Marseilles picked as culture capital

Marseilles has been chosen as the European Capital of Culture 2013.

The city, one of the oldest settlements in France, beat Bordeaux, Lyon and Toulouse for the title.

Culture Minister Christine Albanel said the decision, taken by an independent jury – six French and six from other EU nations – had been unanimous.

Among its planned celebrations will be the 100th anniversary of the birth of Albert Camus who saw the city as ‘a gate to the east’.

“Today, the major cultural questions Europe is called on to address are eminently Mediterranean,” said campaign director Bernard Latarjet who added that immigration, clashes of cultures and religions, gender relations and natural resources were all top political priorities.

The city themed its bid on Les Ateliers de la Mediterrannée which translates as both ‘workshops of the Mediterranean’ or ‘melting pot of the Mediterranean’.

Backed by neighbouring towns in the Provence area, Marseilles’s has proposed a budget of presented an ambitious package featuring 74 artistic projects for a budget of 98 million euros.

The cost of the project will be financed by the city, the surrounding communes, department, region and state.

Between now and 2013, the city plans to open up to 250 workshops to train artists. Ten pilot projects are already open and 50 are set to be created in 2009.

The city is also planning to begin a festival called Intermed, to encourage ‘contemporary Mediterranean culture’.

Photo:Ville de Marseille