Aarhus 2017 supports 39 new cultural projects with almost 14 million DKK

Through this autumn’s OPEN CALL, European Capital of Culture Aarhus 2017 supports 39 new cultural projects that rethink. Audiences can look forward to rediscovering the forgotten sounds of the Region, order an experience of Danish-Taiwanese dance, a rethinking of everyday activism and reliving the Reformation the way it was. 13,999,080 DKK was awarded in grants to the projects, which are part of the official programme for the Capital of Culture. The Secretariat for Aarhus 2017 received 228 applications.

39 Danish and international projects have received the news that they are part of the official programme for European Capital of Culture Aarhus 2017. The projects will be part of a Capital of Culture year that offers a cornucopia of inviting, vibrant and experimental cultural experiences, challenging us to go beyond our comfort zone and test our cultural limits using art and culture to rethink.

Programme Director of Aarhus 2017 Juliana Engberg said this about the chosen projects:

“Our OPEN CALL was looking for cultural projects with a strong international dimension and projects that stand out with original ideas and cross collaborations across art forms. We have chosen projects that demonstrate high artistic values, extend our reach into the world, bring the world to Aarhus, and show strong willingness to present the unexpected. Upper most in our mind was also that the projects had the potential for wide audience appeal,” says Juliana Engberg and elaborates:

“Many of the projects showcase the special strengths of Denmark in it’s pursuit of social improvements, design and liveability factors and value-add to our emphasis on Sustainability, Diversity and Democracy,” says Juliana Engberg.

In 2017, audiences can experience The European Medieval Festival with their project ‘The Reformation in Flesh and Blood’, which mirrors medieval life in 1517, bringing the audience closer to reliving History. Bora Bora’s wonderful project ‘Dance your neighbor’ brings citizens closer together in the village Røgen in Favrskov.

The theatre Katapult rethinks theatre with their 3D-project ’Human Nature’ and creates new standards for live performance. The project takes place as dramatic sound design in several municipalities. Here, the recordings of sound point towards a stage production at Katapult in September 2017, where every member of the audience wears headphones. In the years after, sound bites from the production will live on as AudioMove in the region and invite future audiences to new experiences.  

In Aarhus, the municipality’s Department for Children and Young People through the project ’European Youth Consensus’ rethinks the inclusion of children and young people in the political and democratic discussion. The project aims at giving the younger generation a clearer and bigger voice in cultural and political Europe. In 2017, the city will host a week-long European summit, and the goal is to carry the concept to future European Capitals of Culture.    

Among the international projects, the Capital of Culture year presents experimental German electronic musician Cristian Vogel, who with the new scenic production ‘The Ballad of Agnete and the Merman’ rethinks the famous old folktale by combining advanced 4D Sound technology and electronic compositions.

The 39 projects are within cultural areas such as music, theatre, dance, literature, performance, design, visual arts, architecture, sport and film. Aarhus 2017 has presented more than 100 projects that are part of the programme.

See an overview of earlier presented projects. 

On 21 January 2016, CEO of Aarhus 2017 Rebecca Matthews and Programme Director Juliana Engberg will present new highlights from the programme at a press conference.

Download press release.

See an overview of the 39 new projects (in Danish).