of conduct.

The event will be accompanied by workshops andanalytical meetings. The main professional partner willbe the Marseille – ECoC 2013 Street Theatre Centre.Companies for collaboration may include: Bängditos (D),Sarruga Produccions (ES), Grupo Puja (ARG),StrangeFruits (AUS), Cyclops Project (Teatro Nucleo (I), TheatreUniversity of Târgu Mureş and Janus University Theatre).

Three to five big shows are planned to be performed byrepresentatives of the “New Circus”, a trend becomingincreasingly popular in Hungary, too. On the one hand,the planned performances include shows that can beperformed in the unique atmosphere of a circus tent.While on the other hand, amazing shows will beperformed by acrobats, jugglers and other circus artistsoutdoors.

The focus of the event will be the Hungarian premiere ofa production to be performed by the graduating studentsof the French Circus Academy (Le Centre National desArts du Cirque – Châlons en Champagne) directed byÁrpád Schilling. The partner in this context will be the Network of YoungEuropean Circus Talents. Planned partners include: Jörg Müller (D), Baro d’evel Cirk Compagnie (F), Cirque Ici (F).


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ICWIP (INTERNATIONAL CULTURE WEEK IN PÉCS)Date: 24–31 July 2010Venue: The historic centre of PécsOrganizer: SIEN Foundation

The International Culture Week in Pécs (ICWiP) is theonly thematic international youth festival of SouthernTransdanubia which also includes a high quality summeruniversity. During its thirteen-year long history, the Culture Weekhas grown from a forty-member regional meeting intoone of the most attractive thematic youth festivals ofCentral Europe and the Alps-Adriatic region. Its purpose and message has been the promotion of betterunderstanding and dialogue between cultures, andemphasises the importance of cooperation through youthinitiatives. The Foundation includes young, mostly volunteer expertsfrom Hungary and abroad who use their variedexperience and creativity to organize the ICWiP.Participants are assisted by local university students. The participants of the event, held in the last two weeksof July of each year, are students who come to Pécs toattend the summer university. Participants of ICWiP’s world music festival and openprograms are, apart from the young people registered forthe summer university, mostly representatives of civilorganizations, institutions, local citizens and visitors tothe Pécs and Southern Transdanubian region.

3RD ÖRDÖGKATLAN (DEVIL’S CANYON) GENERAL ART FESTIVALDate: 2–8 August 2010Venue: Nagyharsány, Kisharsány, Palkonya, SzársomlyóiOpen Air Sculpture Park, Vylyan Winery Organizer: Ördögkatlan Festival Association

After using Pula of the Kapolcs Valley of Arts as a venue,the Bárka Theatre has now found, together with severalinstitutions in Pécs and Barany County, a new port in theMediterranean region, in the “Ördögárok” (Devil’s Valley)between Villány and Nagyharsány. The ÖrdögkatlanFestival was established with the support of the EuropeanCapital of Culture project to provide a long-term home forartists in the region; making use of the natural andinfrastructural potentials of the wine area in the vicinityof Pécs.In 2010, the residents of the Valley will be welcome toattend high-quality programs of all artistic branches foran entire week, including, among others, artists andprograms invited from “sister capitals of culture” likeEssen, Istanbul and Tallinn. In addition, the Valley will

have its own productions specifically made for the Festivalor created on site in international co-production. Planned programs: First night performance of JánosHáy’s drama entitled “Nehéz” (Hard) – (János Háy is aHungarian contemporary author). There will also be aninternational visual art theatre production directed by theworld famous Dimitrij Krimov with the participation ofthe students of the Moscow School of Dramatic Arts andthe Faculty of Music and Visual Arts of the University ofPécs.

INTERNATIONAL ORIGAMI MEETINGDate: 9–15 August 2010Organizer: Origami Club of Pécs, Petôfi House of Culture

The international Origami Meeting, the most significantevent of this type of art, takes place in the second week ofAugust every year. Next year the event will celebrate its21st anniversary, to be organised between the 9th and the15th of August and co-ordinated by local origamiorganizations. The meeting usually attracts about 200participants, more than a third of them coming fromdifferent foreign countries. Planned programs of the Meeting: 1. International Origami Meeting,2. Restricted international and national origami

exhibitions in different venues,3. Flag exhibition,4. Giant folds in the city centre, where the man in the

street is welcome to join in.

This program can also liaise with the Eastern Folk Festivalheld in Egerág, a small village near Pécs.

INTERNATIONAL ADULT PUPPET FESTIVAL OF PÉCSDate: 23–28 August 2010Venue: Pécs: Tettye Outdoor Stage, National Theatre ofPécs, Bóbita Puppet Theatre, Korona TeátrumOrganizer: The International Puppet and Street TheatreFoundation of Pécs

The International Adult Puppet Festival of Pécs is aninternationally recognized local community initiative andis organized by Bóbita Puppet Theatre every 3 years. The Festival is made up of two main parts: one is acompetition, in which international and local amateurand professional puppeteers compete for major prizes infront of a jury; the second part of the program is made upof shows presented by renowned puppeteers and theatregroups. Invitation to the competition was made public, in

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Hungary and abroad, in March 2009. The program components of the competition and thecompetitors to be invited to the Festival will be selectedby Dr. Árpád Kékesi Kun, head of the Faculty of TheatreSciences of Pannon University.The jury of the festival will include the following persons:Henryk Jurkowsky (honorary chair of UNIMA) / StanislavDoubrava (director) / Tamás Ascher (director) / BalázsKovalik (director) / István Sándor L. (reviewer).

Special guests of the Festival will include: • Water puppet theatre from Vietnam (National Water

Puppet Theatre of Vietnam) • Bunraku presentation from Japan • Eric Bass and Company (USA)• The Meschugge – Ilka Schönbein – (Switzerland) • Le Bal des Fous (France)

One of the locations and the main attractions of theFestival will be a round theatre made of wood, rentedfrom Nyírbátor.

As an integral part of the Festival, famous local andinternational puppet producers will display their worksat the Bóbita Puppet Museum, the Small Gallery of Pécs,the House of Arts and Literature and the Parti Gallery.

MEDITERRANEAN FESTIVALDate: 1–5 September 2010Venue: Cella Septichora, West Castle Wall Promenade,Szent István SquareOrganizer: Pécs / Sopianae Heritage Nonprofit Ltd.

“The city of Mediterranean moods” is a popular slogan ofthe city of Pécs. The Mediterranean character does notmerely show itself in the number of hours of sunny days,in the characteristic flora and in the atmosphere of thestreets but also in the city’s cultural traditions. One of the main aims of the Capital of Culture programsis to urge future oriented initiatives which feed upontraditions. The Mediterranean Festival, to be organisedfor the first time in 2010, and born in the spirit of thecapital of culture, is based on the innovative approach ofthis tradition. The Festival will present its programs in the buildingswhich play a major role in the touristic attraction of Pécs.The ancient squares, their immediate vicinity and thegardens and public areas that can be used as venues ofthe programs, will house genres that mediate theMediterranean joy of life and revive the ideals of Antiquityand the Renaissance in an innovative way which takesinto consideration the idea of contemporary urbanisation. The modern Bacchus-Garden in the heart of Pécs will bebuilt within the framework of the Festival: the greenery,

the objects (fountain, stairs), the inner spaces of the CellaSeptichora of late Roman times will all be transformedinto organic scenery by young artists with the help oftextile-art, land-art and media-art. The night “garden”will then be transformed into a moving fresco painted bylight. This is the environment in which the contemporarygeneral art Festival, including visual arts, dance andmovement as well as literature and music, will take place.

HERITAGE FESTIVAL – PÉCS DAYSDate: 16–26 September 2010Venue: Outdoor venues in the historic city centre of Pécs(Promenade Square, Barbican castle pit), National Theatre of Pécs, and community locations in peripheral areasOrganizer: Pécs Cultural Centre

The “Heritage Festival”, or using its old and well knownname, the “Pécs Days”, is the oldest festival in the historyof the city since the political transition. The HeritageFestival is primarily a festive event of the city whichconquers the streets, squares and buildings of Pécs, fromthe city centre to the suburbs. It offers an opportunity forlocal talents and bands to perform, while it also deepensinternational relations and enriches the city’sintercultural character.

The Festival has several popular events that have a longhistory, such as the Veteran Automobile Meeting, theInternational Wind Music Gala, the programs of theMinority Days as well as visits to historic buildings,thematic tours and different programs on site in Pécs andits neighbourhood under the framework of the Day ofCultural Heritage.

Further information: www.oroksegfesztival.hu

1ST CULTURAL WORLD FESTIVAL OF HUNGARIANSDate: 26 September – 17 October 2010Venue: South Transdanubian region, Slovenia, Croatia,Serbia, RomaniaOrganizer: Cultural and Touristic Centre of BaranyaCounty, Foundation for Hungarians across the Border

Founding on the connections and experience of thealmost two-decade old Festival of Hungarians across theBorder, the Cultural World Festival of Hungarians willopen with a new festival focusing on the nationalities andminorities that determine the culture of the region andalso the Hungarians living in diaspora. The series ofprograms will give opportunities for the introduction ofHungarian creative and performing artists living across


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the border. It will also provide possibilities for therepresentatives, public and civilian personalities andcommunities of the various branches of science, attachingimportance to Hungarian identity. In the thematic programs of the Festival, great emphasiswill be laid on the Hungarian born creative andperforming artists in the world and on the outstandingartists of the minorities living across the border. Besidethe Hungarian culture, the Festival intends to give animportant role to the introduction of the culture andcontemporary arts of nationalities living in the region andacross the border in Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia andRomania and also, to the multicultural variety of theBalkan area. Among the theatre programs, one can find the guestperformances of Hungarian theatres and the introductionof ethnic non-professional theatre groups from across theborder. The musical programs will include concerts ofworld music and popular music to be held in Pécs, in theregion and in the Southern Cultural Belt. The plannedperformers include: Deep Forest, Márta Sebestyén, FélixLajkó, Bajramovic (Serbia), Electric Bazar (France),Balkan Strings, Igor Papasov Quartet (Bulgaria),Tündérground (Romania), Nomada, Uzgin Üver, Borago,Csík Ensemble, Makám, Tükrös Ensemble, MehariGaroba Ensemble. Jazz and blues evenings of performersfrom across the border will take place in the Garden ofCultures. Students of the Faculty of Fine Arts of theUniversity of Pécs will represent the contemporary visualarts with artistic happenings. Gastronomic events willoffer a better taste of the culture of the region. A meetingof cultural ambassadors in Hungary will also be amongthe programs of the Festival.

CLOSING CEREMONYDate: December 2010 Venue: Public areas of Pécs

27-30 December 2010 – final party of European Capitalof Culture event series held in public areas, virtual spaces,visual presence in the city – with installations, flags andbanners.New Year 2010/11 - full day of open-air events in publicareas of Pécs, TV/online broadcast in Hungary and/or inEurope and/or online link; handover of the “torch” to thenext European Capital of Culture.A tender is planned to be called for the organisation of theclosing ceremony.

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FINE ARTS, EXHIBITIONS

HUNGARIANS IN BAUHAUSDate: 15 August – 15 October 2010, Pécs; 15 November2010 – 15 February 2011, BerlinVenue: Directorate of the Museums of Baranya County(Káptalan St. 4), The House of Arts and Literature and theSmall Gallery in Pécs, the Bauhaus Archive and theCollegium Hungaricum in BerlinOrganizer: Directorate of the Museums of BaranyaCountyThe careers of the so-called Bauhäuslers of Pécs testify tothe multicultural and inter-ethnic image of the region andrepresent uniquely that the town and its surroundings atone time belonged – thanks to this group – to theforefront of modern art and architecture. This eraincludes the Bauhäuslers of Pécs and the members of thePécs Artists’ Circle – who can be regarded as theirforerunners – and other artists of this early era ofHungarian activism. It also includes the art of mastersand workshop leaders who played an important part inthe training of Hungarian artists. For example, thefollowing artists are represented in the exhibition: theartists of Pécs (Marcell Breuer, Ernô Forbát, Hugó Johan,Farkas Molnár, Henrik Stefán, Andor Weininger, EtelFodor) and other Hungarians active in the Bauhaus era(Sándor Bortnyik, László Moholy-Nagy, Gyula Pap, JuditKárász, Irén Blüh, Otti Berger), and other Bauhaus giantsof the arts of the 20th century (Josef Albers, WalterGropius, Johannes Itten, Vaszilij Kandinsky, Paul Klee,Oskar Schlemmer, Theo van Doesburg) and members ofthe international students’ group that joined KURI (PeterKeler, Walter Peterhans, Semmis Rustem, Kurt Schmidt,István Sebôk, Georg Teltscher, Otto Umbehr).The material of the exhibition is made up of outstandingexamples of artistic work, paintings, graphics, sculptures,and architectural designs, maquettes, photos, furniture,stage and costume designs, printed works, photos andtexts and films.Events organized in connection with the exhibitioninclude: family days and children’s programs with theparticipation of museum educators; guided city tours tovisit works and workshops of local Bauhäuslers and theirfollowers; revival of the Bauhaus celebrations that onceattracted large crowds: Drachenfest – Dragonfest;Laternenfest – Lamp Festival; Costume Bauhaus ball;Bauhaus theatre and puppet theatre re-constructions;online presentations of local Bauhaus memorabilia andheritage (starting in 2009) and, on the basis of these, theproduction of a film.Publications related to the exhibition: scientific,representative “catalogue raisonnée”, which synthesisesknowledge related to the topic and publishes the latestresearch in several languages.


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THE EUROPE OF “THE EIGHT” Date: 13 November 2010 – 31 March 2011Venue: Showroom of the Directorate of the Museums ofBaranya County (Papnövelde Street) Organizer: Directorate of the Museums of BaranyaCounty (Curators: Dr. Krisztina Passuth, Gergely Barki,Péter Molnos, Zoltán Rockenbauer, Attila Rum– all ofthem are art historians)

“The Eight” were the first avant-garde artistic group inHungary, which created its own art form in painting andgraphics between 1905 and 1915, concurrently with themajor European avant-garde movement. The members ofthe group (Róbert Berény, Dezsô Czigány, Béla Czóbel,Károly Kernstok, Ödön Márffy, Dezsô Orbán, BertalanPór, Lajos Tihanyi) opened a new era in Hungarian art. In1911, two excellent Hungarian sculptors, Vilmos FémesBeck and Márk Vedres joined the group and also, a well-known writer and embroiderer of the era, Anna Lesznai.“The Eight” were introduced to the public at three showsin Budapest: 30th December 1909; in April 1911 and at theend of 1912. All three exhibitions were huge successes,unparalleled to this day. The 2010 exhibition in Pécs triesto recreate the three exhibitions and display as many ofthe works from the original exhibitions as possible. About200 to 250 original works by “The Eight” (paintings,graphics, sculpture, embroidery, frescos, and mosaics)will be on display. Existing documents, including bothphotographs and descriptions of works that have beenlost, will augment the works on display. This collectionwill be accompanied by European works of the majorpredecessor of the Eight, Cézanne, and alsocontemporary analogies (Matisse, Picasso, Derain,Vlaminck, Duffy, Kokoschka, Kirchner, Pechstein,Bohumil Kubista, et cetera).Events related to the exhibition: a concert series toreconstruct the concerts played at the original exhibitionsby the Eight, from the works of Bartók, Weiner andKodály (with the addition of Bartók’s MiraculousMandarin); and literary evenings, which will recreate intheatrical format, the performances by Ady, Lesznai andother authors belonging to the periodical called Nyugat(West). Archive news and film footage from the era and aconference on the legacy of the Eight will complete theprogram.A three hundred page catalogue will be published inEnglish and Hungarian, as well as a facsimile edition ofthe catalogue of the Eight published at the time. Also, aCD will be created with additional material; materialwhich would be too extensive for the printed catalogue.As a result of the greater than expected success of theexhibition tour “Fauves hongrois”, currently in progressin France, there is a chance to present the exhibition of

the Eight to audiences in France: (primarily in Paris) andother European countries (Belgium, Germany, Austria,Estonia), and in the USA, on which negotiations arealready in progress.

„MEETING POINT 2” INTERNATIONAL BIENNIAL OF FINE ARTSDate: 15 January – 14 February 2010Venue: Arad (Romania) and the Art Gallery and VisualArts Workshop of PécsOrganizer: Pécs Gallery and Visual Arts Workshop

In accordance with the dialogue between the culturalleaders of the two cities as well as the agreementconcluded by the sister cities, „MEETING POINT 2”INTERNATIONAL BIENNIAL OF FINE ARTS OF ARADwill be organised in cooperation with the Romanianpartner organizations, the Pécs Gallery and the VisualArts Workshop. The towns of Osijek and Pilsen, affiliated with the PécsGallery and the city itself, have also joined the initiative.This will help the program to become a real Central-European project with three EU member states involvedand one from outside the community. The Austrian cityof Pöchlarn also joined the program. Pöchlarn is famousnot only for the Kokoschka Documentation, but it is theseat of an important symposium of contemporary art,Atelier An Der Donau. The declared objective of the biennial is to preserve thelanguage and forms of expression of traditional graphicart, painting and sculpture. This is the goal that thisexhibition, first organised in Arad under the title “Therole of traditional/conventional art in contemporary art”,is meant to accomplish.

NIGHT OF MUSEUMSDate: 26 June 2010Venue: Csontváry Museum, Zsolnay Museum, SchaárErzsébet “Street”, the Archaeological Museum, CityHistory Museum, Natural Science Museum,Ethnographic Museum, Kanizsai Dorottya MuseumOrganizer: Janus Pannonius Museum, Pécs

Since 2003, “The Night of Museums” has been organisedby the Ministry of Education and Culture on the weekendclosest to Midsummer Night. In 2008, already onehundred and eighty five museums in the capital and thecountry participated in the program, which awaited thealmost two hundred and fifty thousand visitors with allnight long opening hours, special guided tours andprograms. The special feature of the Night of theMuseums is that by buying one ticket you can visit all theexhibiting locations participating in the program.

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The Natural Science Museum, the ArchaeologicalMuseum, the City History Museum and the ZsolnayMuseum, belonging to this umbrella institution, JanusPannonius Museum, will organise special visits tostorerooms, restoration studios and gardens, which areotherwise closed off from the public. These visits will takeplace with the guidance of invited professionals.

