European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025 as a driver of regional development

In the presence of Minister President Michael Kretschmer, the Interministerial Working Group (IMAG) of the Saxon State Government for the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025 today gave an extremely positive interim assessment of the development of the city of Chemnitz and the Capital of Culture region in the title year to date. At the same time, she gave an outlook on future developments beyond 2025.

Positive response to the programme as well as in tourism and the hospitality industry

The European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025 has had a positive outcome so far. Both in the city of Chemnitz and in the surrounding area, the flagship projects, festivals and exhibitions have met with a great response from visitors, in some cases with new visitor records. Regional tourism and the hospitality industry have recorded significant growth, bucking the national trend.

Three months before the end of the European Capital of Culture year, the question now arises as to what remains and how much the success can continue to contribute to the positive development of the region beyond 2025. The European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025 as a driver and source of inspiration for future regional development was therefore at the centre of today's meeting of the IMAG of the Saxon State Government, which was attended by Minister President Michael Kretschmer, the Mayor of Chemnitz Sven Schulze, the Mayor of Callenberg Daniel Röthig and the Managing Directors of the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025 gGmbH, Andrea Pier and Stefan Schmidtke.

Aiming for long-term joint development of the city and region

The key objectives for long-term joint development for the city and region were presented by securing and continuing outstanding projects and brands of the European Capital of Culture 2025, including the Purple Path art and sculpture trail, the Makerhubs, the volunteer programme and the City of Chemnitz intervention areas.

The international legacy conference in April 2024 was the starting signal for legacy planning. Over the past few months, the strategic goals and basic areas of action of the legacy have been developed in numerous talks, discussions and a series of workshops.

At the same time, an agency from Saxony has been commissioned to draw up a regional development concept with the involvement of civil society, associations and regional institutions, supported by an online survey for the 38 municipalities. The initial interim results show that the basic objectives of the city and the region are predominantly the same.

In addition to the goal of strengthening social cohesion, for which a good basis has been laid with the diverse participation of citizens in the Capital of Culture year, the main objective is to retain young people and show them and their talents a perspective in the region as a whole. With the "ENTER - Young Capital of Culture" programme, which is supported by the German Federal Cultural Foundation with a total of 7.2 million euros between 2025 and 2029, an instrument for the city and region is already anchored in the legacy.

Another goal is to expand the joint and sustainable tourism marketing of the entire region with the newly created Chemnitz 2025 brands. The international profile of the city and region created with the European Capital of Culture is to be expanded by further networking municipalities, companies and other stakeholders, thereby strengthening the European identity. The European Capital of Culture process of the past eight years has created excellent conditions for this.

By the end of October, a joint legacy plan, which presents the intersection of common goals, fields of action and measures to the committees in draft form, is to be discussed and adopted by the beginning of 2026.

Minister President Michael Kretschmer: "The Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025 is a great success - for the city, the region and the whole of south-west Saxony. It has created lasting infrastructure, forged new networks and sparked a spirit of optimism. Culture has become a driving force for cohesion and democratic participation - supported by many people and strong partners. The state government will remain a reliable partner beyond 2025 and will continue to support the future path. Chemnitz has shown what is possible together. Now we need to maintain this momentum: C - the Unseen!"

Sven Schulze, Lord Mayor of the City of Chemnitz: "Our bid for the title of European Capital of Culture 2025 and now the programme were and are also successful because we did this together as and for the entire cultural region. This has led to a new kind of cooperation. In this respect, the European Capital of Culture year 2025 is not the end, but a great opportunity to give the cultural region, consisting of the city of Chemnitz and its neighbouring municipalities, a long-term perspective. We want to utilise this opportunity in the future with a shared legacy and the support of the Free State. The Capital of Culture is not a UFO that has brought us a programme from outside. Rather, the people in the city and the region essentially shaped the year - symbolised by the 1,300 volunteers in the volunteer programme and the great interest shown by people in participating in the Capital of Culture year with a wide range of ideas via the micro-project funding and the EUJA initiative funding programme. We definitely want to promote this commitment in the coming years and keep it alive."

Daniel Röthig, Mayor of Callenberg, spokesperson for the Regional Development Concept steering group and member of the European Capital of Culture 2025 Chemnitz Cultural Region Task Force: "The successful merger of 38 municipalities from the Zwickau region, the Ore Mountains and Central Saxony with the regional centres of Chemnitz and Zwickau for the European Capital of Culture 2025 has created a basis of trust that is a pleasure and obliges us to pull together much more often and more energetically for south-west Saxony in the future. Together, we want to keep the positive and motivating Capital of Culture feeling alive in our Makerhubs and attract many new national and international guests to the region with the Purple Path as an attractive centre of attraction. "

Stefan Schmidtke, Programme Director of the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025 GmbH: "Chemnitz 2025 impressively demonstrates what long-term investment in art, culture, sport and participation can achieve. In Chemnitz and the Capital of Culture region, we are seeing self-confident people who are actively involved in shaping the city and visitors for whom the high-quality cultural programme is a reason to travel. In 2026, Chemnitz will host the international 'Theatre of the World' festival, a nationally significant theatre event. The extensive commitment and support of the Free State will make a decisive contribution to making Chemnitz 2025 an exemplary and lasting success for the whole of Saxony.

Background

The Interministerial Working Group (IMAG) "Chemnitz European Capital of Culture 2025" is a committee of all ministries at the level of state secretaries who support the city of Chemnitz on its way to becoming the European Capital of Culture 2025. It is chaired by the Commissioner for the European Capital of Culture 2025, State Secretary Prof Thomas Popp. The City of Chemnitz is involved in the IMAG, as is the federal government. The projects that are being jointly driven forward include, for example, urban development and transport projects, the revitalisation of industrial monuments and the creation of creative spaces. However, projects in the areas of civic engagement, integration and the promotion of democracy are also being developed. The IMAG was established in November 2021 and has met 14 times to date.