Timișoara received good news from the European Commission on Culture regarding their mega-event Timișoara 2023 European Capital of Culture (TM2023): the programme for the event year has been updated and strengthened by a curatorial team a few weeks ago.
The revised programme respects both the strategic objectives of the bid book and the recent medical and travel requirements regarding COVID-19. In addition to the existing cultural operators, a number of new ones were added according to the following criteria: have developed projects after the ECoC title selection in line with the artistic vision of the project, winners in at least two funding sessions and have demonstrated consistency and a coherent programme over several years.
After Timosoara 2021 was officially postponed to 2023, in autumn 2021, the Municipality initiated a series of processes and changes to revitalise the TM2023 programme. The Municipality’s Centre for Projects launched an international call for curators and experts who would adapt the projects to the demands of the new international medical context and the artistic coherence and strategic coordination of Timișoara 2023.
The seven members of the Curatorial Team were selected by an independent jury in October 2021. Their role is to ensure, on behalf of the Municipality of Timișoara, the artistic coherence and strategic coordination of the TM2023. In mid-February they finalized an extremely important process: bringing the Cultural Programme TM2023 up to date.
You can read the updated version of the Cultural Programme here.
The European Commission wrote in a letter that the work of the Curatorial Team in recent months can provide "a solid basis for moving forward without delay".
“The revisited bid-book is clearly one of the strongest achievements in recent months and an essential milestone towards 2023, and surely the positive outcome of the huge endeavour of the new curatorial team, which provides the project with the artistic guidance and strong strategic expertise the panel was calling for”, said Barbara Gessler, Head of Unit, Creative Europe - European Commission and Directorate-General for Education and Culture.
“I am happy to see that this revisited programme is aligned on the thrust, vision and objectives of the original bid-book submitted by Timișoara, following the same stations and trails, and including partners initially mentioned. Many projects have the potential to reignite a sense of active citizenship in the city and in Europe, as has always been the intention of your European Capital of Culture”, added Barbara Gessler.