FORCE OF COLOURS – CHANGE IN SCALE 5 EXHIBITION OF PAINTINGS LARGER THAN PANEL PICTURESAND THE CREATION AND DISPLAY OF COLOURED SPATIALWORKS /COURSE AND EXHIBITION 2010Date: 8 June – 6 July 2010Venue: workshops of the Zsolnay FactoryOrganizer: University of Pécs, Faculty of Visual Arts andMusic, DLA degree program

The DLA degree program in visual art, accredited in 1995by the University of Pécs, provides an opportunity foroutstandingly talented young artists to purse their studiesat a higher level after completing their graduate studiesand to demonstrate their autonomous creative abilities. The venue of the “Force of Colours – Change in Scale”project is an industrial site, one of the currently emptyworkshops of the Zsolnay Cultural Quarter which will beused as a venue for workshops and exhibitions. There isno other site in Pécs where painting larger than a panelpicture could be made, so this project is not only a uniqueopportunity but also results in a change in attitude on thepart of the participating artists.Artists will be working under the leadership of consultantprofessors. The consultant professors will all make effortsto ensure that the young artists can learn how to use thedifferent materials, tools and methods; so they canbecome autonomous artists with high-level professionalexpertise. The first “Force of Colours” course, held in2007 with great success, demonstrated that the work ofthe Master School of Visual Arts at the University of Pécsis not only of regional importance, but also, that its resultscan also be measured by European standards. The worksof students, sculptors and painters bore witness to anextremely original way of seeing things and, at the sametime, clearly demonstrated the power of painting andcolours in shaping spaces.

JEUNE CRÉATION EUROPÉENNE YOUNG EUROPEAN ARTISTSDate: 8 September – 15 October 2010Venue: Zsolnay Factory, PécsOrganizer: Ferenc Martyn Free School of Arts

Jeune Création Européenne is a travelling exhibition, heldevery two years, visiting nine cities of Europe. About tenartists display their works from each participating

country. This is an original project since the participatingcountries display the works of young artists, notbelonging to any gallery, to an international audience.The exposure of these artists to an international audienceis beneficial to both the artists and their countries.Partner countries of the JCE include: France, Spain, Italy,Austria, Portugal and Lithuania. New participatingcountries include: Hungary, Estonia, Slovakia and Latvia.

Altogether two hundred and thirty works have beensubmitted for the proposal “Young Contemporary Views”,published by the Municipal Government of Pécs and thePécs 2010 Management Centre (sponsored by the MartynFerenc Free Art Education Foundation, the HungarianInstitute in Paris and the Jeune Création Européenne). Ofthese, the curator has selected thirty nine works, whichwill be on display between the 9th and 31st of May 2009.On the opening day, an independent six-member jury willselect the ten best works, which will represent Hungary atthe Jeune Création Européenne - Biennale Itineranted’Art Contemporain exhibition to be opened on the 25th

of September 2009 in Paris. This international exhibitionwill visit all the partner cities in two years and will attracttens of thousands of visitors. As one of the stopovers ofthis tour, Pécs will host the exhibition between the 8th ofSeptember and the 15th of October 2010. An English language catalogue will be prepared toaccompany the international exhibition tour and willpresent the artists and also the concepts of the curatorsfrom the various countries. The catalogue, to bepublished for the opening in Montrouge, will be used bythe other countries throughout the tour.

ARTS IN DIFFERENCEDate: 17-19 September 2010Venue: Museum of Local History, PécsPartners of the project: Janus Pannonius Museum(Pécs), Art en Marge (Belgium), Outsider Research andDistribution Centre of Arts (Brussels), Vzw Wit.h –Community Art Creative Centre (Western Flandria,Harelbeke), Stichting Zuidkunst – IndependentPlatform of Mentally Retarded Dutch Artists

In the spring of 2008, two Belgian and a Dutchartist/therapist groups contacted the Janus PannoniusMuseum in Pécs with the hope of establishing apartnership. Both groups deal with mentally impairedpeople. Rather than teaching some mechanical job tosimply while away time, which is quite common practicein the case of employing disabled people, the essence oftheir specialist work is to provide several years of trainingfor persons of disability under the leadership of artistsfrom various branches of art and to establish and develop,under proper guidance, an increased awareness of


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various artistic positions and employment. They haveattained very good results. People with Down syndrome,autism and patients of other mental disabilities becomecapable of producing works of art in the framework of fiveyears of training and employment; they become equippedwith an autonomous artistic awareness.

Planned programs: one-week workshop with thecooperation of Hungarian, Belgian and Dutch colleagues,a conference on the comparison of the results achieved sofar and the methods used, an exhibition presenting theworks of contemporary art of developmental disabilityartists trained in accordance with the Belgian-Dutchmethods and the works of psychiatric patients who havenot received such training and treatment. The pieces fromBelgium and Netherlands will be complemented by thesignificant collection of the Psychiatric Clinic of Pécs.

PUBLIC ART & SENSORY LABYRINTH THEATRE – PÉCSDate: throughout the year (lectures, exhibition inSeptember) Venue: Szent István Square, Civil Communities House,inner yards of Sopianae Heritage Nonprofit Ltd, BarbakánCastle Pit, Amusement Park, gardens and open areas closeto Káptalan Street, Bishopric and World Heritage sites Organizer: Baranyai Alkotótelepek Nonprofit Ltd.

As part of a symposium, the program creates public art byinviting international participants to downtown Pécs. Thiswill bring contemporary European art to the EuropeanCapital of Culture. The event builds on the cooperation of professional artistsof thirteen countries (Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina,Serbia, Macedonia, Albania, Italy, Hungary, Bulgaria,Austria, Great Britain, Portugal, Romania, and France).In the preliminary phase of the work, the participatingteams will get to know the cultural characteristics andcurrent trends of the other countries in workshops heldin their own countries. The basis of the project to be realized is a labyrinth of thesenses: real labyrinths will be built in dark inner spacesor natural environments. The labyrinths are created byartists and architects, as a result of which, art work willbe created but occasionally, they will also serve asbackdrops to theatre performance after dark. In the labyrinths one wonders alone along the paths. Atthe “sensory gates”, located along the route, visitors willmeet various characters, where they become activeparticipants and all their senses will become mobilized.The “Sensory gates” will be designed and created byartists selected through open international tender. As part of an international symposium, art, music andvideo installations, as well as mobile elements of the

labyrinth will be created. These elements are planned tobe displayed in Essen and Istanbul, where they will beadapted, with the involvement of the participating artists,into local versions of the labyrinths.

“PORCELAIN–PÉCS–ZSOLNAY” CONTEMPORARY DESIGN AT THE ZSOLNAY FACTORY PORCELAIN AND CERAMIC ART SYMPOSIUM AND EXHIBITIONDate: throughout the year Venue: Zsolnay FactoryOrganizer: Zsolnay Heritage Management Nonprofit Ltd..

The Zsolnay Factory has played a significant role inCentral Europe during the past one hundred and fiftyyears. The products of the Zsolnay Factory have alwaysbeen contemporary: porcelain products have always beendesigned by renowned contemporary artists. The ceramicsymposium aims to strengthen this trend and once againinvolve famous artists and young designers to producenew innovative product lines based on the Zsolnay’stechnology. In the first year of the program, in 2008, ten Hungarianartists (including living legends as Ilona Keserü, SándorPinczehelyi and Imre Schrammel and also young,successful designers, for example, Zsolt Czakó) expressedthe artistic possibilities inherent in Zsolnay porcelain. Theyear 2009 focuses on an international ceramic andporcelain research program, workshops and also asymposium. At the 2009 symposium, legendaryHungarian and European artists and young talents worktogether to develop new products for ZsolnayPorcelánmanufaktúra Zrt. 2010 has two main goals.Firstly, the symposium will be attended by the mostsuccessful artists of the past two years, based on themessimilar to previous years. The project will aim at presentachievements as well. Secondly, an exhibition will beorganized from the artistic achievements of the past threeyears, which will be one of the highlights of the ZsolnayCultural District.

CENTER FOR YOUNG ART AND DESIGNDate: 2010 all year roundVenue: Studios: Villa Sikorszky (Zsolnay CulturalQuarter), Exhibitions: Pécs City Gallery, Hattyú Ház GalleryOrganizer: Approach Arts Association

The Centre for Young Art and Design is an internationalfine arts resident program that builds on the capacity ofthe Zsolnay Cultural Quarter to be built within the frameof the European Capital of Culture program. The residentprogram will join the international network – initiated in

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Istanbul – to be set up as part of the 2010 EuropeanCapital of Culture program. In East Central Europe, andwith that, in Hungary, this kind of artistic institutionalsystem has no significant presence – there are onlypossibilities for workshops and seasonal creativeactivities. The Pécs resident program in this form is notonly capable of integrating the international SouthernCultural Belt formulated as one of the major activity areasof ECoC but also integrating a wider international activityspace.The resident program is supervised by a board of curatorsdelegated from the standard artistic associations of thecity, which ensures a professional consensus andconceptual cooperation.In this framework, the residents arriving from differentparts of the world can work in studio houses whichprovide studios and apartment living space. The primaryaim of the studio program – beside creative work andinspiration – is to provide possibilities for introduction,making connections and building a carrier for the artistsand the curators. Beside this, special emphasis is laid inthe program on the facilitation of internationalintegration. Since the extended stay will giveopportunities for forming more intensive contact systems,this will be functional in the long run. Along with this, theartistic life of the host city can be continuously present inthe international artistic circulation with the help of thevisiting residents.The aim of the program in 2010 is the continuousoperation of four resident studios, where foreign artistswill work for one to three months (four to six artists perquarter year).Another aim is to create a scholarship system for Pécsartists, who will be able to participate in foreign residentprograms.Exhibitions of the works of artists organised every threemonths in the Pécs City Gallery and Hattyú Ház Gallerywill form part of the program. The upshot of the residentprogram is the formation of a solid international cultural-artistic system of connections as well as the creation of aninternational collection of the works of art resulting fromthe program.

MOBILE FOLDING SCREEN A SERIES OF MOBILE INSTALLATIONS AND EXHIBITIONSDate: June – December 2010Venue: Public spaces in the historic centre of PécsOrganizer: South Transdanubian Tourism and EconomicDevelopment Nonprofit Ltd.

The Mobile Folding Screen Exhibition series is a localcivilian initiative whose concept was conceived byindependent photographers from Pécs. The goal of the project is to enable the photographers of

the 2010 ECoC cities (Pécs, Essen – Ruhr Region andIstanbul) to present the culture of the three cities, thethree countries and the Balkans through their works. The photos will be presented on a total of sixteen largefolding screens with internal lighting. The screens aresuitable for both indoor and outdoor events and can beassembled and disassembled easily in the public spacesof the historic centre of Pécs. They will be illuminated atnight and will present the following topics:artistic photographs of Pécs (as for themes, priority willbe given to Pécs, South Transdanubia, Istanbul, Essen[Ruhr Region] and the Balkans)

• images of Pécs and portraiture• reproductive photo exhibition with a selection from the

works of contemporary artists from Pécs• documentary photos of the Pécs European Capital of

Culture programs in December 2010.

EXHIBITIONS AND MONOGRAPHS OF VISUAL ARTISTS FROM PÉCSOrganizer: Pécs Gallery and the Visual Arts Workshop

In the field of visual arts, Pécs is the most valuablecultural centre in the region. Under this project, reputed art historians will process andpresent the works of five artists – Ilona Keserü, IstvánBencsik, István Gellért B., Ferenc Lantos and SándorPinczehelyi – using methods of scientific research andincluding works discovered abroad and in Hungary, usingworks from private and institutional collections or worksin private ownership.

Curators of the program:FERENC LANTOS – Katalin KeserüISTVÁN GELLÉR B. – István HajduISTVÁN BENCSIK – József KészmanSÁNDOR PINCZEHELYI – Márta KovalovszkyILONA KESERÜ – Katalin Aknai

• There is a comprehensive monograph already availableon Ferenc Lantos. On the occasion of his 80th birthdayhis works were displayed in four different venues. In2010 the exhibition will be organized in one of Pécs’spartner cities. A catalogue of academic standard will bepublished for the exhibition with the support of theEuropean Capital of Culture program.

• István Gellér B. created his own mythology with hiswork entitled the Growing City. His works will beexhibited in 2010 in Pécs and a monograph willhighlight his accomplishments.

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• István Bencsik last had an independent exhibition inPécs in 1994, held in the Parti Gallery. He will becelebrating his 80th birthday in 2010, so an exhibitionpresenting his entire oeuvre will be organized, and amonograph will give a full introduction to his work.

• Sándor Pinczehelyi’s professional life is extremelycomplex and reflects a wide range of artistic activities;he is a graphic artist, a member of the avant-gardegroup known as the Pécs Workshop, a painter and theorganiser of artistic events. In 2010 a comprehensivemonograph will be published on him.

• Ilona Keserü is a significant member of the neo-avantgarde generation of artists that started theircareer in the mid-sixties. In 2008-2009 her life-workwas presented in a grand exhibition in Debrecen,accompanied by an impressive catalogue which will bepublished in several different languages in 2010.

’PLASTICON’SHAPING PUBLIC SPACES AND AUTONOMOUS ART: SCULPTURAL TRANSFORMATION OF PUBLIC SPACES

Date: continuous in the course of 2010Venue: public squares and parks of PécsOrganizer: Zsolnay Heritage Management Nonprofit Ltd.

The renewal of the built heritage of the city with the helpof autonomous forms of art was repeatedly brought up asa topic of significant importance even during thepreparation phase of the Pécs2010 European Capital ofCulture program. Two of such projects are the Renewalof Public Squares And Parks and the Public Art-project(2008, 2009) carried out with the support of the Ministryof Education and Culture as well as the Faculty of Visualand Applied Arts. The works of art in question are pieces which have thepower to redefine the meaning of the spaces in whichthey are exhibited. These works of art are no longerpresented simply in their traditional artistic context, andare suitable to fill the entire space with cultural content,providing new focal points in the free spaces bounded bybuildings.


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CLASSICAL MUSIC PROGRAMS

BARTÓK-KODÁLY WORKSHOP WITH PÉCS CHOIRS Date: 8–11 April 2010Venue: Dominican House, House of Civil Communities inPécs, Palatinus Hotel - Bartók Béla Banquet HallOrganizer: Pécs Cultural Centre

The series of programs was launched in 2007 to organisea workshop on the basis of the oeuvre of Zoltán Kodály,the world-famous music educator. One interestingspeciality of this program is that the participantsrepresent a wide range of musicians, both in terms of theirage and their origin. On the first two days of the three-day conductorworkshop, applicants will have a chance to get to knowthe choirs. By rehearsing with the choir, the conductors incharge of the different choir sections will share theirknowledge with the participants. On the third day, as aconclusion to the entire program, the participants willpresent their work in an open gala concert to theaudience. It is an important goal of the project to giveyoung conductors who are just starting their careers andalso students, an opportunity to perform. The participating conductors will rehearse the choralworks of Kodály, Bartók, Liszt and Erkel with four choirsfrom Pécs that have a long history in Pécs. Theparticipating choirs from Pécs include the female choir ofthe Kodály Zoltán Secondary Grammar School, theBartók Béla male choir of Pannon Volán Zrt, the PécsChamber Choir and the mixed choir of the Nagy LajosSecondary Grammar School of the Cistercian Order. Thefour choirs represent the four choir types that can beencountered in choir literature. The artistic director of theprogram: Dr. Tamás Lakner, Liszt Prize-winner conductor.Other workshop leaders: Aurél Tillai and Attila KertészLiszt Prize-winner conductors, and Ernô Nagy, conductor.In 2010, the local choirs will be joined by the AntonBruckner Privatuniversität Choir too, representing the2009 European Capital of Culture, Linz (conductor: prof.Kurt Dluhy) Further information: www.pecsikult.hu

ESSEN–PÉCS WIND MUSIC PROJECTDate: 1–14 July 2010Organizer: Pécs Arts Grammar and Vocational School

The Wind Orchestra of the Pécs Arts Grammar andVocational School and the Schönebecker Jugend-Blasorchester in Essen initiated cooperation in 2007 inthe spirit of the partnership of the European Capital ofCulture program. During the wind music project, youngHungarian and German musicians and their teachers

have taken part in joint workshop activities in Pécs andthe Ruhr region. They presented the results of theircommon activities at concerts in the preceding years.Beside concerts in Hungary and Germany, theyperformed in Linz, the 2009 European Capital of Culture.This common work will continue in 2010: the ensembleconsisting of young musicians will perform again inGermany and Hungary and the musical material of theproject will be published on a CD, which will representthe youth wind orchestral culture of Pécs and Essen.

HUNGARIAN WIND MUSIC GRAND PRIZEINTERNATIONAL MUSIC COMPETITION AND FESTIVALDate: 1–14 July 2010

Concert wind music is regarded today as an independentart form capable of satisfying the highest aestheticrequirements. Today, the genre is performed in the mostrespected concert halls of the world. Although windmusic has a rich tradition in Hungary, the number ofensembles playing high-quality concert wind music isrelatively small; though this number is growing. Pécs andits surroundings hold an important place within this richtradition and therefore, serve as an ideal location to hostthis highly-regarded international event.The Hungarian Wind Music Grand Prize, which isplanned to be an international music competition heldannually in the concert wind music genre, will be held forthe first time in 2010, as part of the Pécs - EuropeanCapital of Culture event series. The concert series aims tobecome one of the ten most respected wind music eventsworldwide. Competitions between the 1st and 14th of July 2010 will beheld in nine categories. Separate categories will belaunched for ensembles ranging from youth toprofessional groups. Individual concerts, not part of thecompetition, will also be part of the event series. Highstandards will be ensured by an excellent, independentjury. Fringe programs under the title “Pécs welcomesEurope – Europe welcomes Pécs” will also be held in andaround Pécs in the form of open-air concerts with theparticipation of international and Hungarian ensembles.

