Avalanche of events for Vilnius - European Capital of Culture 2009

The national programme Vilnius - European Capital of Culture 2009 consists of 6 thematic fields: Special Events, Conferences and Conventions, European Art Programme, Culture (Re)Discovery Programme, Living History Programme and People Programme. The programme is intended for different audiences including gourmets of various arts, devoted lovers of specific genres and the general public. Plans are to implement nearly 100 projects, 90 per cent of which are premieres in Lithuania and 80 per cent are run in co-operation with artists from round the globe. Ten projects including Hamlet by Oskaras Korsunovas and co-production of opera Love and Other Demons by Peter Eôtvôs are co-financed by Lithuania and other countries. Vilnius residents and visitors will be invited to over 700 events, two thirds being free of charge. The outcomes of European capital of culture will step beyond the end of 2009. These include new infrastructural objects: the National Art Gallery, the multifunctional culture centre Art Printing House and works of art by the country's most prominent sculptors on the bank of Neris River. We wish to develop new cultural traditions, such as Lithuanian Capital of Culture elections, LUX Festival of Lights, Street Musician Day and Let There be Night! Festival; we will co-operate in creating 11 new pieces of music- and hopefully all that will live far beyond 2009.

Vilnius is introducing the national programme Vilnius - European Capital of Culture 2009 with nearly 100 unique projects, more than 700 events and the message to the world: Vilnius -European capital of culture opens the gate to the country which celebrates its name millennium.

Partners of the national programme include both Lithuania's most important institutions for culture (Lithuanian Art Museum, Lithuanian National Philharmonic, Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre, Contemporary Art Centre, etc.), globally recognised Lithuanian artists (Oskaras Korsunovas, Arunas Matelis etc.) and young creators, newly emerging culture institutions. What is more, co-operation involves influential foreign networking organisations (European Festival Association (EFA), International Network for Contemporary Performing Arts (IETM) etc.) and the most famous troupes (St Petersburg Maria Theatre, London Symphony Orchestra, the European League of Institutes of the Arts ELIA, etc). Prompted to take active part in the projects (My yard/art yard. People Programme Foundation, etc.), Vilnius local communities and different social groups also play an important role.

The flow of tourists is expected to increase. Estimations are that at least 3 million people will visit the events of the national programme Vilnius - European Capital of Culture 2009.