1. INTRODUCTION & GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS 2 Galway 2020 / Bid Book Two
1.1 Why does your city wish to take part in the competition for the title of European Capital of Culture? 1.1.1 THIS IS WHY… We need to unlock the vast cultural capacity of Galway City and County which, for reasons of economic social and sectoral challenges, is inhibited from finding full expression in citizenship, inclusivity and creativity. Making Waves, with Europe's support, is the key to achieving our ambition. As Europeans, we share experiences and values which bind us in a common purpose. The ECOC creates a secure space in which to celebrate and exchange our cultural diversity. There is much we can learn from our fellow Europeans and there is much of our culture which we want to share with them. And when we travel this path of exchanging our stories it will lead to creative synergies and boundless possibilities. 1.1.2 THIS IS WHO WE ARE… The people of Galway are known for their fierce independence, forged by resistance to centuries of oppression and the harshness of our way of life on the western edge of Europe. A spirit of self-sufficiency – of being in control of one’s destiny – of being united in community – are the qualities that distinguish the people of Galway like nowhere else in Ireland. We were always travellers (seafarers and airfarers) and our roots have spread not only to Europe but to the Americas also. For example, 33m people in the USA (10% of population) claim Irish ancestry. Galway may be at the edge of Europe but we also see ourselves as being at the centre of a web of international cultures. Our remoteness can help our perspective when looking East and West. We have an openness and a talent for brokering partnership and friendship. Galway’s achievement in attracting European and American business is mirrored in the multiple European programme partnerships Galway 2020 has already created. Galway City is a vibrant city and an exemplary success story in terms of innovation in tourism, technology and culture. It is young (35% under 25) and cosmopolitan (24% are nonnationals). Yet, there is evidence that economic instability and a lack of investment in cultural sustainability are threatening its integrity. Galway County on the other hand, while being one of the most beautiful places on earth, has been in social decline for many years – rural depopulation and a fundamental shift in traditional values have devastated the fabric of rural society. In Ireland and in Galway, old certainties have been replaced by a new reality. Leaders of Church and State are judged to have betrayed the trust of their people. Many of our young people have left and many more from around the world have chosen to make their homes here, which has created sadness and joy in equal measure. The old order has changed and the clock cannot be reversed. We identify in ourselves a microcosm of the current existential challenges to Europe and our core values as Europeans. We bring to our ECOC bid both empathy and optimism and a resolution to develop and strengthen our bonds with the diverse cultures of Europe. 1.1.3 THIS IS WHAT WE DISCOVERED… Framed in a European context and guided by Galway’s Cultural Strategy, we embarked on a huge public engagement process in preparation for our ECOC bid. Many European examples were reviewed and the experience/plans of Aarhus and Leeuwarden in particular, struck a familiar chord with our participants. For our bid to have integrity, it had to resonate with the deeper truths and needs of our society. We learned more than we could have imagined. Broken dreams and helplessness were common themes but so too were courage and hope. Cynicism about effective democracy was counterpointed by a determination to engender self-motivation and self-reliance. The challenge being put to the ECOC bid was to shape a proposition that would be focused on the empowerment of our communities, particularly our young creative artists (the new wave), so as to give full expression to their reality, and their potential, in a challenging world. The engagement process can be distilled to the following conclusions: ~ ~ The harmony that once was the hallmark of Galway City and County is now an urban/rural divide of stark contrasts – old families bereft, new families lacking integration. The innate empathy in our communities yearns for leadership and purpose, and a new sense of belonging. ~ ~ Our artistic community, which has achieved so much with so little in the past, is in urgent need of strategic investment and renewal so as to assure future capacity, opportunity and sustainability. Solutions are most likely to be found by looking outward. ~ ~ It is readily acknowledged that Europe has made enormous economic and social investment in Ireland. It is not therefore surprising that we are now reaching out to Europe, as never before, for solidarity and inspiration, not expressed in EURO but in the more enduring currency of culture. Introduction & General Considerations 3
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