INTERNATIONAL YOUTH CHOIR WORKSHOPDate: 10–15 August 2010Organizer: Hani Foundation

Closely related to the Pécs2010 European Capital ofCulture program, the following four youth choirs willparticipate in an international choir workshop:Magnificat Mixed Choir (Japan), Tennessee HighlandYouth Ensemble (USA), a Choir of Cluj (Romania), to behosted by the Mixed Choir of the Reformed Catholic

Secondary School of Pécs. An international team ofconductors will be leading the daily rehearsals. From thethird day of the choir week the choirs will begin to maketheir debut with their own repertoire, and will also give ajoint concert every day. In the meantime the guest choirswill have the opportunity to get acquainted with thecultural heritage of Pécs, the entire South Transdanubianregion and Croatia. This kind of interculturalcommunication will provide an opportunity of jointcreative artistic and cultural experience for the 16-25year-old age groups.

PÉCS CANTATDate: 15–22 August 2010Venue: Concert hall in Pécs, Basilica, Palatinus HotelBartók Hall, public spaces: Dóm Square, Jókai Square,Theatre Square, Baranya County: churches and concerthalls in Siklós, Szigetvár, Villány, Komló, Mohács, SásdOrganizer: Pécs Cultural Centre

Pécs has been a “choir superpower” for decades now. Itwas the first East-Central European city that hosted theEuropa Cantat behind the iron curtain. The excellentchoirs in Pécs and the professional work of theirconductors are well-known all over Europe. The goal ofthe Pécs Cantat is to present the values of culture throughthe works of Kodály and Bartók. The event wasrecognised by the Europa Cantat as an official programin February 2009, thereby launching a new series ofprograms that can be related to the European Capitals ofCulture. The workshops and the choir festival under thePécs Cantat will provide a unique opportunity for choralsingers, conductors, music educators and internationalexperts of the European region to meet and exchangeexperiences. In addition to the workshop activities, theparticipants will present the choral music of their ownnations in concerts and will also perform together. Theprograms will be further enriched by free, joint singingsessions.The nearly one thousand participants will be working insix different workshops during the one-week event.“Kodály” workshop: Kodály: Budavári Te Deum, with theparticipation of the Pannon Philharmonic, conducted by:Prof. Aurél Tillai, Liszt Prize-winner conductor,(participants of the mixed choir workshop: choirs,individual participants, small groups made up of choirmembers) “Travelling around wine” workshop: János Vajda: Januskupája (Janus’s cup), first night performance of thedrinking cantata and other European wine songs.Conducted by: Dr. Tamás Lakner, Liszt Prize-winnerconductor, Vlado Sunko (Croatia) (for male choirs)“Béla Bartók’s world” workshop: Bartók: “In the village”

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and other works for male or female choirs, conducted by:Attila Kertész, Liszt Prize-winner conductor (for femalechoirs)“Angels’ song” workshop: Hungarian and Europeanchurch music for child’s voice. Kodály and Bartókchildren’s choir, conducted by: Ferenc Tóth, Liszt Prize-winner conductor (for children’s choirs)“Horatii Carmen” workshop: Bartók’s and Kodály’s choralworks that can be performed by youth choirs. E.g. Bartók:Four Slovakian Folk Songs, Kodály: Tribute to János,Cohors Generosa, Horatii Carmen. Conducted by: ErnôNagy, Dr. Szabolcs Szabó, Péter Hoppál (workshop foryoung singers of 14 to 25 years old, mixed choirs)“Swing and sweet” workshop: Jazz-Romantic medley, aunique combination of love and humour. Conducted by:Robert Sund (Sweden)

The program will be based on open application.Applicants are expected from ECoC cities, partner cities,sister cities and various European and national choirs.Numerous choirs that have performed at former festivalswith great success in Pécs will also attend this grandevent. The representative gala concerts will be a greatattraction for people living in Pécs and the region; forthose who love choral music and for visitors coming toPécs alike. www.pecscantat.hu

IMPROVISATIO – CREATIO INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM IN MEMORIAM FERENC LISZTDate: 6–12 September 2010Organizer: Faculty of Visual Arts and Music of theUniversity of Pécs, Co-producer: KLASSZ Music Agency

In 2010, Pécs, the European Capital of Culture will behome to a special musical event for the first time. TheFaculty of Music and Visual Arts of the University of Pécswill organize the International Symposium “Improvisatio– Creatio” between the 6th and 12th of September incooperation with the Hungarofest Klassz Music Office.This event serves as the continuation of the internationalpiano competitions held in memory of Ferenc Liszt in2005 and 2007. The six-day event includes master courses for musicschool piano, organ and jazz (piano) students interestedin improvisation at the beginner, intermediate andadvanced level, as well as for musicians, teachers, andperformers. It will also feature a two-roundImprovisation Competition in classical piano and organas well as various jazz styles. Presentations, shows andmeetings by experts in artistic training will also beincluded. This is one of the main events in the EuropeanCapital of Culture programs schedule and is of

international significance. It will attract visitors from allcorners of the world and is a major cultural project bothlocally and on a national level.Participants and professors of the master courses duringthe symposium will give improvisational concerts as partof the program.Concert by Thierry Escaich (organ)Jazz improvisational concert by Károly Binder and JoeyCalderazzoImprovisational concert by István Lantos (piano)Concert by the teachers and students of the MartynFerenc Art Grammar School of PécsClosing concerts of the most successful participants of themaster coursesGala concert of the winners of the competitionsDuring the symposium, an exhibition by Dr. FerencLantos, holder of the Munkácsy Prize and an Artist ofDistinction will be on display at the House of Arts andLiterature.

4TH WORLD CONVIVIAL WINE SONG FESTIVALDate: 24–26 September 2010Venue: Pécs, settlements of the Villány-Siklós Wine RoadOrganizer: Male Choir Foundation of Pécs

Since 1993, Pécs has been organising Europe’s onlyfestival exclusively advertised for male choirs and malevocal ensembles, which has now grown into a programwith an international reputation. In the past fifteen years, four thousand singers from thirtyeight countries have attended the festivals, contributingto the value of the city by enriching the culture of chorussinging and wine making and consumption. The WineSong World Festival is a significant touristic attraction,drawing six to eight thousand visitors to the city and theregion each year. The Festival is popular throughoutEurope and is hosted by the Béla Bartók Male Choir ofPannon Volán Zrt. Besides the festive gala to be held inthe theatre, the choirs will perform in wine cellars as wellas in several outdoor venues. The choirs have a total of200 singers combined, and this united male choir willsing masterpieces of the Hungarian and the internationalwine song repertoire. www.winesongfestival.hu

UMZE – MUSIKFABRIK NRW PROJECT CONTEMPORARY MUSIC WEEKEND IN PÉCSDate: Autumn 2010Venue: University of Pécs Assembly Hall, National Theatre of PécsOrganizer: Hungarofest Nonprofit Ltd, KLASSZ Music Agency


The New Hungarian Music Association (UMZE) wasformed in 1911 by Bartók, Kodály and Leó Weiner.Among the founders of UMZE, major composers andperformers of Hungarian music can be found, amongothers, György Ligeti , György Kurtág , András Szôllôsy, Péter Eötvös , Zoltán Jeney , Ferenc Rados , LászlóDobszay and Miklós Perényi . The UMZE ChamberOrchestra has been Hungary’s leading chamberorchestra since 1997 playing contemporary music. InGermany, Musikfabrik NRW is one of the mostsignificant and best formations that play contemporarymusic, apart from Ensemble Modern.

The purpose of the project is to work out joint concertprograms of the Hungarian UMZE and the GermanMusikFabrik NRW to play contemporary chamber musicin the Ruhr Region, in North Rhine-Westphalia and inPécs. The concert of the two orchestras in Pécs will beaugmented by workshops for students of the Departmentof Music and also for practicing artists with theparticipation of the musicians of the two orchestras. Theconcerts will be accompanied by public rehearsals, inwhich the audience will be given a primer into the concertmenu, thereby facilitating the understanding ofcontemporary music. The first joint rehearsals of the twoorchestras and the first concerts will take place in 2010 inNorth Rhine-Westphalia as part of the ‘scene’ NRWfestival. The concerts will then be held as part ofworkshops in Pécs in September and October 2010. Theproject thereby tries to symbolically connect the RuhrRegion and Pécs in the form of a contemporary musicalproject.

CONTEMPORARY MUSIC PERFORMANCES BY NICOLAS FRIZEDate: October 2010Venue: City of PécsOrganizer: Hungarofest Nonprofit Ltd.

Nicolas Frize is an internationally renowned artist, whohas been invited to put one or more performances onstage especially designed for Pécs. He visited Pécs in thespring of 2009 at the invitation of Hungarofest. First hechecked the possible venues and then he sent his proposalto the organizers. The final decision on what componentsof the proposal can be accomplished in view of theavailable resources will be made after negotiating withpossible local partners and consulting the artist himself.According to the concept of the artist, there would beseveral musical performances going on simultaneously indowntown venues, so people could choose from a varietyof venues all through the evening and walk from one tothe other. There will be music played non-stop at eachvenue from 7 p.m. to midnight with a very widerepertoire. The idea is to get as many local musicians involved in theperformances as possible, but musicians from Budapestand France will also be welcome to join in (e.g.percussionists, child soloist etc.).

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OPERA COMPETITION AND FESTIVAL WITH MEZZO TELEVISION 2010Date: 3–17 November 2010Venue: SzegedOrganizer: Szeged Open-Air Theatre Festival

The strategic partnerships established with partner citiesare very important for the Pécs2010 ECoC program. TheMEZZO Opera Competition and Festival is based on astrategic relationship that goes back several years. Fourforeign and one Hungarian opera house participated inthe program of the Festival in the preparatory years.However, in 2010 another opera production will beinvited to expand the program and the list of partneropera houses. As a result, the recognition, reputation andprestige of the Festival and the Competition will befurther increased. Each production will be put on stage in the four foreignopera houses by Hungarian directors who have had somepractice in teaching, since they teach acting in Hungarianor foreign academies. In turn, the production in Hungarywill be directed by a foreign director.The two symphonic orchestras, which accompany theproductions of the Festival, will have a key role. Sinceeach production will come to Szeged without theorchestra of the partner opera house, the task for theFestival is to find the best orchestras for the productionsbroadcast by Mezzo Television. One of the orchestras willbe the Pannon Philharmonic, which will represent boththe city of Pécs at the Szeged Festival and Hungary onMezzo Television.Partner opera houses of the Festival in 2010: CsokonaiTheatre (Debrecen, Hungary), Opera Krakowska (Krakow,Poland), Dicapo Opera Theatre (New York, USA), Den NyeOpera (Bergen, Norway), Helikon Theatre (Moscow,Russia)

CLASSARTS.HU FESTIVALDate: November–December 2010Venue: Pécs Conference and Concert CentreOrganizer: Pannon Philharmonic Orchestra

The aim of the [email protected] festival is threefold: toillustrate the diversity of classical music, to combineclassical music with other forms of art, and todemonstrate the richness of Hungarian symphonicorchestra culture. Since Hungary’s first concert hall of a regionalsignificance will open in Pécs in 2010, the central themeof the Festival will be to present the richness of Hungary’ssymphonic orchestras During the course of the Festival,in harmony with the spirit of the ECoC program, thesymphony orchestras of Hungary’s regional centres

(Gyôr, Szeged, Debrecen, Szombathely and Miskolc) aswell as the National Philharmonic Orchestra and theBudapest Festival Orchestra from the capital will deliverperformances. Pécs is a hub, a meeting point for different cultures. Thethree-day Classarts.hu Festival will be a great opportunityto provide a taste of classical music of all those culturesthat are strongly affiliated with Pécs. Each concert willstart with an overture composed by a contemporary artistof a nation whose culture left significant traces in Pécs’slocal culture. This piece will be followed by a concerto ofa prominent artist of that nation, performed by a soloist ofthe same nation. The Festival will begin with a Hungariannight, to be followed by Latin, Turkish, Austrian, Russianand American contemporary pieces that represent thesuccession of different historical layers. Finally, theclosing concert of the Festival will be based on the twocultures which have always had a strong impact on theregion: German and Croatian culture. In the second half of each concert, as a tribute to theGustav Mahler anniversary, each of the eight symphoniesof Mahler will be performed in eight evenings.

classarts.hu 2010 invitational competition for composers: Pannon Philharmonic Orchestra will announce aninvitational competition, in which contemporarycomposers of the above-mentioned nations will be invitedto compose a new overture for a full orchestra. Theinvited composers will include members of a newgeneration who may become prominent figures inCentral-Europe in the decades to come. The pieces will beevaluated by a jury of five members, each of themrepresenting a different nation. The winning compositionwill be the very first piece to be played in the newConference and Concert Centre, as an “InaugurationOverture”, at the grand opening ceremony of the newfacility.

WORLD STARS IN PÉCS Date: All through the yearVenue: National Theatre of Pécs, Pécs Conference andConcert CentreOrganizer: Pannon Philharmonic

The Symphonic Orchestra of Pécs founded in 1811, todayknown as the Pannon Philharmonic, has been a dominantrepresentative of the musical culture of SouthTransdanubia for 200 years. The program entitled “WoldStars in Pécs”, organised by the orchestra, will bringseveral famous representatives of Hungarian andinternational musical life (singers, soloists andconductors) to the audience of Pécs and its region. Theseries of concerts will include productions of outstanding


artistic quality, adding high level classical content to theprogram of the future Concert Hall. In the spirit of artisticdiversity and equal cultural opportunity, the program willembrace a wide range of musical literature with specialattention to the presentation of new, contemporarypieces. Planned programs: Robi Lakatos Ensemble; AndreaMeláth - soprano, Peter Mikulas - bass, Oliver vonDohnanyi (Slovakia); Olivier Latry (France); HenningKregerrud (Norway); Olari Elts (Estonia), Fazil Say(Turkey), Nina Bernsteiner (Austria), LeonardElschenbroich (Germany), Sabine Meyer – clarinet(Germany), Patricia Kopatchinskaja – violin (Moldova),Miklós Perényi, Ola Rudner (Sweden), Eva Mei (Italy),Sergei Nakariakov (Russia), Liszt Ferenc ChamberOrchestra, Péter Eötvös, Dezsô Ránki, Maxim Vengerov(Russia)

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FOLK AND POPULARMUSIC PROGRAMS

BATTA DEM 5TH PÉCS INTERNATIONAL REGGAE FESTIVALDate: 8–10 April 2010Venue: Pécs Youth CentreOrganizer: Inter-Hungarian Cultural Association

The three-day Pécs International Reggae Festival is themost important reggae event in the international vicinityof Pécs. Similar to the Jamaican, London, Italian andGerman Reggae Sun Splash festivals, the intention of theorganizers is to spread the positive message of reggae. Tomention a few international performers at the Festivalfrom the last years: DreadZone (UK), General Levy (UK),Jahmali(JAM), Top Cat (UK) etc. Fringe programs willawait those who visit the Festival not only for the sake ofmusic: they can watch films about topics connected to thereggae sense of life (about Bob Marley, Rastas andreggae); they can also participate in round-table talksabout reggae and human rights, or listen to lectures aboutJamaican and European reggae bands and about theAfrican activity of Amnesty International; take part inhandicraft sessions; try out drumming for themselves inthe free drums circle; and taste Rasta food specialities.

PÉCS UNIVERSITY DAYSDate: 21–24 April 2010Venue: Pécs, Leather FactoryOrganizer: Student Union, University of Pécs

For over ten years, the Pécs University Days has been thelargest youth event organised every year in the city.The preparatory events of the Pécs University Daysinclude a series of talent contest concerts called PEN.These are organised with the purpose of offering anopportunity for ambitious and talented, though novicemusicians, to perform to a large audience as part of thePEN program. Bands from all over the country apply toparticipate in the talent contest program and eventuallyfive bands are selected and offered an opportunity toperform.

During the four days of the 2010 Pécs University Days,fifty bands will perform on four different stages, includingat least ten foreign bands. Several additional fringeprograms in different venues will entertain interestedpeople (theatre shows, street theatre, danceperformances, exhibitions, film shows, et cetera).

Former programs of the Pécs University Days in 2008 and2009 featured Fishbone (USA), Transglobal Underground(UK), Firewater (USA) and Ez3kiel (F).


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PÉCS FOLK DAYSDate: 21–23 May 2010Venue: Promenade Square, Youth House, NationalTheatre of PécsOrganizer: Pécs Cultural Centre

The Pécs Folk Days International Folk Festival has a longhistory. The events of the Pécs Folk Days host the bestrepresentatives of the vocal and instrumental folk musicof nationalities living in Hungary and across the nationalborders in the Carpathian basin. In addition, they providea unique opportunity to learn about the musical traditionsof other European nations and remote, exotic cultures. The Festival takes place in the historic city centre of Pécsin Promenade Square in front of the Cathedral. Smallerconcerts are hosted at indoor, more intimate venues.Children are entertained by puppet shows in the morningand playground activities in the afternoon.Planned performers for 2010: Slavey Quartett (Bulgaria)- Bulgarian folk music, Százcsávási Ensemble - Roma folkmusic, Vujicsics Ensemble - Serbian and Croatian folkmusic, Ágnes Herczku’s and Nikola Parov’s Ensemble -Bulgarian-Hungarian world music, Mahala Hora -Moldovan folk music, Dutar Ensemble - Roma worldmusic - CimbaliBand - music of Balkan nations, VizinEnsemble - Croatian folk music, Yusupha Kuyateh(Gambia) – folk music, Rosenah Ensemble (Iran) - Iranianfolk music, Altan Ensemble (Ireland) – world music,Eszter Takács, Golestan Ensemble - Persian - Hungarianworld music, Szélkiáltó Ensemble - poems set to music,Zengô Ensemble - Hungarian folk music, IntermagyarEnsemble - world musicFagyöngy Ensemble - poems setto music, Simply English - English folk music, TintalóCompany – puppet theatre, Kolompos Ensemble –Hungarian folk music, Szeredás Folk Ensemble –Hungarian folk musicFurther information: www.pecsifolknapok.hu

INTERNATIONAL MUSIC DAYDate: 21 June 2010Venue: Various venues all over the cityOrganizer: Pécs Cultural Centre

The main message of the event entitled the Celebrationof Music is to present the diversity of music: soloists orbands, instrumental or vocal music. The event offers anopportunity to play free and spontaneous music for funand gives the stage to amateur and professionalperformers to show their talent. The Pécs Cultural Centrewas the first to join the initiative in 1997, and in 2010 itwill be part of the ECoC program. This event will make itpossible to introduce the professional and amateur bandsof Pécs, the Southern Cultural Zone and various musicgroups from Essen and Istanbul too.Further Information: www.pecsikult.hu

FISHING ON ORFÛ ALTERNATIVE MUSIC FESTIVALDate: 17–19 June 2010Venue: Orfû, Panoráma CampsiteOrganizer: Fishing on Orfû Ltd.

