„Kaunas – European Capital of Culture 2022,” is preparing for an extraordinary event: in September, the European Capital of Culture year-long program, put together with many partners, will be unveiled. At the international press conference on September 22, the details of the programs of „Kaunas 2022” and other European Capitals of Culture – „Esch 2022 „and „Novi Sad 2022 „- will be presented to the international and national audience of journalists. After the press conference, „Kaunas – European Capital of Culture 2022” will be inviting to the fourth European Capital of Culture Forum, dedicated to a detailed review and evaluation of the „Kaunas 2022” program.
September 23-24 The curators and program partners of the six Kaunas 2022 programs will speak about the vision of the Capital of Culture, the results of the activities developed over five years, the most remarkable achievements, the lessons learned from the Capital of Culture that influenced the program and – most importantly – about the brightest projects and events in 2022. „The annual European Capital of Culture Forum, established in Kaunas back in 2018, is the first initiative of this format in the European Capitals of Culture network. It’s highly proven, in demand among local cultural practitioners, valued internationally. The leaders, curators, and producers of the European Capitals of Culture network regularly share their experiences at the Forum. It has also become a place for networking. Many Kaunas cultural organizations have turned the creative contacts established during the Forum into international art projects for 2022. In this year’s Forum, titled „Being the European Stage,” we want to not only announce what will be on the stage of Kaunas and Kaunas district but also to share what was going on behind the scenes in five years. The organizers of the forthcoming European Capitals of Culture are especially looking forward to this information,” said Virginija Vitkienė, the head of Kaunas 2022.
This live meeting will provide a opportunity to gather and exchange the latest news from each European Capital of Culture program. In 2022, Kaunas will become European cultural scene – there will be more events than days in a year. The Kaunas – European Capital of Culture 2022 program, will flood Kaunas and Kaunas district’s usual and unexpected spaces. It will be hard to escape culture: Kaunas residents and guests will be awarded world-class exhibitions and premieres of plays, works of public art, performing arts displays in cozy chamber spaces, and a new quality of mass events in Kaunas and Kaunas district. Kaunas 2022 program features over 1000 events. Next year over 40 festivals, over 60 exhibitions, more than 250 performing arts events (of which – more than 50 premieres), and more than 250 concert performances will take place.
According to Anna Kočegarova-Maj, the head of the Kaunas 2022 program, the program of the Capital of Culture is limitless. Therefore, this year the largest Kaunas 2022 discussion platform – the European Capital of Culture Forum – was dedicated solely to it and the detailed exploration of which projects will form the program and what results are already being enjoyed today. „Also, the Forum participants will learn about the participants’ experience of the program, the partnerships developed in Kaunas and Kaunas district. The topic of program sustainability might be touched upon too. The press conference and Forum are like the last glance at the path traveled, which will begin the countdown to the actual start of 2022. In the cycle of September events, Kaunas will be the focus of attention throughout Europe for about a week. Many foreign colleagues, currently taking the initial steps of their own Capital of Culture projects, have already expressed their desire to participate. Local and foreign media representatives have also expressed interest in visiting Kaunas for the first time, and I hope they will bring back good impressions. In parallel with the press conference and forum, we will organize a congress of the European Capitals of Culture network, which will attract about 130 organizers of past and future Capitals of Culture to Kaunas,” said A. Kočegarova-Maj.
The Forum’s organizers will invite the participants to visit the different cultural spaces of the city related to the 2022 program and the Capitals of Culture partnerships. The event’s program, which will last as long as two days – September 23 and 24 – will be complemented by cultural content, as usual. Kaunas 2022 invites you to register for the Forum events and watch the program updates on www.forumas.kaunas2022.eu . The number of registration spots for different forum sessions is limited; therefore, the Forum organizers invite participants to register as early as possible. The press conference and Forum will be broadcast live on www.facebook.com/kaunas2022, recordings will be posted on www.kaunas2022.eu.
