Umeå2014 – a year full of experiences

During three whole days, the European Capital of Culture year in Umeå is celebrating its official launch. The festivities during the weekend 31 January to 2 February 2014 offer a tasty preview of an entire year filled with delicious and diverse cultural activities.

Take part of a multitude of co-creative activities, framed by snow, ice and light in many forms. The experience will also be enhanced with music, art, speeches, sports and much more.

• City of Winter invites you to a spectacle of artwork in snow, ice, fire and video.
  
• Lit City shines new light on buildings and the artwork throughout Umeå’s city centre.
  
• Sápmi Today turns the heart of the city into a contemporary and futuristic Sami meeting place.
  
• Soundscapes provide the musical setting and provide Umeå with a new landscape of sound.
  
• Umeå Today transforms Rådhusesplanaden into one long stage of art, speeches, fires and more.
  
• Words Needed focuses on the importance of language through moving text on snow walls.
  
  
• Burning Snow is the high point, the official opening ceremony at 17.00 on Saturday 1 February placed on the Umeälven river. The snow will burn and you will be treated with sounds from both national and international artists, including Inga Juuso, Ulla Pirttijärvi and Sofia Jannok.
  

“The Opening Weekend will give a pulse to the whole of Umeå, it will be amazing. We will be part of a truly unique experience“, says Marie-Louise Rönnmark, Mayor of Umeå.

But, as we just said, we are only getting started. The Capital of Culture year in Umeå is packed with lots of activities throughout the year that is divided into eight Sami seasons.

Festivals, exhibitions, concerts, poetry, literature and sports. Discover everything in detail on www.umea2014.se.