The “Fishing on Orfû” pop music festival, a programcreated in the years leading up to the European Capitalof Culture, will be organised for the third time in Orfûnear Pécs in 2010. The settlement provides possibilitiesfor organising free time and sports programs beside theconcerts through its excellent natural surroundings. Theaim of the Festival is to create – beside the traditionalprograms of the community – a popular festival attractingmasses that emerges as a new attraction among thetouristic programs of the region. About a hundred bands appear on the three large stagesand several small ones in the Panoráma Campsite in Orfû.Beside the concerts, free-time activities brighten up theprogram all day long (a cooking contest, workshops, filmshows, autographing, stand up comedy, a disco, nighthiking, et cetera). The organizers also run a talent contestbeside the major programs of the Festival. Based on theexperiences of the previous years, about fifty applicantscan be expected, primarily from the region. One of themost significant upshots of the contest is that young, newbands get an opportunity to introduce themselves in frontof the almost eighteen thousand visitors of the Festival.During the three days, several well-known bands andtheir managers appear at the Festival, so the young up-and-coming talents can have the opportunity to buildconnections and acquire experience.

FOLK & ROLL FESTIVAL Date: 25–26 June 2010Venue: Barbakán Castle PitOrganizer: Pécs Youth Centre

Organised for the first time in 2007, this Festival wasestablished by the ECoC program. Its openlyacknowledged task is to revive and renew folk traditions. The program will join a talent scout project through tothe year 2010, when the finished productions areperformed. The project goes through several phases ofdiscovery and training, broken down into annual cycles.As for the talent scout component, the partners of theproject are the local institutions and local civil membersof the national umbrella organisations called “Z point”.The talent scout competitions are announced without anyrestriction on genre but productions using elements offolk music are treated separately. In terms of style theycan be very different, since rock, jazz, metal and pop andnumerous other light music styles can all encounter thefolk music traditions of any nation or ethnic group. Inaddition to participating in the talent scout program, the

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groups experimenting in this segment will have a chanceto perform under the Folk & Roll Project.

PROMENADE CONCERTS AND DANCE EVENINGS IN THE INNER CITYDate: 6 June – 29 August 2010Venue: Promenade Square, Theatre SquareOrganizer: Pécs Cultural Centre

Promenade concerts will revive the tradition andatmosphere of old times every Sunday afternoon from 6p.m. in the city centre of Pécs. The audience of Pécs willbe given the opportunity to listen to high-quality windinstrument music on a dozen or so occasions thanks tominer, fire fighter, youth and German minority orchestrasfrom Pécs and Baranya County. Visitors to the outdoor dance houses can get acquaintedwith the folk dances of the (German, Croatian, Serb,Greek, Roma and Bulgarian) nationalities living in Pécs.The program is especially popular among young peoplebut the elderly generation is also welcome to attend theevent where they can learn the different steps with thehelp of a competent choreographer. The dance houses aremeant to familiarise the participants with the musical anddance culture of the neighbouring nationalities with theparticipation of, among others, local traditionalistassociations and music and dance ensembles.Performers: Etnorom Ensemble (Budapest), UnterrockEnsemble , Vizin Ensemble (Pécs), Vujicsics Ensemble,Balkan Fanatic Collective Ensemble (Budapest), SirtosEnsemble (Budapest), “Schnapps Kapelle” BrassOrchestra (Pécs), Los Andinos Ensemble(Székesfehérvár), Pál István Szalonna and his Band(Budapest), Chagall Klezmer Band (Budapest),Cimbaliband Ensemble (Budapest)

Further Information: www.pecsikult.hu

X. JUBILEE ROCK MARATHONDate: 5–10 July 2010Venue: Nature Park In Malomvölgy (Park Forest)Organizer: Rock Marathon Foundation

2010 is not only the year of the European Capital ofCulture in Pécs, but also the 10-year jubilee of the RockMarathon Festival. In 2010, the Festival will indeedacquire the length of a marathon: it will be the longestrunning summer program of the year, when live musiccan thunder on for ten days. The Festival will provide aspace for widely acknowledged underground musicalgenres and live music styles (rock, metal, alter, punk,blues, et cetera). Since 2001, its venue has been the

picturesque Nature Park In Malomvölgy (Park Forest)near Pécs. By today, the Festival has grown into the largestprogram of the region and has received nationwideacknowledgment. Alongside the foreign star bands, the Rock Marathon isalso preparing a Hungarian sensation for 2010. Its mainaim is to worthily celebrate its 10-year jubilee with aprofessional program with the length of a marathon, withforeign performers and guests, true world stars andnational classics in the year of the European Capital ofCulture.

NATIONAL TOURISTIC ASSEMBLY OF UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE STUDENTS (EFOTT)Date: 13–18 July 2010Venue: OrfûOrganizer: National Conference of Student UnionsNational Touristic Assembly of University and CollegeStudents (EFOTT) is one of the longest running nationalstudent events known throughout Hungary, whichattracted sixty thousand students in 2008.EFOTT is held at a different location each year. Duringthe past three decades, the event has been heldthroughout the country. EFOTT aims to attract studentsfrom all corners of the country for a week of festivalevents. It is an event where student organizations,universities and colleges, and government and non-governmental organizations active in higher education allhave the chance to be present.In 2010, for the first time in the history of EFOTT,international stars will also be invited to perform. Besidesthe musical events, other, sporting “fringe” programs willalso be organized. As part of the “fringe” programs, streettheatre performances, exhibitions, and light paintingshows will attract visitors. While popular mainly amongstudents, the Festival is open to everyone.

OSIJEK – NOVI SAD – PÉCS JAZZ BRIDGE Date: 15–16 October 2010Venue: Uránia Movie TheatreOrganizer: Pécs Cultural Centre

Launched in 2008, the Festival is built on the thematicfocus of the Pécs European Capital of Culture program. Itis meant to create a kind of virtual region by means ofcooperation targeting Southern and South-EasternEurope. Pécs has built a “jazz bridge” with its Croatiansister city, Eszék (Osiek) and the capital of Vajdaság(Voivodina), Újvidék (Novi Sad) in Serbia, whichconnects the three regions.The two-day jazz event will introduce six groups to theaudience. The concerts will be followed by free jam

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sessions with the participation of the performing artists,local musicians and young talents. The program is aselection of the most interesting and novel jazz projectsof the Southern Cultural Zone (mainly from Serbia andCroatia) and of the local and international musical field.The participating groups will be selected by theorganizers jointly with the Cultural Centre in Eszék.Pécs is a multicultural city with a significant Croatian andSerbian population who cherish their national traditionsand actively participate in the cultural life of the city butrarely get an insight into the contemporary culture of themother country. The Jazz Bridge will offer them a chanceto do so. The free jam sessions of the participating artistswill provide an opportunity for the participants toestablish contact. The event may turn out to be thebeginning of future cooperation. While for localmusicians it will definitely be an inspiring experience. Further Information: www.pecsikult.hu

EAST – WEST PASSAGE, BALKAN WORLD MUSICFESTIVAL AND “THE 4TH MEETING AT THE BALKANGATEWAY” CONFERENCE Date: 11–13 November 2010Venue: University of Pécs, Medical School Assembly Hall,Pécs Cultural Centre, Dominican HouseOrganizer: Sensus Research Group (University of Pécs),Department of Modern Literary History and Departmentof Literary Theory (University of Pécs)

The East – West Passage wishes to present a picture of thecultural diversity of the Balkans using an increasinglywider perspective each year. The intercultural patchworkmade up of world music concerts, exhibitions ofcontemporary works of art, conference lectures,philosophical, literary and theoretical workshops anddiscussions and public dialogues of artists and thinkers,can contribute to the representation of the idea of “Pécs asa cultural gate to the Balkans”. By connecting together the two key programs profiles ofthe East – West Passage, the Balkan World Music Festivaland the Interdisciplinary Conference at the Gate to theBalkans, there will be a possibility to reinterpret thenotions of the Balkans in a subtle and comprehensive way.Experience and knowledge are concurrently offered so asto integrate the Balkans into general knowledge as acultural, literary, philosophical, political and artisticspace; a space for cultural osmosis and continuousinteraction among different communities.The topic of the interdisciplinary conference in 2010:Chances of cultural differences – the ethics, poetics andpolitics of borderless hospitality.Further information: www.keletnyugati.hu

THEATRE PROGRAMS

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT THEATRE FESTIVAL IN PÉCSDate: 17–24 July 2010Venue: Youth House, Uránváros, Tettye Organizer: Pécs Youth Centre, Apolló Cultural Association

Organised every other year in Pécs, the National StudentTheatre Festival is one of the most popular series of eventsamong secondary school students who love the theatre.The four-day national Festival offers an opportunity to thebest of the regional pre-qualifying rounds to present theirtalent and capabilities. As part of the European Capital of Culture program, theNational Student Theatre Festival will become interna-tional in 2010. This makes it possible to integrate inter-national experience, establish contacts with otherEuropean groups and provide a wider reputation for thecity and region alike.The best national student theatrical groups will partici-pate at the International Student Theatre Festival wherethe international contingent will be represented by stu-dent groups from countries bordering Hungary. Everycountry will be represented by two groups, one perform-ing in the national language and another one in Hungar-ian. In addition, one group from Turkey and one fromGermany will also participate as representatives of thesetwo European Capitals of Culture. The participating groups will perform a contest produc-tion evaluated by an international jury. In addition, therewill be professional training programs with national andinternational trainers. As a supplementary event, the for-eign groups will have a national day (evening) where theyperform productions that represent other branches of artand their own typical customs. All the participatinggroups will perform at the closing gala show.

ECoC PREMIER: CYCLOPS PROJECT Date: May 2010Venue: Public spaces in the historic centre of PécsOrganizer: Janus University Theatre (Pécs, Hungary),Teatro Nucleo (Ferrara, Italy), Târgu MureşUniversity ofTheatre Academy (Târgu Mureş, Romania)

As a local civil initiative, the Cyclops project is a generalartistic enterprise that wishes to implement a trueDionysian festival in the public spaces of the 21st century.The project wishes to be the product of several artisticbranches, so it is made up of several parts. It will be basedon a street theatre performance conceived after Euripi-des’ satirical play “Cyclops”, accompanied by several mu-sical pieces, short films, and visual artistic installationson the Cyclops topic that can also be interpreted inde-pendently from the street theatre performance.


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The project intends to discover and present a contempo-rary European hero by means of modern street theatricaltools; a hero who can preserve and accomplish his per-sonality in a cultural space that is growing at a nearly in-comprehensible pace. This hero, the emblematic figure ofthe planned production, will be the figure of the busho. Itwill be the busho who has preserved his own traditionalrepresentation and, as a mysterious survivor, is viewed asa special rarity in cultural history.

The goal of the project is to present a form of the per-forming arts hitherto less known in Eastern Europe aspart of the Pécs2010 European Capital of Culture pro-gram; perhaps one of the top-ranked series of artisticevents in the coming years, which speaks, as it were, a“foreign language” but is imbued with an ancient rarityof art and cultural history that is so characteristic of thePécs region. In return, using the double substance of ar-chaic life and the collective power of partly human andpartly natural features, this unique ‘living’ cultural arte-fact can add new energies to the typically Western form ofthe performing arts. Film, music, exhibitions and theatrical art would be pres-ent in a closely related manner but not concurrently; noton the same day but in the different spaces of the citywhere one of them would “call upon” the other. Theseworks of art, including street theatre performances willstrengthen and build upon one another; though they willalso have an independent life.The guarantee for the implementation of projects is thatas early as the autumn of 2009 the Janus UniversityTheatre, using its own resources, will perform an ex-perimental version of Euripides’ Cyclops adapted for astudio theatre. This performance can be regarded as theessential basic material for a film which will be madelater. In the autumn of 2009 and the winter of 2010, action the-atre groups will suddenly appear in the city on several oc-casions as performances with a double goal: firstly, takingadvantage of the situation that there will be a large audi-ence in Pécs interested in the autumn programs, a bushosatyr would break into the city, bewildering the people inan unforgettable way; secondly, these actions would alsobe the “external locations” of a short film in preparation.This would represent the first encounter of the people ofPécs and the satyr bushos, the first contact between them.The first phase of the film would record the performancein the studio theatre and the actions. By the time theECoC events are up and running, the cut version of thefilm would be shown on every possible platform. Themusic and the visual designs will be completed by March2010.The Cyclops project is a piece of art that is meant to offera unique experience mainly to an adult audience.

OUTDOOR FESTIVAL OF PÉCS Date: 1 May 2010Venue: Outdoor Stage in Káptalan Street – Tettye Ruins – Anna CourtOrganizer: Outdoor Festival of Pécs

The Outdoor Festival of Pécs has been an organic part ofthe summer cultural program of Pécs for decades. Thefolk theatre (repertoire theatre) type programs tradition-ally taking place at several venues represent different gen-res of the performing arts. The popular musicals, theprosaic plays and the dance performances are co-pro-duced with various cultural institutions of the city. Besidethe chiefly theatrical productions, the popular FolkBridge connects the folk dance productions of the inter-national partner cities, while the performances of thePécs Ballet Company provide a popular flavour of the highculture of dance. The Pécs National Theatre, The Pécs Bal-let Company and the Pécs Croatian Theatre are partnersof the Outdoor Festival of Pécs. Thanks to the active par-ticipation of the Croatian Theatre, the Outdoor Festivalhas close connections with the cultures of Croatia andother southern countries and is an important mediator ofSouth Slavic culture. At the Outdoor Festival the audience can not only see themost successful performances of the season but new pro-ductions will be introduced too, which will be adapted forthe repertoire of the autumn season of the partner insti-tutions. Among others, Dante’s Divine Comedy will be performedby the cooperation of three ballet companies from thecountry. www.pecsiszabadteri.hu

TRANSIT – AN URBAN THERAPY ACTION SERIESDate: 1 May 2010Venue: Public spaces of PécsOrganizer: Krétakör Theatre

An enterprise of the Krétakör Theatre and several artistsworking around it, this project has already been tried andtested with great success in Budapest. There will be a fourto six week-long action series implemented under the2010 ECoC program using different artistic tools whichhave been further developed and adapted to Pécs andwhich can involve local artists and civilians alike. Escapeart as a method ensures that the presented artistic pro-ductions are not merely viewed from the outside but theyshould be able to be integrated into the life experience ofthe local people and continue to be useful experienceseven after the end of the program.The essence of the program is to transubstantiate the dif-ferent community spaces by different means of expres-sion used by various branches of art. Instead of the usual

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festival structure based on themes and genres, the or-ganizers offer a unique, one-off series of events spreadout in time and space. The city does not simply act as a home to the productionsbut also inspires them. Some of these will be createdspecifically for Pécs, while others will be selected in a waythat they can revive the given medium.The productions will be organised into a whole in linewith the chain of ideas worked out by Árpád Schilling andthe Krétakör Theatre. They will offer an opportunity tothe locals for continuous play and hard thinking.The series of artistic actions called Escape Artist, which isthe main part of the project, will create open forms withlocal civilians, students and creative communities,thereby providing an opportunity for active participationin addition to traditional views and attitudes.Transit will involve the people of the city by word ofmouth. It will use easily accessible (free or cheap), easy tounderstand and popular forms and go out to meet the au-dience. This is how particular productions can becomefamily programs accessible to a wide range of people andable to address every generation.Transit intends to persuade the people of the city to starein wide-eyed wonder at their city, at its residents and theirown situation; to recognise that in fact we are all just pass-ing through.

BORDERLESS CITY – BORDERLESS THEATREDate: all through the yearVenue: Third Theatre of Pécs, Chamber TheatreOrganizer: Third Theatre of Pécs

The Borderless City – Borderless Theatre is an event se-ries that started as a citizen initiative in Pécs in 2008. Itaims to present high quality Hungarian language per-formances from the neighbouring countries to the do-mestic and international audiences. Within a long-termcooperation agreement, the event series will provide on-going opportunities for Hungarian theatre companiesacross-the-border to play to Hungarian audiences, pri-marily in Pécs, the European Capital of Culture.As part of the series, two companies will visit Pécs in eachtheatrical season. Guest performances will focus around

one featured play, which companies will perform four tofive times. Additional programs will accompany the mainperformance (special literary classes at schools, theatrereadings, et cetera) and, depending on the repertoire ofthe companies, studio performances and individual per-formances as well.Through the performances of the invited guests that ex-hibit a wider range of different genres, the event serieswill provide the local and the international audience withan insight into the high-quality and valuable work of the-atrical companies across the border

ECoC PREMIER: GHETTO BY JOSHUA SOBOL Date: October 2010Venue: National Theatre of PécsOrganizer: National Theatre of Pécs

The play takes place in the ghetto of Vilnius in 1944.The author writes about the play like this:

“For many Israeli Jews in my generation the Jewish geno-cide is a frightening and revolting, noli me tangere (donot touch me) topic. Instinctively, I also turned my backon it. As a matter of fact, I kept clear of it, like I do withthings and questions that haunt me and which suddenlyhit me one day… Everything started when one of myfriends suggested I should write a short script about theactivity of the Jewish youth organisations which were ac-tive in Europe during World War II. I started reading somebooks about this topic and I was inclined to conclude thatthe whole issue was over-exposed. Then suddenly, I cameacross this slogan in connection with the ghetto in Vilnius:“No theatre is a cemetery.” So, there must have been atheatre in the ghetto of Vilnius, a theatre which – asshown by the slogan – did what every theatre always hasto do: defy reality, confront conventional taste, provokehypocrisy, a place that turnes the forbidden game, whichis irresistible, because it is forbidden – the fool is the onethat is not hidden deep inside the wise man –, into the-atre in the ghetto.”

The music for the production will be composed by FerencJávori.


