REMIX FUTURE - Digital Press Day ESCH2022

Countdown for Esch2022: The European Capital of Culture will launch one year from now

The large-scale project marks the start of a sustainable development drive in the crossborder region

Exactly one year remaining, as the European Capital of Culture Esch2022 will officially open in February 2022. For this unique occasion, the southern Luxembourg city of Esch-Alzette has joined forces with 10 neighbouring municipalities in Luxembourg and the 8 municipalities in the French border region forming the ‘Communauté de Communes Pays Haut Val d’Alzette’ (CCPHVA). Over the course of nearly a year, this region, whose history has been shaped by ore mining, will showcase its social and cultural diversity through around 140 projects. Together with its project partners and supporters, the Esch2022 project team presented the programme of events during a digital press day.

The collaboration of municipalities on the Luxembourg and French side of the border is characteristic for Europe, as these communities have always cultivated close transnational ties, not least due to their shared industrial past and recent economic redevelopments. The joint implementation of the European Capital of Culture mandate is therefore a logical step. ‘The appointment as European Capital of Culture offers the unique opportunity to present not only our region, but also Europe’s core values and visions through art and culture as well as the dynamic cross-border development of the southern region with its shared cultural heritage’, explained Nancy Braun, General Director of Esch2022. ‘The aim of these events is to promote the sustainable development of the formerly industrial region by transforming it into an interesting, flexible and innovative home and tourist region. Esch2022 offers numerous long-term opportunities for tourism in the region.’

Remix Culture as the basis for the Esch2022 programme

The programme of events has been placed under the leitmotif of Remix Culture and aims to tell the story of an industrial region in the heart of Europe, while charting how its communities have lived through its developments. It revolves around identity and the European idea as core values.

The leitmotif Remix Culture, with its four sub-themes Remix Yourself, Remix Nature, Remix Art and Remix Europe, forms the basis for the programme that is currently being planned by the Esch2022 team together with its project partners. It includes nearly 140 projects implemented by municipalities and public bodies, cultural and social institutions, organisations and artists. The participation of citizens in the conception of these activities as well as the sustainable development of their region are essential characteristics of Esch2022. During the press day, some of them presented their projects, which have been grouped in the thematic clusters: Voices for the Future, Future Europeans, Sustainable Futures and Future Memories. Two additional categories – Performing Futures and Future Formarts – complete the thematic scope.

• Voices for the Future gives people and issues a voice in order to make them heard.

• Future Europeans describes projects with a cross-border or international focus.

• Sustainable Futures is about the sustainable development of the region or the environment.

• Future Memories builds a bridge between the past and the future. Here, projects are presented that are being used for a new purpose today or in the future.

• Performing Futures brings together performances and other performances.

• Digital projects, including art projects, are collected in the sub-theme Future Formarts.

‘The programme is extremely diverse and has something on offer for everyone’, explained Françoise Poos, Director of Cultural Programmes. ‘Through Esch2022 we want to tell the story of our region from the steel industry to the digital age.’ As part of this narrative, current social issues will be addressed: What is our identity? How do we create a sustainable society? How does art position itself in this context, particularly with regard to society and technology? Citizens and guests are invited to participate and express themselves.

Issues such as immigration in the multinational context of Luxembourg, but also the industrial heritage and development of the region into a leading hub for science and start-ups play a major role in the various projects. Throughout the year, numerous events will be organised in Esch-Alzette with established partner institutions such as the Theatre of Esch, the National Resistance Museum and the Belval district as well as with Le Pôle de l’image in Villerupt (France) and NEST-theater in Thionville (France). In addition, each month a different community will be under the spotlight.

Another large thematic block, the Future Memories, consists of projects that draw on historic events and developments, which are transposed into the present time or the future. Immigration and the coexistence of different cultures are further recurring themes in these projects. Music and theatre performances will be staged in various, partly atypical locations. Collaborations with renowned cultural institutions from across Europe, including Ars Electronica in Linz (Austria), the Center for Art and Media (ZKM) in Karlsruhe (Germany) and the House of Electronic Arts (HeK) in Basel (Switzerland), complement the Esch2022 programme. Performances will be staged at the Möllerei, which along with other buildings forms part of the protected industrial heritage of the Belval district of Esch, which is representative of the region’s dynamic transformation from an industrial location to a modern residential, work and nightlife district.

Urban Time Travel Belval, a Virtual Reality bus tour currently under development by the Esch2022 team together with its partners, is part of the wide range of tourist offers catering to locals and visitors alike throughout 2022.

Touristic and cultural highlights for locals and visitors

Tourism, culture and sustainable development are important cornerstones for Esch2022. The aim is to promote sustainable tourism and provide the diverse cross-border culture in the region with a platform that will contribute to its long-term development. In addition to the VR tour, a specially developed mobile application offers insider tips in the region, which can be explored as part of several different tours punctuated by numerous highlights. In addition, the Esch2022 team will publish its own printed travel guide at the end of the year. Locals and guests may for instance explore the region as part of the Minett Cycle Tour or the Minett Trail, and share their impressions on the Esch2022 travel blog. 

Local politics support Esch2022

Both the national states and the regional actors support the Esch2022 projects in a bid to raise public awareness of the activities on offer. Esch2022 is a special lever to reinvent North Lorraine in connection with Luxembourg especially in the fields of digital, teaching and research. Furthermore, artistic skills will be pooled across borders, including in research and education, and this will enhance the regional cultural offer. For Georges Mischo, President of Esch2022, this major project represents a unique opportunity to grow economically, touristically and culturally, but also to grow together even more in the border region. "For me, the goal of Esch2022 is that our citizens and our guests go home after an event or a tour with the thought that they would like to live here or would definitely like to visit us again. Our region simply belongs on their bucket list."

Esch2022 project partners

Various partners provide support in the preparation and implementation of the projects. The main task of the Esch partnerships team is to connect companies and project developers and to facilitate possible cooperation. ‘Especially in the current situation, we take courage from the fact that many partners stand by their commitment in order to make Esch2022 a success and to advance our region together in the long term’, noted Anne-Catherine Richard, Head of Partnerships. While some partnerships are about to be concluded, several more will be initiated in the coming weeks.

Outlook

The European Capital of Culture will open in February 2022. Preparations by the 25-strong project team, the project partners and the municipalities are in full swing so as to allow locals and visitors to discover or rediscover their homeland and the cross-border region during this special year. Other projects from the programme will be advertised through Esch2022’s own channels (website and social media) as well as by media representatives as part of further press breakfasts. The next press breakfast is scheduled for 29 April 2021.