Chemnitz 2025: EU delegation brings a breath of fresh air to the Capital of Culture

Chemnitz 2025: EU delegation brings a breath of fresh air to the Capital of Culture

A significant meeting took place in Chemnitz on September 18, 2025, when a delegation from the European Parliament's Culture and Education Committee visited the city. Mayor Sven Schulze received the guests together with Andrea Pier and Stefan Schmidtke, the managing directors of the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025 gGmbH. The focus was on the so-called white paper, which was presented on the occasion of 40 years of European Capitals of Culture. This paper presents 40 concrete proposals to improve the selection processes and legal bases initiated by Chemnitz and Nova Gorica, the 2025 Capitals of Culture. Chemnitz reports that...

“The title will not only have an impact in 2025,” emphasized Schulze. He sees the award as a long-term urban development project that should have far-reaching effects for the entire region with its 38 municipalities. It is important that the city does not see its cultural influence and responsibility limited to Chemnitz, but also stands up for the surrounding communities.

The content of the white paper

The white paper, which was presented on Friday in Chemnitz, is the result of a thorough analysis of 64 past and future cultural capitals. The core recommendations include strengthening European cooperation through uniform branding and introducing a simplified selection process to reduce bureaucratic hurdles for applicant cities. A fact-based review process is also proposed to make the evaluation fairer.

It is also emphasized that the concepts presented in the application documents should also represent binding commitments. National responsibility for supporting the winning cities should also be increased. “We also want experiences from different cities to be better shared,” added Andrea Pier. A platform for sharing best practices could be very helpful in this regard. Chemnitz 2025 describes...

European Capital of Culture – A look back

The series of European Capitals of Culture has existed since 1985, with the first European City of Culture titles being awarded. In recent years, the process has changed so that two cities usually receive the title at the same time. This meant that significant financial support and new impetus could be provided for the selected locations.

For 2025, Chemnitz had prevailed against seven competitors, including cities like Dresden and Nuremberg. On October 28, 2020, the decision was made in favor of Chemnitz, which now has the chance to present its cultural aspects in the best light and have a lasting influence on the city's development. Matthias Ecke, a member of the EU Parliament for Saxony, also pointed to the importance of Chemnitz as a historic industrial powerhouse and a platform for cultural innovation.

The history shows how closely the selection of cultural capitals is linked to European identity. Regardless of whether it is about support from the EU or active citizen participation in the cities - commitment to European culture is very important in Chemnitz and Nova Gorica. On Wikipedia you can find more about...