Turku 2011 European Capital of Culture Jukka Saukkolin Research & Development Manager Culture Does Good: Well-being and Communality

Turku 2011

Turku Tallinn

DECISION No 1622/2006/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL The decision covers the years Every city has to present and realise a specifically created cultural programme with a European dimension based principally on cultural cooperation Highlight cultural diversity in Europe Foster cooperation between cultural operators, artists and cities Highlight the common aspects of European cultures Alongside with the ’European dimension’ the cultural programme must realise ’City and Citizens’ entity. Foster the participation of the citizens Be sustainable and an integral part of the long term cultural and social development of the city

The Bidding Process

Long and wide preparation process - thousands involved - unanimous decision

Turku 2011 Strategy

Turku 2011 Principles - ’grounded theory’ Broad definition of ’culture’ Encounters and new cross-sectoral cooperation Communality and wide participation Long-term impacts and city development Goals: Foster creative industries and infrastructures Strenghten international cooperation Provide well-being through culture

Official nomination November 2007 Open call for projects in over 1000 applications submitted

Avajaiset The Grand Opening

Turku 2011 Programme The programme is an entity made up of approx. 160 projects. About 75 % of the programme projects have been selected from the open call The projects produce approx events of which 3500 are open for all audiences Nearly people will take part in the projects as employees, trainees or volunteers. About 80 % from Turku and the region, about 10 % from other parts of Finland and about 10 % mostly from other European countries Over 60 different countries are represented in the projects Including exhibitions, performances, concerts, public art, seminars and conferences etc

Culture does good… … for the city’s dynamism and creativity – for creative industries. In cultural cities things are made to happen and activities abound. … for the city’s attractiveness – for internationality. People are willing to spend time in cities of culture and come back again and again. … for the city’s residents and urban communities. Culture has positive impacts on health and well-being, and art is an important channel for emotions, self-expressions and communication Communality is at the heart of every positive impacts culture has on the city and its residents.

Six different approaches to the theme Turku 2011 Well-being Programme projects (over 60 projects total) focus on the topics of well-being and health as well as the underlying principle of communality in the following themes: Cultural Encounters and Interaction Cultural Exercise and Active Participation Mental Health Healing Power of Storytelling Culture at Your Reach Environment and Ecology

Turku 2011 Evaluation Programme

Project Examples

The Neighbourhood Weeks Cultural Encounters and Interaction

Cultural Exercise and Participation

Hair Participation and Communality

Many Stories of Being Mental Health

Verso: Literary Art For Children Healing Power of Storytelling

Individual cultural plans for people in senior housing Culture at your Reach

Turku kulttuuriohjelma ja hyvinvointi Environment Flux Aura

Research Projects

New Professorship in Cultural Research On Health and Wellbeing Combining research of 4 Faculties

Turku 2011 Evaluation Programme

29 Turku 2011 National Surveys

The people who are more active culturally tend to have better quality of life (Taloustutkimus 2011)

City of Cultural Well-Being

EViva! Preventive Stimulative Leisure Time Action Programme Kulttuuri-, liikunta- ja nuorisotoimi

33 Number of times of visits to Turku 2011 events ”How many separate times have you visited Turku 2011 events of Turku cultural sites?”

34 Experiences of Turku 2011 events ”What are your experiences in general of the Turku 2011 events that you have visited and the Turku 2011 cultural sites that you have visited? Are they…”

Corporate Partners of the Turku 2011 Foundation

Some possible long-term impacts Well-being: The importance of culture for urban development and for the wellbeing of individuals and communities will be understood more widely. Attitudes towards culture will freshen up and the level of cultural activity will rise. Creative industries: The infrastructures of creative industries and the whole cultural field in Turku and the region will strengthen. The new networks between culture and other sectors will carry on. Internationality: The cultural actors and the city have gained many new international contacts which will make the cultural work in the region even more international in the future.