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DANCE PROGRAMS

DANCE MARATHON INTERNATIONAL YOUTH MEETING AND FOLK WORKSHOPDate: 25 April – 2 May 2010Venue: Streets and squares in the city centre, AssemblyHall of the Nagy Lajos Grammar School, elementary andsecondary schoolsOrganizer: Hagyománytár Foundation, Pécs CulturalCentre

The Pécs Dance Marathon is a folk event that offers aspecial opportunity to young people on the occasion ofthe World Day of Dance to learn more about and also, toexperience the European traditions of dance and thebranches of folk art related to it. For this very reason, theprogram will mostly be built on interactive “folkworkshops” that can help the audience learn more aboutthe intellectual heritage represented by the participatingnational and international artists while, at the same time,being actively involved. In addition, several other eventswill be taking place in the streets and squares of the city,filling them with a special atmosphere. The presentationof the cultural heritage of the Southern Cultural Zone, theBalkans, Istanbul and other foreign ECoC cities will begiven an important role in the program.The main part of the Festival will be constituted by eventsthat provide a great opportunity for young people in Pécsto rediscover the multi-coloured nature of Europeandance culture. Under the program component called“Folk workshop”, the foreign ensembles will visitelementary and secondary schools where, after a briefproduction, they will invite the students to join in. Similarfolk workshops will also take place after the gala showsin the evenings. The program components of the DanceMarathon that will also be implemented in public spacesinclude, “Chain-Dance” and “Street Music”; where peopleand foreign tourists passing through the city centre canalso become part of this intercultural exchange.Participants: Üftuder-Üsküdar Folklor Genclik ve SporKulübü – Istanbul, Turkey; Doina Timisului FolkloreEnsemble – Temesvár (Timisoara), Romania; Hannat &Heikit Ensemble – Hollola-Lahti, Finland; Guimarães FolkGroup – Guimarães, Portugal, Ilosvai Selymes Péter FolkEnsemble – Nagyida-Kassa (Kosice), Slovakia, BartinaDance Ensemble – Szekszárd, Somogy Dance Ensemble –Kaposvár, Khelipeske Rom – Pécs, Leôwey Dance Ensemble– Pécs, Mecsek Dance Ensemble – Pécs, Misina DanceEnsemble – Pécs, Tanac Dance Ensemble – Pécs, Berze NagyJános AMI children’s group – Pécs, Fund Cigány AMIchildren’s group – Pécs.

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ECoC PREMIER: DANTE: DIVINE COMEDYBALLET PREMIER WITH THE COLLABORATION OF THREE BALLET COMPANIES FROM HUNGARYDate: 25-26 June 2010 in PécsVenue: Outdoor Stage, Pécs, Open Air Stage, Szeged,ETO Stadium, GyôrOrganizer: Pécs Ballet Company, Szeged ContemporaryBallet Company and Gyôr Ballet Company

Dante’s work is one of the foundations of Europeanculture; a grand, comprehensive piece that paved the wayfor the Europe of the modern age - a monumental visionof man in search of his own self and happiness. Everybody knows something about the Divine Comedy, itis part and parcel of our common cultural consciousness,yet very few can say that they really know it. It is time forthis grand European mystic journey to come to life onstage. Our century is the visual age and Dante’s work canbest be interpreted in terms of the film-like visionsdescribed by him. These images can, with incrediblerichness, make palpable the human-centred, and overlyearthly interpretation of Christian salvation from whichthe entire European culture evolved throughout thecenturies. Dante’s pictures are modern. No film madewith computerised animation can be a match for it. Theauthors intended to create a unique visual world in alarge-scale production that mixes elements of dance,music and spectacle theatre.This production, which is a novelty in the world forseveral reasons, may be an outstanding event in thePécs2010 European Capital of Culture program. On theone hand, the Divine Comedy has never been put on adance stage. On the other, the cooperation between thePécs Ballet Company, the Gyôr Ballet Company and theSzeged Contemporary Ballet Company – three companieswhich operate in the country outside Budapest – is notonly an novel initiative but also a symbolic gesture whichdemonstrates that cities other than Budapest are capableof implementing significant cultural enterprises. The director of the production involving some 70 dancerswill be Tamás Jurinics, a Kossuth Prize holder. The setswill be designed by Kentaur and the costumes by FruzsinaNagy, while the libretto will be the work of András Almási-Tóth. The three movements will be made by threedifferent choreographers. Movement one will bechoreographed by Tamás Juronics, the second one byBalázs Vincze and the third one by a Spanishchoreographer, Gustavo Ramirez Sansano. This large-scale collaboration will be a truly festive event in theHungarian art of dance.This unique tripartite production follows the intellectual

journey of a man using three different theatricallanguages, while it also gives an encyclopaedic summaryof the entirety of European culture.

4TH PÉCS INTERNATIONAL DANCE FESTIVAL Date: 21–26 September 2010Venue: National Theatre of Pécs, Chamber TheatreOrganizer: The Ballet Foundation of Pécs

In September 2007, the Ballet Theatre of Pécs launched anew program in connection with the upcoming festivities:the International Dance Meeting of Pécs. The mission of the Meeting is to spread appreciation forthe various forms of dance by inviting Hungarian andinternational groups and promoting cooperation betweenthem. The aim of the International Dance Meeting of Pécsis to show to the citizens of Pécs and its guests the varieddance culture of the city without borders and themultitude of colours of dance as an international art form. The general concept of the Dance Meeting is based on thecultural strategy of the winning proposal, Borderless City- European Capital of Culture - Pécs 2010. When finalizingthe program of the dance meetings, the organizers werenot thinking in terms of independent festivals but of anintegrated series of programs, which include not onlyshows by various ensembles from 2007 to 2010 but alsoan expansion of artistic styles, varied themes and therealization of artistic concepts. The Festival has two main goals: on the one hand, it aimsto enrich the local audience by offering a view into theworld of the dance arts; and on the other, to createindependent productions by participating in internationalco-productions. One such realisation of these goals is thecooperation with József Nagy (Josef Nadj), the worldfamous director of the Centre Chorégraphique Nationald’Orléans that started in 2007. As a result of thiscooperation, a show was produced in 2008 in Pécs, andnow in 2010, as part of the Dance Meeting, a brand newpiece will be produced with the participation ofHungarian, Serbian and French artists, sponsored byEuropean Capital of Culture programs.The program will present major personalities ofHungarian dance as well as members of famedinternational groups. This program may seem a biteclectic at first sight but only because in a city the size ofPécs the Festival tries to present many different forms ofdance because there is no other opportunity to see somany quality dance productions concurrently. The maindirection is modern ballet and contemporary dance butthe program will also include groups performingtraditional dances. Following the great success of the


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2008 show, a dance production will be dedicated tochildren as well. Planned performers, among others,include: Toneelhuis / Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui (B), StationZuid (NL), Hiroaki Umeda (J), Maribor Ballet (SLO),Frenák Pál Company (H-F) etc.Through the International Dance Meeting of Pécs, the citycan become a major regional dance centre by 2010. Wewill do our upmost to maintain that momentum and tocontinue the project for many years to come as well.

ECoC PREMIER: PÁL FRENÁK COMPANY: ACROSSDate: 21–26 September 2010 (as part of theInternational Dance Festival)

InTime, whose premier was in 2008, pointed out thestrong physical dimension of personal relationships, andits structure was inspired by the eroticism inherent in it.The play planned for 2010, entitled ACROSS, is in somesense the continuation of this work. However, the newplay is more about the self-projection and reflections ofpersonal relationships. In this play Frenák, with the helpof wonderful dancers, leads us into a labyrinth where hedraws a parallel between the cultural and intellectualheritage of different generations through an encounterand raises the eternal question: What is the process ofhuman life? How do the individual and the societytolerate change? How do they accept evanescence? Thesequestions are especially important in a society in whichthe process of ageing is a negative element which shouldbe outlawed. Frenák tries to show the beauty of differentgenerations, and to achieve his goal, he invites wonderfulelderly artists like Dóra Uhrik, Pál Lovas or Katalin Lôrinc,and many more, including the members of his own dancecompany and other dancers from Pécs. This is how hewants to transmit his conviction and experience abouttime passing away in the human body. The pure, clearspace of the production is like a “waiting-room, a transferin a train station or airport, or a heavenly crossing pointwhere human beings just flit through.

ECoC PREMIER: JOSEF NADJ PRODUCTION:THE DAY AFTERDate: 21–26 September 2010 (as part of theInternational Dance Festival)Organizer: Josef Nadj Regional Creative Workshop,Magyarkanizsa (Kanjiza), Serbia

In addition to waiting, motionlessness is the womb ofsomething new coming to life. It is the womb of cosmicsilence.The dancers cover up their face with their own hands or

wear masks and bags on their heads. This is a faceless,underlying world, which exists right before theimpersonal. The chaos of the Hell can still be heard, buta new, pure world is being born, a renewed civilisation.Diversity, the mixture of colours, all the symptoms ofdecay that repeatedly flash through/from behind thescenery, are already boring. The world of the past ismediocre and ridiculous. But it does not hurt any more.Pain is over, because we are living through the greatmoment of silent, peaceful birth. This cosmic perspectiveis reflected in the scenery, the costumes and the musicalike. The opening spaces lead the spectators deeper anddeeper into the inner layers of consciousness.

The cosmology of József Nagy at the same time is the self-definition of our world. It has the same attitude to objects,people and the world. Everything is measured throughour culture, through the filter of thousands of years.Afterwards!

Contributors: József Nagy – dance (Serbia / France),Péter Gemza – dance (Hungary), Ivan Fatjo – dance(Costa Rica), Sophie Lancelotte – dance (France), CecileLoyer – dance (France), Dénes Döbrei – dance (Serbia),Tamás Bakó – dance (Hungary).

CENTRAL-EUROPEAN DANCE PLATFORMDate: 25–28 November 2010Place: National Theatre of Pécs, Chamber TheatreOrganizer: Pro Progressione Ltd.

The dance platform is a widespread and popular form ofbuilding international relations in the international dancemovement. The primary aim of organising danceplatforms is to introduce the artists performing in theseprograms to the professionals of international dance art,thereby creating and opportunity for them to organiseinternational appearances and to receive invitations toperform. In recent years several similar events took placein Hungary, like the IETM meeting in 2004 or DunapArtin 2008, both held in Budapest. This is the first time thatan event similar to the previously mentioned two is heldoutside the capital. The aim of the Dance Platform, whichwill take place between 25 and 28 of November 2010hosting dancers from four different countries, is to enticethe best contemporary European artists and artprofessionals to Pécs, thereby creating an opportunity forinstitutions (host venues), artistic groups and individualartists in Pécs to establish prospective cooperation withforeign performers and professionals, while the local

public can get a comprehensive picture of the most recentproductions of contemporary artists working in theneighbouring countries. The invited guests of the DancePlatform will come from Hungary, Croatia, Romania,Slovenia and Serbia. According to current plans, theartists from each country will present three or four piecesto the general audience and the foreign professionals,which will add up to a total of 18 performances. Throughthe four performances shown every day the audience willget a comprehensive picture about the general trends andthe achievements of the art of dancing in theneighbouring countries within a relatively short period oftime, and will also have a chance to get acquainted with

the professionals and performing artists of the hostcountry.

Using EU resources, the organizers wish to include thefollowing countries in the program: Slovenia – FLOTAFestival, Murska Sobota; Croatia – Dance Week Zagreb;Serbia – Dom omladine, Belgrade; Romania – ProjectDCM Cultural Foundation, Bucharest. According theplans, every country will nominate sixcompanies/performances each, and the internationaljury, delegated by the five countries, will compile the finalprogram out of these nominations.


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FILM PROGRAMS

2ND CINEPÉCS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTDate: 24–31 October 2010Venue: Urania Movie Theatre, Apollo Movie Theatre,Dominican House, House of Civilian CommunitiesOrganizer: Cultural Innovation Competence Centre As-sociation

The CinePécs – Pécs International Film Fest is the devel-opment of the Moveast – South East European DebutingFilm Makers’ Festival, which has been successfully takingplace for years. In 2010, the program of the Festival willbe widened: the aim of this widening is to provide a homefor new genres and topics and to address a broader audi-ence. For this reason, the Festival will be divided into sev-

eral sections. The different showing venues and the pro-grams organised around them will be about diverse top-ics and will address different audiences. In the promotionof the Festival, great emphasis will be laid on the ad-dressing of different target groups. The professional participants of the Festival will prima-rily be Hungarian directors and producers making theirfirst films, as well as first movie directors and producersfrom the EU region. One of the priorities of the broadened Festival will be filmmusic. Its aim is to give a new start to Hungarian filmmusic development and, in the long-run, to develop Pécsinto a centre of film music. The orchestra of the region,the Pannon Philharmonics, is partner to this endeavour.The studio technology of the concert hall to be built forthe ECoC has been devised in this spirit. One of the main intentions of the organiser of the Festival,the CICC Association, is the development and support ofthe cultural industry of the city. One aim of the Film Fes-tival is to instigate this special segment of the cultural in-dustry; the film industry and the creative branches ofindustry connected to it. In 2010, the film art of the two other capitals of culture,the Ruhr Region and Perm, will also be present at the Fes-tival in the framework of the thematic blocks of the Turk-ish Film Week – our guest will be Istanbul - and theGerman Film Week – where our guest will be Essen andthe Ruhr Region. The film foundations working in the twocities will receive an invitation to participate in the or-ganisation of both film weeks. The Turkish Film Week willmostly present recent Hungarian – Turkish co-produc-tions to the audience. While the German Film Weekwishes to found closer cooperation in the future by reviv-ing the common characteristics of the past.

BAUHAUS MOVI(E)ING MODERN (XPORT)Date: October 2010Place: Bauhaus exhibition

The aim of this film project is to present the Bauhaus ar-chitecture of Pécs on the screen and in the form of archi-tectural tours. On the one hand, the films will introducethe architects of the Bauhaus school who were born inPécs, and on the other hand, to explore the modernism ofPécs and finally, to show the connection between the clas-sical modern and the contemporary architecture of Pécs.The project will be joined with the large scale Bauhausexhibition and will be supported professionally by theHungarian Association of Architects.

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LITERATURE PROGRAMS

PÉCS LITERATURE FESTIVALDate: 11–14 May 2010Venue: The House of Arts and Literature, Jókai Square,Theatre Square, Széchenyi Square, Szent István Square,Traffik caféOrganizer: The House of Arts and Literature, JelenkorFoundation

Launched in 2009, the Festival continues to see as itsmajor objective in 2010 that contemporary Hungarian lit-

erature is actively present in the city for four days and canbe enjoyed by anybody. The series of programs includes components targeting aprofessional audience – made up of people with a specialinterest in literature – by round-table talks, conferencesand book shows; but also, recitals by authors maygenerate a much wider interest. Workshops mobilisingyoung people as well as programs specifically meant forchildren will also serve to broaden participation. In orderto reach a broad ranging audience, the Festival will moveout from its centre in the House of Arts and Literature in2010 and settle itself down in the streets, squares, publicinstitutions, cafés and shopping centres. The core professional part of the Festival is representedby a separate program of the Jelenkor Foundation, theinternational meeting and cooperation of literary journalscalled “Review within Review.” The Publisher of thejournal Jelenkor (Our Age), the Jelenkor Foundation,participates in international cooperation among literaryjournals. This program of cooperation was initiated by thejournal Apokalipsa, which is published in Ljubljana,Slovenia and is one of the most popular contemporarycultural journals. By now, a dozen or so Central Europeanjournals have presented themselves to one another’sreaders in the readers own language. The participantsinclude Slovenian, Croatian, Czech, Slovakian, Austrian,Polish, Lithuanian Macedonian and Montenegrinjournals. Hungary is represented by Jelenkor. Theparticipating journals give a review of the literature of theother countries by publishing a selection of articles andorganise presentations at various literary festivals in thesejournals. The participants of the international literary meeting“Review within review”, scheduled for May 2010 in Pécs,will be selected from the authors of the partner countries.The lectures of the meeting will discuss Central Europeanand South-Central European literary and cultural topics,works and authors. The focus will be on the similaritiesand common points among the different literatures andnational cultures. In addition to the lectures, the meeting will be enrichedby recitals with the participation of prominentrepresentatives of foreign and national authors. The list ofplanned participants includes, among others: PéterNádas, Péter Esterházy, Imre Kertész, György Konrádfrom Hungary and Mirko Kovać, Dubravka Ugresić,Miljenko Jergović and Elfriede Jelinek from abroad. Theliterary programs will be accompanied by art exhibitionsand world music productions drawing from Balkan andHungarian folk music.Focal points of the Festival programs: exhibition of photosof the author Péter Nádas; literary recitals in publicspaces, on buses and in public institutions; book shows


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and round-table talks related to them.There will be programs specifically designed for children:an exhibition of illustrations for children’s books(Boglárka Paulovkin); recitals from children’s literatureat the permanent external venue; a playhouse for musicaland artistic activities and puppet theatre shows at thepermanent external venue. In addition, there will also beprograms targeting the young generation: a dramaworkshop working with contemporary literary works andauthor recitals in cafés and external venues.

CULTSTOPDate: Summer 2010Venues: bus stops in Pécs and in the neighbouring cities and villagesOrganizer: The House of Arts and Literature

The program called CultStop has been organised forseveral years now with a different theme each year. Theessence of the event is that several citylight and othersurfaces in designated bus stops, essentially meant foradvertisements, are offered to artists in the form of arestricted tender; and the winners can post high-qualityadvertisement posters. These posters will make up thematerial of an exhibition which the people in Pécs canview in June 2010 along the busiest bus routes of the cityand at bus stops in the neighbouring cities and villages.The central theme of the 2010 tender will be related tothe Balkans. This will provide an opportunity, amongother things, to extend the project over the nationalborders, offering a chance for cooperation to the partnercities and organisations of the Southern Cultural Zone.The “CultStop” will be able to show how similarly or, forthat matter, how differently we see Balkan culture andthe cultural values of the Balkans.There will be a design exhibition in the courtyard of theHouse of Arts and Literature during the exhibition. Thiswill serve as a central program venue. There will also bea retro poster exhibition and a poster drawing workshopin the House of Arts and Literature headed by leadingartists. In collaboration with the CommunicationDepartment of the University of Pécs, university andsecondary school students will be offered a special courseon the poster as a means of communication.

