Lublin 2016 – Appendix - Kultura Enter

Open Lviv
Lviv’s extraordinary history begins in 13th c. Thanks to its unique location on the East-West trails
the city became a centre of East European trade. Exposed to European culture for half a millenium
Lviv became a pearl of architecture, vivid centre of literature, handcraft and art. With the population
of million citizens contemporary Lviv is regarded as a cultural and tourist capital of Ukraine. And it
lies only 70 km from EU border.
Inviting Lviv to contribute to the European Capital of Culture programme is not only the consequence
of a long and multi-stranded policy of cooperation between both cities’ local governments, non-governmental
organizations and artists, but also a model example of how the Eastern Partnership should work.
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For centuries, Lublin has been a gateway between west and east. Nowadays, thanks to the Eastern
Partnership, it has become an active ambassador of the European Union beyond its eastern borders and
also a representative of eastern European countries in the European Union. Lublin’s and Lviv’s ECC
celebration will remind everyone that the countries of eastern Europe never really left the European
community. This is why we have invited Lviv’s vibrant cultural community to join in our long-term
preparations. Our joint 2016 programme encompasses artistic, educational and social initiatives which
will take place simultaneously in Lublin and in Lviv. “Open Lviv” showcases the city’s offering while
“L 2 : Empowering the Culture of Lublin and Lviv,” Lviv’s artistic invasion of Lublin, is described in
“Europa’s Journey to the East.”
The “Open Lviv” project is the outcome of long and intense cooperation between Lviv’s and Lublin’s
cultural communities, which has so far resulted in such projects as “L2: Empowering the Culture of
Lublin and Lviv,” “The Power of Art,” “Ukrainian Zriz,” “The Current Art Week,” and “Fortmission.”
They have all created a space of authentic dialogue between creative communities,
institutions, and residents of both cities, while in the process changing the two nations’ perception of
each other. Lviv is Lublin’s strategic partner in the programming work and the process of preparation
for the ECC. The training of culture and EU cultural policy managers has been an integral part of the
cultural exchange. Roman Hankewicz and Iryna Magdysz, Ukrainian managers and producers invited
for long-term residencies, have observed the work of Lublin’s Culture 2020 team and relayed the ECC
knowhow to Lviv’s cultural institutions.
To prepare a project meeting European standards and to engage their residents, the Lviv community
has founded a consortium of key culture operators: the local government, cultural institutions,
non-governmental organizations, and private individuals. The consortium has analysed the current
situation of Lviv’s institutional and noninstitutional culture and, on the basis of the ECC criteria and
guidelines, has prepared a cultura development strategy for the city. The process has been dynamic,
with unprecedented interest from cultural communities. The consortium has elected the “Dialogue”
Lviv Artistic Council with 60 members. The council continues to work on the cultural development
and communication strategy, support the growth of civil society, and monitor the process of change
through culture. No earlier project in Lviv has resonated socially with such force or so consolidated
the cultural community around shared goals. Once initiated, these changes cannot be undone.
In response to the problems identified, the “Dialogue” Lviv Artistic Council has inspired numerous
artistic, educational and social projects, focusing on showcasing contemporary culture, which by
dissociating itself from the totalitarian heritage seeks to show Ukraine’s new face and its European
aspirations. Three key project types planned for September 2016 have been identified: framework,
strategic and individual projects.
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