Turku

Turku and Tallinn are European Capitals of Culture in the year 2011.

The European Capital of Culture Turku has adopted a wide definition of culture: culture touches everyone and is an integral part of both everyday life and festivities. And, in its many forms, culture does good to the people and the environment. This year has been an excellent opportunity to demonstrate this fact in various different ways.

Turku 2011 Programme consists of more than 160 projects including approximately 5000 individual events. The events and other 2011 actions have been created by some 15 000 people. Among these there are acknowledged international and national artists, but also ten thousand local inhabitants creating a new cultural communality. In addition to the cultural arenas, culture can be found at unconventional places, such as senior housing, hospitals, the state prison, churches and remote islands.

We in Turku wish that this new tradition of encounter between different fields of art and culture  as well as many other meaningful acts launched this year, will continue in the future and play a part in increasing the well-being of the people and environment alike.