II. WORLD HAIKU CONFERENCEDate: 6–8 August 2010Organizer: Hungary – Japan Friendship Society

This conference is meant to bring together poets fromdifferent nations who use the well-known form ofJapanese poetry, the haiku in their poems. The first worldhaiku conference took place in Japan. During the

conference, visitors will also have a chance to see a haikuexhibition in connection with the 2010 ECoC programs.

WRITERS IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM Date: November – December 2010Organizer: The House of Arts and Literature

The Writers in Residence scholarship opportunity forEuropean (and Hungarian) writers was one of the firstprograms of the Europe Capital of Culture - Pécs 2010project. This program has been operating with greatsuccess ever since it was launched.An individual donated a 40m2 downtown apartment to thecause in 2006, and it is now available for guests. As part ofthe program launched in September 2007 and based onthe decision of the curatorium, writers are invited to spendone month in Pécs. Apart from their own writing, theguests also write a Pécs Napló (Pécs Diary). The following writers have participated in the programsince September 2007: Florina Ilis (Romania), EsadBabacic (Slovenia), Raoul Biltgen (Luxembourg), NellyBekus (Belorussia), Ottó Tolnai (Serbia / Hungary), OstapNozhak (Ukraine), Neslihan Acu (Turkey), Mihkel Mutt(Estonai), Primoz and Stanka Repar (Slovenia), BoscoKrstic (Serbia), Donald Niedekker (the Netherlands). Inthe remaining months of 2009 László Deák (Hungary),Alexandr Mehlikov (Russia), Lajos Grendel (Slovakia /Hungary), Chris Chrissoupolus (Greece), Milena Oda(Czech Republic) and Pietro Spirito (Italy) will all spendsome time in Pécs. Resident writers will be staying in Pécsuntil the end of the first half of 2010. An anthology of theirwritings will be published, which will be presented in thepresence of several of them in the fall of 2010, in Octoberor November.

BALKAN BALCONY SPECIAL SECTION IN THE MAGAZINE OF “ÉLET ÉS IRODALOM” Date: all through the yearOrganizer: Jelenkor Publishing House

Balkan Balcony – Special Southeast Europeansupplement published in the weekly literary journal Életés Irodalom (Life and Literature) once a month on fourpages: literature, essays, cultural news and events,including news and events of the region related to theEuropean Capital of Culture event program in Pécs. Thisspecial supplement will be based on the book series“Balkan Balcony” published by the Jelenkor PublishingHouse, whose purpose is to present the contemporaryliterary values of the Sothern Cultural Zone by publishingcarefully prepared texts in high quality translation.

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CONFERENCES

SCIENCE DAYS WITH FLOWERING ALMOND TREES CULTURE AND SUSTAINABILITYDate: 3–5 March 2010Venue: University of PécsOrganizer: University of Pécs

The Science Days with Flowering Almond Trees is a topicand research-based forum within the University of Pécs,a series of international interdisciplinary mini-conferences presenting the most recent scientific results,which is an excellent opportunity for cooperation andsynergy. The event is unique in that it belongs solely tothe University of Pécs and to the city of Pécs. It isscheduled to take place at a time (beginning of March)when numerous almond trees in the Transdanubianregion are in full bloom.Conference series:The conference is built up of several mini-conferencesdealing with topics such as sustainability, culture andcultural heritage. Each subtopic is selected by aprofessional board directed by am invited guest and anexpert delegated by the University of Pécs. The selectedtopics are discussed in one-day mini-conferences with 7-9 presentations, and include various disciplinary fields.On each day, a prominent, internationally well-knownscholar, artist or media personality delivers a keynotelecture.Related program:Pécs- Novi Sad- Zagreb: student cultural festivalMedia week:There will be a national press conference on the openingday of the program where the most importantdevelopments of the University will be introduced. Oneach of the remaining days special programs will beoffered to the media in a separate media room.

CONFERENCE ON “THE FUTURE OF EUROPE ANDTHE CULTURE OF THE FUTURE” Date: 5–8 May 2010Venue: Youth House of PécsOrganizer: The Cultural and Touristic Centre ofBaranya County, The Foundation for Hungarians acrossthe Border

“The Future of Europe, the Culture of the Future”conference will be organised for the ninth time in 2010.Every year, the conference examines the currentEuropean cultural issues. The conference will look back to the previous decade.UNESCO devoted the period between 2000 and 2010 tothe culture of peace. In 1998 Pécs won the UNESCO Citiesfor Peace Prize and thus, the topic of peace and toleranceis especially important for Pécs. The European Union has


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declared 2010 the European year for the fight againstpoverty and social segregation. Pécs is a multinationalcity. Therefore, using its own experiences as well as thoseof others, Pécs will hold a session for the discussion of thesituation of minorities, equal opportunity, the chances ofsuccess and the possibilities inherent in the situation ofminority groups.On the 5th of May, a meeting will be held betweenHungarian representatives of the Carpathian Basin andleaders of civil organisations organised by the Foundationfor Hungarians across the Border. The organizers of the conference put great emphasis onone of the basic ideas of the European Capital of Cultureprogram, the possibility of forming the Southern CulturalZone – the virtual cultural region stretching across theborder. In this spirit, they cooperate with culturalorganisations in Croatia, Slovenia, the Vajdaság(Voivodina) and Romania.

REGIONAL SCIENCES ASSOCIATION – CONFERENCEON INTERNATIONAL REGIONAL SCIENCESDate: 27–28 May 2010Venue: University of Pécs Organizers: Hungarian Association of Regional Sciences,Pécs; Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Regional ResearchCentre, Pécs; University of Pécs, Faculty of Economics;International Regional Sciences Association

In 2010, the International Regional Sciences Associationwill bring its international regional sciences conferenceto Pécs. This was made possible by the fact that the EKK(Centre for European Research) of the HungarianAcademy of Sciences has been conducting research sincethe beginning of this decade. The Centre also played animportant role in the preparation of the ECoC application.Participants will include the representatives of thenational sections of thirty-five countries. The conferencewill provide an opportunity to review best practices inregional development in Western and Eastern Europe andwill discuss future possibilities and trends of regionaldevelopment. Several renowned authorities on thesubject will attend the conference through the RSA. Theorganizers expect to have some five hundred participants.

13TH EUROPEAN MINING – METALLURGY MEETING Date: 27–30 May 2010Organizer: National Hungarian Association of Miningand Metallurgy, Federation of Technical and ScientificSocieties in Baranya County (MTESZ)

The one hundred and sixteen year-old NationalHungarian Association of Mining and Metallurgy(OMBKE) contacted the European Federation of Mining

and Metallurgy Associations and suggested that the 13th

European Mining and Metallurgy Meeting should be heldin Pécs in 2010 as part of the European Capital of Cultureprogram; and also joined by the 8th Hungarian Miners-Metalworkers-Foresters Meeting. The Association hasmanaged to win the right to organise the conference. These meetings are generally attended by some two tothree thousand miners, metallurgical engineers andtechnicians and members of traditional organisations(miner orchestras). The miner orchestras of the hostcountry and foreign guests, as well as different folkensembles, will be performing outdoors and in the centralhall (or tent) of the event during the meeting. The mainevent of the meeting is a spectacular festive parade withthe participants marching through the centre of the city intheir uniforms in close formation with their own flags.The participants will come together in the main squarewhere the leaders of the host country will tie a memorialribbon on to their flags. An international conference is also planned to take placeconcurrently with the Meeting on the role of Europeanmining and metallurgy in sustainable development. Incollaboration with the Trade Union Federation of MiningWorkers, the Meeting will also host the national festival oftraditional orchestras. Held jointly with the Meeting, the National ForestryAssociation will familiarise interested participants withthe environment protection sites of the region. Theorganizers also plan to hold an international mineralexhibition and market in collaboration with theHungarian Geological Society.

BRIDGES PÉCS 2010 – EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE WORLD CONFERENCEMATHEMATICS, MUSIC, ART, ARCHITECTURE, CULTUREDate: 24–28 July 2010 Venues: National Theatre of Pécs, Dominican House,Theatre Square, Sétatér (Promenade Square) etc.Organizer: Pécs Cultural Centre

The “Bridges World Conference – Mathematicalconnection between art, science and culture” is held in adifferent city every year and is attended bymathematicians of the leading universities of the world,artists, teachers, musicians, computer experts, sculptors,dancers, educators and representatives of companiesdeveloping pedagogical tools; altogether more than 300persons. The aim of the conference is to present theinterdisciplinary connection points, the so-called“bridges”, and to popularize them among the wideraudience through interesting programs. The Pécs – ArsGeometrica event, held since 2007 with growingpopularity, was the predecessor of the conference. The

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13th Bridges World Conference of Pécs, to be held in 2010,will be the first in the Eastern Hemisphere. It will presenta unique opportunity for the scientists, artists, educatorsand students of the country and the Southern CulturalZone to strengthen their professional ties and to presenttheir international professional contacts and activities. The conference will be made up of lectures andworkshops held in plenary and parallel sessions. Work bythe participants of the Bridges event will be on publicdisplay. A full-day excursion organized for theparticipants, introducing topical sights of the region willalso be part of the program. An event series to be held inBudapest, organized by sister organizations(International Symmetry Association, InternationalKepes Society, Pécs University Art Faculty), is alsoplanned, as well as an international symposium for lightartists in Pécs, and many other events as well. Ancillary events: Bridges Family Day

The structure of the event also provides an opportunityto share the scientific and artistic problems beingdiscussed at the meeting with the “man in the street”, thepublic. Conference presenters will prepare events, gamesand shows at open-air locations, to which the membersof the public are welcome. The exhibition displaying theworks of artists arriving at the conference will be open tothe public, and will be entitled “Art in progress”. Thepublic can also look into the creative processes of an artistand, during the conference, concerts will be heldaccompanied by a series of multimedia presentations.The Bridges Family Day, which will form part of theevent, will present opportunities to visitors of all ages toparticipate in various games related to the theme of theconference. Visitors will have the opportunity to solve apuzzle based on a geometric shape, a tool called zome(which is similar to the Hungarian “Babylon” game) andthe creation of eye-catching forms made of geometricmodels. Children and youth will be attracted by easy tounderstand and funny popular science presentations byscientists and artists participating at the conference.

POPULAR MUSIC MEETING AND CONFERENCEDate: beginning of October 2010Venue: Pécs

This is meant to be a weekend-long popular musicmeeting and conference, which will try to position localclubs on the one hand, and it will also highlight the upsand downs of the Hungarian popular and rock musicscene with special regard to young talents and theirmusical education. The goal of the conference: to organise a professional

forum where civil organisations and cultural institutionsthat support Hungarian contemporary popular music andHungarian bands can meet; to bring together expertsactive in the search for talents and in high abilityeducation; to create an opportunity for professionalcooperation; to plan and launch joint projects; to provideinformation on and jointly make the best of tenderopportunities; to widen media relations.Topics: workshops in Pécs and their results; nationalexamples, sample projects, introduction of talent scouts;international projects and relations; questions andanswers on high ability education: “Why is it important?”“How does it work?” “How to continue?”Invited speakers: influential representatives oforganizations and institutions that have a stronginfluence on the profession.Invited organizations: cultural and educationalinstitutions, civil organizations, festival organizers andcultural managers that play a significant role indeveloping the search for young talents.Fringe programs (open to the general public): the TopTalent Scout of the conference, concerts presented byguest musicians, parties in several locations of the city,concerts by top bands involved in the sample project. Theevent can be harmonized with the national event called“Hangfoglalás” (Conquering Sound). www.hangfoglalas.hu | www.regionconference.com

“EXPANDING EUROPE” – JUBILEE PROGRAM SERIES AND PRESIDENT’S CONFERENCE Date: 12–14 October 2010Venue: University of PécsOrganizer: University of Pécs, Department ofMarketing

The aim of the conference is to deepen the cooperationbetween Southeast European and Russian universities byproviding a special platform to build connections betweenthe two major university networks of Europe. Programs:Rector’s ConferenceECoC University Network (UNeECC) and the CompostellaConference of the University Network ECoC 25 Jubilee Event

“ARCHITECTURE AND CONTEXT” PROGRAM SERIES Date: Autumn 2010Organizer: Chamber of Architects of South Transdanubia

The project highlights architecture, its borderline areasand its various artistic forms. The theme of the conference


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and the related actions align with the original vision ofthe Pécs2010 European Capital of Culture tender. It aimsto reflect on the new architectural challenges related tothe European Capital of Culture investments in Pécs. Theprograms concentrate on the social, economic, scientificand artistic practices which have, according to modernurban development strategists, direct impact onarchitecture and the built environment. Architecture does not only intend to be the object of theevents but will also be a certain view point: the positionfrom which the meaning of the architectural objectbecomes more accessible; where – an often autonomous– built object gains meaning in a wider context.The event series organized by the Chamber of Architectsof South Transdanubia intends to build a network of local,domestic and international partners, thereby making theindividual program elements part of a system of greaterefficiency.Current urban development theories and theirinternational practice will gain primary importance at theartistic and architectural workshops, conferences andsymposia of the project, as well as the socio-culturalrelationships of architectural projects involving publicspaces. The main themes include: displaying art in publicspaces, possible connections between art forms andarchitectural practice based on an interdisciplinaryapproach. The results of the theoretical works willbecome apparent to the public through projects in bothpublic areas and indoor spaces.

CULTURAL CITIES NET 2010 – “ONE TAKES ALONG ALL”Date: OngoingOrganizer: Pécs2010 Management Centre

In 2004, a pioneering initiative was launched by theHungarian and German cities competing for theEuropean Capital of Culture project: they organizedregular meetings, where they discussed the mostimportant general issues and exchanged experiences.The cities quickly recognized opportunities for long-termcooperation and also, that the cooperation could serve asa model for future cultural capitals. They agreed thatwhoever wins the title, the cooperation will continue.Apart from the meetings, both the Hungarian and theGerman cities met at a national level as well. Thecooperation of German cities runs under the title“National Heroes” and the network of Hungarianapplicants under the name “One takes along all”.In the “One takes along all” project, all eleven formerapplicants (Budapest, Debrecen, Eger, Gyôr, Kaposvár,Kecskemét, Miskolc, Sopron, Székesfehérvár, Veszprém

and Pécs) participate. These cities will have at least oneevent listed as part of the European Capital of Cultureprogram, and they also initiated cooperation in culture,tourism and communications as well. These initiativesemphasize Pécs’s efforts to decentralize and to create asustainable network. To strengthen the decentralizationprocess and to encourage an active role for Miskolc, whichcame second in the tender for the European Capital ofCulture, the city of Pécs and the “Deutsche Vereinigungder European Cultural Foundation” has asked Miskolc tobe the coordinator of this network.At the thematic conferences of the network, theHungarian cities meet several times a year; and, once ayear, both the Hungarian and German cities meet todiscuss issues of common interest.


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THE CITY AND ITS CITIZENS THEME APPEARS INTHE PROGRAM IN THREE DIFFERENT FORMS:

Concrete programs programs meant to involve and mobilise the public andnon-governmental organizations; PR campaigns whichpromote the events among local citizens and encouragethem to make these events their own so they can bepersonally involved in the success of the Pécs2010 ECoCprogram. For each European Capital of Culture event, if possible:Targeted supplementary programs for:• children, parents with children (nanny service,

activities, playhouses)• people with disabilities (involvement of volunteer staff,

making venues wheelchair-accessible)Communication, targeted messages to families withchildren and to disabled peopleThe program booklets and other means ofcommunication it should clerarly indicate if the programvenues are accessible by wheelchair and if there arespecial supplementary programs; “Children-friendly”programs and venues should be highlighted.

PROGRAMS:

GARDENINGAs part of the program, citizens of Pécs will be asked togo out and plant flowers, bushes and plants. People canjoin the campaign as volunteers. Gardening strengthensthe local pride of the citizens of Pécs, and public spaceswill become more attractive.

HIDDEN TREASURES• My house:

Citizens can write short stories on pre-fabricated tablesin front of their houses. Who lived in the house; why ishe/she famous; why is the property special. As a resultof the campaign, a simple walk becomes an event.Tourists will be drawn into the city and its citizens andlocal residents will also learn more about theirsurroundings.

• My city:Volunteers gather in the centre of Pécs at a designatedplace. Those interested may join the volunteer guide,who will present, over the course of an hour, places ofimportance.

• My lock:In the past, citizens have placed “love locks” at variousplaces in Pécs. As part of the Pécs - European Capital ofCulture event series campaign, we will popularize thistradition and highlight it in the press.

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READING PARKInstead of taking people to the library, as part of thisprogram, the books will be taken to public spaces, cafes,parks and streets. The selected locations, readings andother programs will strengthen the community feeling ofan activity which is basically solitary.

CASTLE TOURSIn South Transdanubia, there are six significant and oneless significant historic castles that are open to the public:Pécsvárad, Szigetvár, Siklós, Dunaföldvár, Simontornya,Ozora, and Magyaregregy. As part of the EuropeanCapital of Culture programs, we would like to promotecastle tours; an activity which is popular with Hungariansand foreigners alike. Castle tours can be promoted in fourdifferent ways: cultural events and festivals; half-day andfull-day castle tours; gastronomy programs, includinglocal wine producers; and bicycle tours.

NEIGHBOUR’S DAYFÊTE DES VOISINSDate: 25 May 2010Organizer: the citizens of Pécs and HungarofestNonprofit Ltd.

