A transformation
\nthat requires years of careful planning, a strong team, dialogue and the
\nsupport of the main donors, as well as lots of patience. The association
\nstarted the year 2019 ready for assessing an open call, launched in December 2018
\nand titled SEARCHLIGHT, a participatory cultural initiative targeting the
\nlarger audience. Simona Neumann explains:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Simona Neumann:
\nActually, by means of the Searchlight
\ninitiative – an open call for project proposals – we want to involve the
\npublic, NGOs and cultural institutions that have not yet had the chance to take
\npart in the creation of the Timisoara 2021 cultural project. To open a gate of
\nopportunities for such participation, to promote ideas other than those
\nincluded in the application file. We were anxious to receive innovative and
\nsustainable projects, which can be continued after 2021. And of course,
\nprojects that cover the European dimension needed for their inclusion into such
\na program. We had three thematic areas: places, people and connections. We
\nreceived 72 proposals, out of which the jury selected 23, which meet all the
\nselection criteria and have a realistic budget, based on co-funding.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Those interested
\nin taking a look at the 23 winning projects can see a concentration of ideas
\nand names that are ‘different’, in all the three thematic areas. Most of them
\nare quite playful with letters and concepts, and the results are surprising,
\neven for a cynical viewer. Mention should be made of the fact that the
\nAssociation does not finance projects; its role is actually that of a magnet
\nthat attracts people and ideas that are to be integrated into a single entity
\nfor the year 2021. Simona Neumann, the executive director of the Association
\ntold us what happens to the selected projects.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Simona Neumann:
\nThe Board of the Association is
\nscheduled to conduct a review. This will include, of course, the 3 providers of
\npublic funding, namely the Timisoara City Hall, the Timis County Council and
\nthe Ministry of Culture, alongside private operators. We will be looking at the
\nrealistic financing options for this year and, depending on this, we will see
\nwhether we can launch a second call for proposals. This is very important for a
\nprogramme of this scope, because Timisoara 2021 has not only local and national
\ncoverage, but a European dimension as well. The fact that for 2 consecutive
\nyears we have only received 30% of the funding planned for this programme made
\nit impossible for us to hire more people in the executive team. They would have
\nbeen in charge, among other things, of a much closer relation with the mass
\nmedia. And I mean both classical, mainstream media, and online influencers and
\nopinion leaders.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
In the nearly 7
\nyears since she joined the Association, Mrs Neumann says, the relationship with
\nthe media has grown and changed. Whereas in the beginning there was a lot of
\nsuspicion, and many voices claimed Timisoara stood no chance of becoming a
\nEuropean Capital of Culture, in time the attitude of journalists, particularly
\nlocal ones, has transformed dramatically. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Both mainstream
\nand online journalists have come to understand how this programme works.
\nMoreover, they felt compelled to take a stand against those who crossed the
\nboundaries of civilized criticism, as Simona Neumann puts it, and to defend
\nthe Timisoara 2021 programme using viable arguments. Beyond just being
\nchannels of communication, in the best possible sense of the word, people in
\nthe media are becoming ambassadors of Timisoara 2021.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
As soon as the
\nannouncement was made about Timisoara winning the nomination, the Association
\nmembers were warned about something that usually happens in the cities named
\nEuropean capitals of culture: controversies emerge, accusations are made. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Simona Neumann:
\nThe expectations are high and some
\npeople don’t have the patience or the willingness to understand that such a
\nprogramme is very closely monitored by Brussels. There are clearly defined
\nstages which cannot be skipped. They want it all and they want it now, they
\nwant balloons and fireworks today, metaphorically speaking.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
If 2021 is just
\nthe beginning, then the skies of the beautiful and cosmopolitan Timisoara city
\nwill be filled with many balloons and fireworks. And they will bring about
\nothers, in the years to come. European Capital of Culture is not just a
\ndesignation, but, more importantly, it is an opportunity for change offered to
\nlocal communities.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201c2021 is just the beginning, in my vision; the beginning of a transformation says Simona Neumann, the executive director of the \u2018Timisoara European Capital of Culture 2021 Association.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":115,"featured_media":50395,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[44685],"tags":[44977,32935,44978,34557,29645],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-162411","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-of-culture","tag-neumann","tag-ngos","tag-searchlight","tag-simona","tag-timisoara"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n