Head of European Capital of Culture selection committee visits Tallinn

On a visit to Tallinn until Tuesday 17 February is Sir Robert Scott, the current chairman of the selection committee for the European Capital of Culture, who is here to check on the preparations for Tallinn’s year as the cultural capital in 2011.

His five-day visit will feature a number of high-profile meetings: today, 15 February Sir Robert will meet with Mikko Fritze, the director of the Tallinn 2011 Foundation; on Monday 16 February meetings are planned with Tallinn mayor Edgar Savisaar and deputy mayor Kaia Jäppinen and representatives of the Ministry of Culture; and on Tuesday 17 February Sir Robert will meet President Toomas Hendrik Ilves at Kadriorg.

Sir Robert was elected to the head of the selection committee for the European Capital of Culture by the European Commission in 2008. Part of his role is to monitor the preparation processes of those cities chosen as cultural capitals. He was one of the driving forces behind and leading advisers on Liverpool’s candidacy for the title of European Capital of Culture, which the city held last year. He also acted as an adviser in the early stages of Tallinn’s candidacy for the title.

Tallinn 2011 Foundation director Mikko Fritze says that Sir Robert has been unwavering in his support of Tallinn since the very beginning and that his many years of experience in the preparations of cultural capitals means that Tallinn could have no better adviser.

Sir Robert is also the chair of the Greenwich Conservatory of Music and Dance and the chair of the Granada Foundation in Manchester. He was a member of the Manchester Olympic Committee and a founding member and director of Manchester’s Centre of Film and Visual Art.

The European Capital of Culture programme dates back to 1983 when, on the proposal of then Greek Minister of Culture Melina Mercouri, the ministers of culture of the European Community decided that one European city each year would be named the European Capital of Culture. The aim was to promote intercultural dialogue, engender respect for cultural differences and bring the people of Europe closer together. It was also hoped that greater attention would be turned to culture within the European Community. Athens was named the first European Capital of Culture in 1985.

February 15