Ljubljana to try for 2025 European Capital of Culture title
Ljubljana, 22 May - Ljubljana, a city of high cultural standards, is targeting the European Capital of Culture title for 2025, head of the city's culture committee Mateja Demšič told a session of the Ljubljana city council on Monday. Concrete activities to secure the bid will get under way this year.
Ljubljana
Ljubljana to try for 2025 EU Capital of Culture title.
Photo: Tamino Petelinšek/STA
File photo.
Ljubljana expects a call for applications to be published by the Ministry of Culture in January 2019 and to subsequently close in October 2019.
Demšar stressed that last year's figures on culture in the city proved Ljubljana was a city with high cultural standards and great creative diversity which can undoubtedly compare to other European capitals.
In the area covered by the municipality, there are 11 public cultural institutes employing 623 people.
Apart from that, the city allocated last year EUR 422,000 for 105 cultural projects by individuals and small NGOs and made available EUR 425,600 for amateur cultural clubs.
Among other highlights in Ljubljana's recent cultural activity, Demšar pinpointed to the renovated Švicarija, a former cultural hotspot located in Ljubljana's Tivoli Park, which was handed over for management to International Centre of Graphic Arts.
Councillors welcomed the report, with opposition Democrats (SDS) councillor Mojca Škrinjar labelling culture as one of the best fields of Ljubljana.
Apart from the capital, Lendava, a small town in the north-east of the country, will also compete for the 2025 title, after having announced the bid last year.