The goal of this initiative launched in Paris in 1999 withten thousand participants is to bring people living in thesame residential community closer to one another. Since2004, the event has been organised in over one hundredand fifty European cities as well as in Canada, Turkey andAzerbaijan as part of the European Neighbour’s Day.By involving civil organisations and residentialcommunities, the organizers put together entertainingprograms that break the isolation of residents in largecities and make them realise that they should payattention to others; to their neighbours too. In this way,they can promote social cooperation and personalcontact, while the sense of community and the use andfunction of community spaces can gain new meaning. Theessence of this event is that on this day four or fiveneighbouring families go out to a nearby square or park orcome together in one of their homes and cook together, sitby the table and talk.The Neighbour’s Day is organised on the last Tuesday ofMay every year, which was May the 26th in 2009. This wasthe tenth time that the event was held. With participantsfrom twenty nine countries, twenty three of which wereEuropean, more than nine million people participated inthe event. In 2009 the focus was on children both in the preparatoryphase of the program and in the actual program itself. Incooperation with the Nestlé Foundation, the organizersinvented a “children’s table” so kids can also take theirpart in the event. A booklet containing cooking tips,

downloadable from the Internet, had been preparedwhich called the attention of adults to the need to makefoods that facilitate the healthy development of theirchildren.According to current plans, the Neighbour’s Day will bebrought to Hungary - to Pécs - in 2010, and in the spirit ofthe principle “one takes along all” all the other applicantcities will also be involved in the initiative.

THE CITY’S IMAGE: PORTRAITS AND INTERVIEWS FROM PÉCSDate: 2010, throughout the entire yearOrganizer: House of Arts and Literature

The value, the significance and the self-evaluation of acity is influenced by the personalities that shape trends instyle; those who have attained reputation both asprofessionals and as individuals in the eyes of theircontemporaries. However, the character of a city is notonly shaped by its famous citizens. Often much is addedto a city by its other citizens; people who are known onlyin their immediate environment. However, theirinteresting lives and thoughts still enrich the intellectualcharacter of the city.So the image of a city is made up of well known and lessknown people. The goal of the project is to makeinterviews with people who the curators of the projectdeem interesting. The edited version of the interviewswill then be accessible to all through the web page of theproject. The web page will continue to be live even after2010. On the one hand, the constantly growing series ofinterviews will serve as an archive. On the other hand, anurban “Pantheon” will be created; made up of renownedand “nameless” people from Pécs alike. The interviewsmay be taken in private or they may be openconversations on stage with an audience also present. Thevenue of the public conversations will be the House ofArts and Literature. Members of the project’s board of trustees: GyörgyKonrád, writer, Zoltán Ágoston (editor-in-chief of thejournal Jelenkor), József Havasréti (Department ofCommunication, University of Pécs), Eszter Gyuricza(Alexandra Publishers), Tamás Szalay (Pécs2010).

TASTES OF THE REGIONDate: throughout the entire yearOrganizer: Gastro-Artist Association, Pécs

There are very few things which can tell as much aboutthe traditions of a multinational region as its regionalgastronomy. The goal of the project is to identify,preserve, bequeath and popularise the traditional foodsof the region. In addition to presenting the foods ofvarious nationalities in a traditional way, it is also

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important to make them up-to-date, in line with thedemands of the age. The project promoting the survival of local gastronomicvalues has a double goal. On the one hand, thepreservation of traditional special foods can strengthenthe identity of the region and help make its multiculturalnature more visible. While on the other hand, it can playan important role in increasing the attractive appeal ofthe region for cultural tourism.The project manager, the Gastro-Artis Association, aimsto cultivate and further develop the traditional cuisine ofthe region. The results of collected data will be presentedto the audience in gastronomic exhibitions, as well as atthe suitable national and international events of theECoC.The project will join the “Essen an der Ruhr – DerGeschmack der Region” program which focuses on thegastronomic traditions of the Ruhr Region. Part of theRuhr Region project will be a specially designed mobilekitchen vehicle that will visit different parts of the regionand popularise traditional foods. As a result of thecooperation between the two projects, the traditionalfoods of South Transdanubia travel to the Ruhr Region,while, in return, the people in Pécs will have the chance totaste the traditional foods made over there.

CONQUERING THE CITY – AN OUTDOOR EXHIBITI-ON OF PEOPLE FROM PÉCSDate: throughout the entire yearVenue: PécsOrganizer: Parti Gallery Artistic Nonprofit Ltd.

Since 2000, the Parti Galéria Artistic Nonprofit Ltd hasproduced six exhibitions on the history of Pécs between1900 and 2000. The Gallery has decided to rethink thisseries of programs and to organise a series of outdoorexhibitions, open all year round, whose main goal will beto include the residents of Pécs in planning; whereby, theentire city can be viewed as working on what may becalled a “landscape map”.On the basis of this concept, the Gallery. calls upon thepeople living here in Pécs – the residents of a house, ablock of flats or a street – to designate individuals whohave lived their life as role models. The communityselected from the applicants will be expected to submit adocument on the basis of which a large, attractive posterwill be made and placed on the given building. Theresidents of this building undertake to look after thisbanner for a period of one year and to welcome anybodyinterested in the details.This unique “landscape map” will also include amultilingual publication that includes visitors and makesthem part, as it were, of the present and future of the city.

“MY LAID TABLE – SPICY CHATS” Date: once a month 2010-2011Venue: Pécs – homes of citizens

Once a month the program will give a chance to thecitizens of Pécs to invite one of the participatingactors/artists to share a friendly dinner and chat.Individuals wishing to participate can register on theprogram’s webpage. The main idea of the series is to sharea meal while having informal talks enriched with culturalbits – joint recitals, music, etc. – with the invited specialguests. The aim of the program is to get the civil communityinvolved in a unique way as well as to emphasize thecohesive force of the community through intimateconversations at a table neatly laid with delicious foods.

STORY SHOP FOR A FAMILY-FRIENDLY ECoCDate: throughout the year

The goal of the Story Shop is to launch a series ofprograms with a permanent venue which combines thefeatures of playgrounds and children’s camps and, at thesame time, offers cultural, artistic and creative activitiesto the youngest generation. The participants visiting theStory Shop will have a chance to learn about the recyclingtechnologies that contribute to shaping an environment-conscious attitude among young people. All in all, theStory Shop will be a specially designed ‘story island’. Itsmagical appearance will offer an attractive environmentto children and will also make it possible for their parentsto attend cultural programs for adults while their kids areengaged in exciting activities of their own.On two or three occasions every week, performing artistswill also enrich the program of the Story Shop with high-quality music shows, concerts, recitals and puppet theatreperformances. The program will be operated by local civilorganisations and volunteers.


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INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

PÉCS, FÜNFKIRCHEN, PECUH… THE SPACE(TIME) MAP OF A MULTINATIONAL CITYDate: 1 March–30 May 2010 Venue: Janus Pannonius Museum, PécsOrganizer: Directorate of Baranya County Museums

There are many different pictures of the spaces of a city inthe mind of its residents. Obviously, these pictures aresubjective; however, some of its parts can draw a mentalmap of the city by creating intersections. People attributespecial features to each city quarter or smaller place onthe basis of common beliefs. Similarly, visitors coming tothe city also create a different kind of a map in their mindwhich includes main points of orientation such as touristsights, best restaurants and pleasant tourist spots. The project intends to draw a map for both Pécs’s owncommunity and for people who wish to learn more aboutthe city that is novel; knowledge that is sometimescongruent with previous knowledge but often totallydifferent: the multicultural “space(time) map” of Pécs. The travelling exhibition will be based on contemporaryphotos of spaces and residents in Pécs. This will becomplemented by audio-visual tools containing, on theone hand, information about the topic of the exhibitionand on the other, objects coming from museumcollections which will make the multicultural history ofPécs tangible. After Pécs ,the exhibition will go to Ulm (15June – 5 October 2010) and then to Berlin (1 October –15 December 2010).The pieces will not only be exhibited in the exhibition hallbut will also appear, through artistic actions, in theexternal spaces that they represent. Partners of the program: Museum Europäischer Kulturen, Berlin;Donauschwäbisches Zentralmuseum Ulm; KulturforumÖstliches Europa; University of Pécs

EUROPEAN ACCENTS IN PERM(PERM–DUISBURG–PÉCS PROJECT)Date: March and August 2010Venue: Perm, Duisburg, PécsOrganizer: Cultural Innovation Competence CentreAssociation

Pécs, Duisburg in the Ruhr Region and Perm in Russia arecities of different character with different traditions andexperiences. The aim of the project is to build sustainableand active partnership between the artists, culturalmanagers and cultural institutions of the three cities. Thetwo capitals of culture of 2010, Pécs and the Ruhr Region,will introduce themselves with their innovative andcreative artistic projects in Perm. During the program,

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possibilities will open up for presenting ongoing projects,exchanging experience and for trainings. During the eighteen-month project a sustainable networkwill be built with the involvement artists from Pécs,Duisburg and Perm. The cultural managers, whoparticipate in the trainings that will be organised in theframework of the project, will play a major role in theoperation of the network. Through the trainings, theparticipants can get acquainted with the best practicesused in Pécs and can learn about the advantages oforganisation via networks and of their utilisation. The project involves artists and cultural managers fromPécs, Duisburg and Perm in the common work. In March2010, the Pécs Cultural Innovation Competence Centrewill hold trainings in Perm for the institutions involved inthe common project and for the institutions taking partin the Perm festival. The “European Accents”international arts festival will be held in Perm in August2010, where two productions from the partner cities willbe presented beside the host’s. Eight joint projects willalso be presented in the framework of the festival. InSeptember, the project presentations shown at the festivalwill be seen in Pécs and Duisburg.

VIRTUAL HEART – URBAN DISCOVERY, ST. GEORGE’S DAY IN THE CAVEDate: 23 April 2010Venue: Pécs, Ruhr Region, one performance eachOrganizer: Ferenc Martyn Free School of Arts

The Virtual Heart – Urban Discovery project started in2007 with the cooperation of artists from Pécs and theRuhr Region. The project draws on the characteristicthemes, motifs, stories and urban legends of the tworegions. Hungarian and German artists jointly work onthese and form them into an all-artistic production. Theproduction creates – with the help of literature, music,the fine arts and dance – an idiosyncratic, basicallyimprovisational system of ideas. This blending of severalgenres and styles provides the possibility forcontemporary and even real-time associations through itsfreshness to current issues occupying artists and society.In 2010, one performance will be held in Pécs and one inthe Ruhr Region. During the production in Pécs, theperformers will present partly compositions and partlyimprovisations. Contemporary poetic works will also bestaged. The creation of works of fine arts will be shownin an unrepeatable way through the use of sand, smoke,light and water. The venue will be the sinter cave locatedin the hilly greenbelt of Pécs, which possesses specialacoustical and scenic facilities and thus, ensures anexciting venue for this unusual, multicultural, all-artisticevent.

The performers:János Gonda – pianist-composer;Anita Rieberger, Franciska Stickel, Péter Holoda – danceart students at the Pécs Arts Grammar and VocationalSchool;Their training teacher: Dóra Uhrik – dance artist,Kossuth-Prize winner;Dániel Szabó – pianist-composer; Zsuzsa Hágen – dance artist, choreographer;The teaching staff of the Martyn Ferenc Artistic FreeSchool of the Apáczai Csere János Education Centre –musical instrument performers, fine artists;Claudia Lüke – fine artist;Julian Ribarsky – electro-acoustic music;Werner Shulze – bassoonist, composer;Imre Antal – photo artist.

EUROPEAN FESTIVAL OF UNIVERSITY THEATRES, ISTANBULDate: 20–30 April 2010Venue: IstanbulOrganizer: Alternative Theatre Workshop Foundation

This is a festival organised for amateur drama groups ofuniversities in Istanbul. The aim of the internationalprogram is to strengthen the cooperation among theatres.Besides enjoying each other’s performances, theparticipants will have a chance to get a deeper insight intothe work and culture of the other companies in round-table discussions. During the festival a three-dayinternational symposium will be organized on the topicof training actors. The project will be enriched withtheatrical, dance and open-air performances, workshops,round-table discussions and banquets. Hungary will berepresented by the Janus University Theatre.

TRAVEL AROUND THE TURKISH CRESCENTDate: 2 May–13 June 2010Venues: House of Arts and Literature, Small Gallery ofPécs, Jakovali Hassan Mosque, Pasha Gázi Kászim’sMosque, Apollo Art Cinema, network of cellars from theTurkish period, outdoor locationsOrganizer: House of Arts and Literature

“Travel around the Turkish Crescent” is a series of eventsinvolving all genres of art launched in 2007 in order topresent the culture of Turkey.The program will introduce the varied culture of theBalkans – illustrating the cultural traditions and heritageof Turkey, as well as offering an insight into contemporaryTurkish art with special regard to its multiculturaldiversity.The goal is to focus on the points of cultural connection


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between the two countries and cities. Pécs has numerousTurkish monuments which can serve as starting points. In the final analysis, the program will present‘coexistence’ in that age, the mutual cultural influencesand their impact that can still be felt even today.The application document of Istanbul as the “sistercapital” of Pécs in 2010 bears the title of the fourelements. To maintain this unity of the four components,the organizers of the “Travel around the Turkish Crescent”program also selected four artistic branches(photography, music, literature and film) which will beused to bring Turkey closer to Hungarians and refine theperhaps somewhat schematic picture of this country bymeans of a montage.The project will be built on five conceptual pillars:presenting the diverse culture and religions of theBalkans; focusing on cultural connection points; arousingnational and international interest; and using communityspaces in new ways.By the inclusion of the Turkish monuments, the programwill at the same time connect them with the artistic andcultural circulatory system of Pécs.

EXPLORATION INTO THE HEART OF THE REGIONDate: April, July 2010Venue: Gelsenkirchen, PécsOrganizer: Pécs Youth Centre – Rainbow Playhouse

The project, to be realized in Pécs, Bottrop andGelsenkirchen, connects to the Virtual heart – Urbandiscovery project by artists from Pécs and the RuhrRegion.The project promotes the artistic activities and mobilityof children of Pécs and the Ruhr Region. It aims tointroduce children to the host environment, and to allowthem to express their new experiences in artistic creationswith the help of adult artists.As an important part of the project, participating childrenshould come from families of varied social andintellectual backgrounds. Therefore, heterogeneousgroups will form where they can meet people they wouldrarely encounter under average circumstances. Through the project, about forty children will have theopportunity in 2010 to visit and create. Children betweenthe ages of twelve and sixteen will work together in thespring and summer breaks. They will spend two weekstogether. During the meetings, they will discover theregion with the help of Hungarian and German artistsand will search for artistic forms of expression in thevarious domains of literature, music, dance and art. Theywill find the most suitable forms of expression - music,dance, performance et cetera - which will then serve as

the basis of a performance. The performance will also beavailable online.

DAY OF OPEN CHURCHESDate: 9 May 2010Venue: Pécs, Ruhr RegionOrganizer: Pécs / Sopianae Heritage Nonprofit Ltd.

In 1998, Pécs was awarded the title of „The City of Peace”by the UNESCO in recognition of its supportive attitudeand tolerance towards minorities during the Balkan civilwar. Based partly on this title and the above mentionedattitude of Pécs, the „Borderless City” tender proposal hadalso put extra emphasis on the themes of peace, opennessand cultural diversity. Similarly, the Ruhr Region alsoattaches great importance to the topic of coexistingcultures. The joint program of the two capitals of culturesends central messages to Europe; the cooperation of thetwo cities gets a wide European publicity, positioningboth cities through the message of peace. Throughout theprogram various concerts will be organized in the sacredsquares of the cities that represent the various religionsin them. The concerts will mostly build on the traditionaland liturgical music of the given church, butcontemporary performances will also take place. The freeconcerts held simultaneously in different venues on thesame day will give an opportunity to the internationalpartner cities of the ECoC program to introducethemselves.

GOLDEN ROUTES – INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE(2008-2010)“In the footsteps of Ferenc Liszt”Date: 24–29 May 2010Venue: PécsOrganizer: Pécs 2010 Nonprofit Ltd.

Istanbul is organising four cultural trips on four differentroutes. Route 2009 goes through Pécs, whereconferences, exhibitions and concerts will be held withlocal artists.The cultural trip that starts in Essen in 2010 will takeartists through the Ruhr Region, the Czech Republic,Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary. The last stop will be Pécs,where pop and classical concerts will be staged for fivedays and Turkish art exhibitions and dance productionswill be performed. The theme of the conference to be heldin Pécs is: “Bartók’s effect on Turkish music.”

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INTERNATIONAL PUPPET THEATRE FESTIVAL, ISTANBULDate: May 2010Venue: IstanbulOrganizer: Pécs International Puppet and Street The-atre Festival Foundation (Bóbita Puppet Theatre)

The Istanbul-based Kaspariade Puppet Theatre will or-ganize a two-week puppet festival, workshop and exhibi-tion in May 2010. The Festival will feature various puppettheatre genres, including shadow, children and adult pup-pet performances. According to future plans, the organ-izers will bring the puppet exhibition and the KaragözPuppet Theatre of Istanbul to Pécs for the Adult PuppetWorld Festival. In 2010, Hungary will be represented bythe Bóbita Puppet Theatre of Pécs.

FEST DER KULTUREN, KARLSRUHEDate: May 2010Venue: Karlsruhe

Relations between Karlsruhe and Pécs intensified in the ap-plication phase of the European Capital of Culture project.Young student artists of the two cities were in regular con-tact, which served as a good basis for the two cities to en-hance their relationship. In light of the European Capital ofCulture, the traditional Festival of Cultures, held in Karlsruheevery year, has invited two Hungarian cities, Pécs and Bu-dapest to stage theatrical, musical and artistic performances.

STREET FESTIVAL OF ISTANBULDate: 11 June – 25 July 2010Venue: Istanbul, Bosphorus

Istanbul is the only city that connects two continents, asit has always been the meeting point of trade and differ-ent cultures. The aim of this project is to bring as manydifferent cultures of Europe together in Istanbul in 2010as possible, and to give European countries a chance todisplay their art and culture. Each partner city will be pro-vided with a separate stage to display their art and cul-ture for two weeks during the summer of 2010. Thesix-week long event coincides with the Istanbul Sea andHistory Festival and the parade of tall ships.Each country will be free to decide on what kind of per-formance to present, ranging from visual arts to graffiti,from classical music to pop and jazz, from puppet showsto drama, from modern to folk dance, from sculpture tohandicraft and even culinary arts.

FRIENDSHIP WITHOUT BORDERS – THREE WISHESDate: July, October 2010 Venue: Rainbow Playhouse, Pécs city centreOrganizer: Pécs Youth Centre – Rainbow Playhouse

The project, launched in 2007, aims to offer camping op-portunities to school children from the Ruhr Region inHungary and Germany. During the creative camps, chil-dren paint on canvas, which they assemble into one pieceat the end of the camp. Since the project started in 2007,the canvas flag has grown several hundred meters. Theflag, which symbolises friendship, is displayed in a streetparade in both Pécs and the Ruhr Region.Children from Szeged, Eszék (Osiek) and Arad are alsoplanned to be invited.

ROOTS OF THE SOUL – LULLABIES OF THE REGIONDate: September 2010Venbue: Pécs, Ruhr RegionOrganizer: Arco Trió Group, Pécs

Pécs and its multicultural region are rich in lullabieswhich say so much of the cultural roots of the people wholive here. Extant lullabies will be collected in Pécs and willbe performed by the local Arco Trió group. In 2010, a con-cert and exhibition in the Ruhr Region will be staged ofthe original and cover versions. (This will perhaps also in-clude material from the Ruhr Region). A multimediaproduct will also be produced.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROJECT BY THE DEPARTMENTOF ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PÉCSAND THE UNIVERSITY OF ISTANBULDate: October 2010 (Pécs), November 2010 (Istanbul)Venue: Pécs - Dóm Museum, Istanbul – Pera MuseumOrganizer: Department of Archaeology, Institute ofHistory, University of Pécs

This is the first project of a long-term cooperation be-tween the departments of archaeology of the two 2010capitals of culture. The event will be organized by the De-partment of Archaeology of the University of Pécs and theDepartment of Archaeology and the History of Art of theUniversity of Istanbul. The aim of this project is to presentthe Ottoman Turkish, early Christian and Byzantine re-mains of these two cities in archaeological exhibitions.The exhibitions will be accompanied by international sci-entific congresses. In October 2010 Pécs will host a three-day long international congress in the field of ClassicalOttoman Arts and Architecture. The organizers expect tohave participants from Turkey and Hungarian as well asspeakers from all around the world. The congress, to beheld in the Dóm Museum, will likely include some fiftypresentations which will be published later in a separatevolume.During to the exhibition in Pécs, visitors will see a collec-tion of ceramic art from the Ottoman period provided bymuseums in Turkey and in Hungary.The main topic of the exhibition and congress in Istanbul

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will be the art of the Late Roman period and the EarlyByzantine age and the preservation of these treasures.Pécs has notable archaeological finds from the 4th and the5th centuries, so the city will take an active part in the or-ganisation of both the exhibition and the congress.A catalogue of the exhibition to be held in the two citieswill be published in three languages.KÖZI PROGRAMOKMUSIC CARAVAN PÉCS – RUHR AREA – ISTANBULDate: Throughout 2010 Organizer: Intermagyar Cultural Association

Music Caravan is the world music project of the Ruhr Re-gion, Pécs and Istanbul. The meeting of various culturesleads to the creation of a musical event which will en-compass the musical traditions of all three countries. Thiscombination will result in a new “global sound”, a multi-faceted, exciting musical production.The musicians of the three countries represent severalgenres: in the musical world of the project, the traditionalfolk music of the three cities will surface; as well as clas-sical music (including classical oriental music to); im-provisational and contemporary music will also berepresented. Musicians will work with the German worldmusician Rüdiger Oppermann.The works so created will connect the three very differ-ent regions through music and will be presented to theaudience in all three cities and regions.

TEMPORARY CITYDate: Throughout 2010Venue: PécsOrganizer: Pollack Mihály Faculty of Engineering, Uni-versity of Pécs

The Temporary City is an urban study project of Pécs, theRuhr Region and Istanbul, in which students studying ar-chitecture, the environment and urban planning at thetechnological universities of the three cities, work to-gether. The aim of the project is that the teams formed ofstudents and teachers at the universities of the three citiesget acquainted with all three venues – in joint workshops– with a given urban venue that needs intervention insome respect. During the one-week fieldwork, the stu-dents will analyze the venue in mixed groups, presenttheir conclusions to the other students at the closing ofthe workshop; and on returning home they devise theirsuggestions for intervention. As a result of the first work-shops, the inner harbour in Duisburg, the dry dock in Is-tanbul and the public area by the Zsolnay CulturalQuarter in Pécs – which is to be built as a facility underthe European Capital of Culture project – have becomethe venues to investigate.

EU LITERATURE GOES TURKEY / TURKISH LITERATURE GOES EUROPECIVIL SOCIETY DIALOGUE – CULTURAL BRIDGES PROGRAMDate: Throughout 2010 – Gala in Pécs in May 2010Venue: 2009 – Turkey 2010 – EuropeOrganizer: Goethe Institute, Istanbul;Pécs2010 Nonprofit Ltd.

Literary travelling saloon. The project consists of twomain phases: an eight-month long literary tour in Turkey(2009) and two-month long literary tour in Europe(2010). European and Turkish writers will be travellingaround and giving interactive recitals, while musiciansand photographers will be presenting their works inworkshops, exhibitions and photo camps.Starting in May 2009, writers from eight European coun-tries (Germany, Belgium, Austria, Italy, Hungary, Roma-nia, Bulgaria, Sweden, Britain and Switzerland) will betravelling around in Turkey, visiting twenty-four cities.One of the main goals of the tour is to introduce the worksof well-known European writers to the local peoplethrough bilingual recitals. The tour will be accompaniedby a „library on wheels”, a bus turned into a library, con-taining the works of the authors, Internet terminals andaudiovisual facilities. Each Turkish city will host a oneweek-long “Festival of EU Culture”, which will be accom-panied by musical concerts presented by the musicians ofthe eight European countries. A team of professional film-makers will document all stages of the literary tour. In ad-dition, two Belgian and two Hungarian photographerswill separately visit several Turkish cities of the tour andcapture their impressions of Turkey, which will be pre-sented later in a catalogue and a joint exhibition in Turkeyand the EU.The European tour will start in May 2010. Eight Europeancities (Sofia, Bucharest, Pécs, Vienna, Venice, Zurich,Essen and Brussels) will host two well-known Turkishwriters and musicians each. The artists will be accompa-nied by two Turkish photographers who will visit Brusselsand Pécs. Their photos will be exhibited in a joint exhibi-tion in Istanbul, Pécs and Brussels. The bus will spend oneweek in each city, so this time it will be transformed intoa „Turkish library on wheels”. There will be grand gala events in Pécs and Essen in thecourse of the tour, and the closing gala will take place inBrussels with the participation of all the sixteen Turkishand forty-eight European authors in one evening in June 2010. Close to 800 people are expected to attend the gala eventin Pécs in May 2010.

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PROGRAMS

TALENT SCOUT FESTIVAL Date: January–May 2010Venue: Gandhi Grammar SchoolOrganizer: Gandhi Grammar SchoolThe talent scout festival for young Roma people in theSouth Transdanubian region will be announced in theautumn of 2009. This program is meant to provide anopportunity for the coming generation of the Romaminority to show their talent in many different fields ofart (music, fine arts, applied arts and dramatic arts,different forms of entertainment). The final is planned tobe held in May 2010.

CROATIAN CONTEMPORARY ART EXHIBITION Date: February to May 2010 – Pécs, June-October inCroatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina Venue: Csoport-Horda Gallery (Pécs), Croatian andBosnian towns Organizer: Croatian Minority Local Government of Pécs

An exhibition of contemporary artists of Croatian,Bosnian and Croatian-Hungarian origin, as well as ofprominent Hungarian artists, mainly from Pécs andBaranya County in the Csoport-Horda Gallery in Pécs;additional locations in Zagreb, Osijek, Tuzla, Pula andBaranya County (Siklós, Mohács).

DAY OF POLISH-HUNGARIAN FRIENDSHIPDate: 23 March 2010Venue: Cultural venues in PécsOrganizer: Polish Minority Local Government of Pécs

According to the joint decision of the HungarianParliament and the Polish Seym, 23rd March is the day ofPolish-Hungarian friendship. In 2010 the Polish minorityof Hungary will celebrate this day in Pécs with thecollaboration of several civil organizations. The programconsists of artistic events and historical exhibitions, e.g.“The Fate of Christian Priests in the occupied Poland –1939-945.”

GREEK FESTIVAL Date: April 2010 Venue: Pécs, PellérdOrganizer: Greek Minority Local Government of Pécs,and the Local Government of Pellérd

Hungarian-Greek relations have a long history way backin time. Throughout the centuries, the Greeks have


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always been present in Hungary in various differentsituations. Roughly 400 descendants of the refugees ofthe 1948-1950 Greek civil war still live in the country.

The festival will feature Greek contemporary musicians,dramatic artists and dancers who were born or live inHungary, and will give an overview of traditional Greekcultural values.

Guest artists: Sarantis Mantzourakis, singer and buzukiartist, Neaniki Szkini (Greek drama), NikosOrmandlidis, violinist.

MAY CULTURAL FESTIVAL Date: May 2010Organizer: Khetanipe for the Roma CollaborationAssociation

Planned programs: traditional Roma outdoor culturalprograms, gastronomic shows: preparing, displaying andtasting traditional Lovári and Beás Gypsy meals; Gypsy /Roma folk costume show (Beás, Lovari) “Thematic” Gypsy / Roma ethno-music and dance showwith Gypsy / Roma traditional artistic groups (e.g.Kanizsa Csillagai, Csillogó Szemek, Dutár Band, LimbaNostru, Margit Bangó, and ensembles from countriesbordering Hungary).

“20 YEARS OF THE LENAU HOUSE”Date: 23 May 2010Venue: Lenau House, PécsOrganizer: Lenau House

The Lenau House of Pécs will be celebrating the 20th

anniversary of its opening on Whit Sunday in 2010 withnumerous events.

I. INTERNATIONAL ROMA FESTIVAL AND YOUTH MEETINGDate: 3–5 June 2010Venue: Pécs, Promenade Square

Planned programs: a taste of Gipsy food specialities,Gipsy handicraft market, opening of Gipsy contemporaryarts exhibition, Sae Roma – Bosnia, Bulgarian dancegroup – Bulgaria, Szászcsávási Ensemble and Romafestgroups – Romania, Flamengo Dance Group – Spain, RomaCarnival – Hero’s Square, Gypsy Dance House –Nagyecsedi Black Eyes Ensemble (Budapest); jointproduction of groups from Marosvásárhely (Romania);Kusuna rosaja, Limba Nostru, Fracilor, Cini Jag, Bulgariangroups, Stars of Kanizsa

PRIVATELEKTRO OPEN AIR HEADPHONE FESTIVALDate: 16-20 June 2010Venue: inner walkway of the western city wall

The 25 performing artists will give an insight into thetrends of this Central-European media art. Curators:Christian Gracza, Robert Bosch.

“COLOURFUL YEAR – 2010”, “COLOURFUL CAVALCADE”Date: June 2010Venue: PécsOrganizer: “Színes Gyöngyök - Délvidéki Roma Nôkért”Association

The event will be a week-long street carnival. Performerswill include both Hungarian and foreign artists. Duringthe event, the play entitled “Curse and Love” will bestaged, and film shows, exhibitions, reader-writermeetings and conferences will be held. The award-winning photographs of the “Chacipe 2009” photocontest will be exhibited and their digitalized versionswill shown in different venues in the city. To intensify thecarnival feeling, craftsmen and witches will await thepublic at various locations.

13TH EUROPEAN YOUTH CULTURAL WEEKDate: 18-25 July 2010Venue: Pécs and other towns in Baranya CountyOrganizer: Foundation for the Promotion of GermanFolk Dance Traditions in Hungary, German LocalMinority Local Government of Pécs, the LenauAssociation.

The European Cultural Week has been held every otheryear since 1988 in European cities that have a member (atraditionalist ensemble or dance group) in the movement.Since 1992 Pécs has been represented by the LeôweyDance Group, which already hosted the event once in1996. The goal of the event is to introduce Pécs and thesurrounding regions to the foreign guests and to promotethe cooperation of the minorities in the region.

„Shall I Go or Shall I Stay?” – one-day internationalconference on the future of cultural and linguisticminority groups in the EU.Common market - the member countries display thehandicraft goods, food and drink specialities and touristattractions of their home in a popular location of the city.

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SERBIAN NATIVE LANGUAGE MEETINGDate: Summer of 2010Venue: PécsOrganizer: Serbian Minority Local Government.

The Serbian Language Camp was founded ten years agoby several Serbian local governments of Hungary. Thegoal is to camp kids of Serbian origin speaking Serbian,aged between 7 and 16, who do not necessarily study inthe Serbian language at school; in fact, Pécs does not havea school like that.The kids will be speaking only Serbian in the camp. In themorning they learn about Serbian culture and history; inthe afternoon they practice special phrases and words(e.g. of sports, arts) through several different activities.

In the past few years, the camp was held mainly inSikonda and at the Lake Balaton. In 2010, however, theorganizers would like to take the children to Pécs or thesurrounding areas to introduce them to the ECoCprogram as well.

GERMAN DAY OF PÉCSDate: the third Sunday of September 2010Venue: Dóm SquareOrganizer: Lenau Association

Traditional one-day series of programs of the HeritageFestival held at the Open Air Stage in Dóm Square.

SAINT EPHREM CHOIR’S CONCERT AND PERFORMANCE OF THE UKRAINIAN NATIONAL DANCE ENSEMBLEDate: Autumn 2010Venue: Conference and Concert Hall, PécsOrganizer: Ruthenian and Ukrainian Minority LocalGovernment of Pécs

The choir was founded in 2002 and took the name ofSaint Ephrem the Syrian (306-373), the first greatByzantine hymn-writer called “The Harp of the HolySpirit” by his contemporaries. The members of the choir,many of them of Greek Catholic religion, will be broughttogether by their shared love for ritual Byzantine churchmusic. Their main goal is to reproduce the music of theHungarian and Eastern-European churches of Byzantinerite in an authentic way.Occasionally, they present pieces that can be performedwith a small number of singers in the ensemble. InJanuary 2008, they presented, for the first time inHungary, the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom byTchaikovsky.

PAVEL VIRSZKI UKRAINIAN NATIONAL DANCE ENSEMBLEIt will be a special treat for the audience of Hungary tomeet the world-famous ensemble, the masters ofUkrainian ballet. The Ukrainian folk dances performed bythe dancers always enchant the audience by theirstrength and energy. The choreography, the carefulcoordination of motion and music yields a performancethat produces a dynamic harmony of true art.

NATIONAL GIPSY FINE ARTS EXHIBITIONVenue: under discussionOrganizer: Gipsy Cultural and Educational Association

Gipsy fine arts in Hungary are quite unique. The primarygoal of this national exhibition will be to display itemscreated by Roma artists from the organizers’ owncollections and from national collections (HungarianInstitute of Education, Museum of Salgótarján, etc.).

In addition, the Rácz Aladár Community House wouldprovide an opportunity for contemporary Roma fineartists in the region (Teréz Orsós, Gyöngyi Kalányos Rácz,József Ferkovics, László Kosztics, Mária Szilber, GyulaKalányos, József Füzesi, László Jovánovics, János Bogdán,etc.) to introduce themselves. There are also plans toprovide resources for the continuous operation and theexpansion of the collection of the Szentandrássy IstvánGallery.

ROMA MUSICAL PERFORMANCESOrganizer: Roma Minority Local Government of Pécs.

In the past fifty years, the traditional Gypsy music has lostmuch of its importance. A notable exception is the “100-member Gypsy Orchestra” which has popularised theRoma and Hungarian folklore all around the world.The 1970’s saw the emergence of Roma artists in jazz;many of them have become reputed worldwide by now,such as Béla Szakcsi-Lakatos, Aladár Pege, Gyula Babos,Vilmos Jávori, Ferenc Snétberger, etc. The Kaji Jag Band has achieved international success bybuilding on folklore traditions and collections. Bycombining various forms of modern musical trends, theVáradi Roma Cafe Band has also achieved internationalrecognition. The combination of traditional Gipsyinstruments, new musical trends and Roma folklorebrought international fame for the cimbalom playerKálmán Balogh and his group, who won the InternationalCimbalom Meeting in the early 90’s in Pécs. Since the early 90’s dance performances have becomequite popular too, and today on of the most notablegroups is the Khamoro Ensemble from Budapest.

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The Megastar shows brought Roma performers to thelimelight in pop music as well.The program planned for 2010 includes Váradi RomaCafe, Kálmán Balogh and the Khamoro Ensemble.

1ST NATIONAL MEETING OF ROMA POETS AND WRITERSOrganizer: Roma Minority Local Government of Pécs

In the past few decades Hungary was the first country inthe region to take steps for the acceptance of the Gipsylanguage as a literary language.In the late 60s two important writers emerged: KárolyBali’s works mainly appeared in Hungary; however,“Füstös képek” (Smoky Pictures) by Menyhért Lakatoswas translated into fifty languages.

The first pioneer of writing in the Gipsy language wasJózsef Choli Daróczi, who translated the work ofnumerous Hungarian poets and was also the first to workon the translation of the Bible into Gypsy as well. Thewriters József Hódosi, Béla Osztolykán, Géza Csemer, andthe poets József Kovács Hontalan, Gyula Horváth,Mónika Kalányos, József Rigó and many other youngpoets have gained popularity in the past few decades.

The organizers are planning to publish an anthology ofthe selected works of the writers and poets attendingthe event in cooperation with the ECoC project.

CONFERENCE ON THE PRESENT AND FUTURE OF ROMA CULTURE Date: 17 September 2010Organizer: Roma Minority Local Government of Pécs

By summarizing the achievements of the Gypsyproductions and events organised throughout thepreparatory years of the ECoC program, the conferenceon the “Present and Future of Roma Culture” can createan opportunity for promoting sustainable development inthis field of culture and define the place and role of Romaculture and art on the cultural map of Pécs.

ICON EXHIBITION FROM SLIVENDate: 2010Venue: Cella SeptichoraOrganizer: Pécs/Sopianae Heritage Nonprofit Ltd.,Bulgarian Minority Local Government of Pécs.

In 2010, an exchange of exhibitions will take plye betweenPécs and Sliven, Bulgaria. The Vasarely exhibition will goto Sliven, and the “Icons from Sliven” exhibition will cometo Pécs. The material for the latter will be provided bySliven’s Art Gallery. Catalogues will be published in bothBulgarian and English with an introduction in Hungarian.

NOTES:

Pécs

Istanbul

Ruhr-Area

< 2010 km >

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