Press release 10 November 2021

The winners of the European Cultural Brand Awards 2021 have been selected and will be honoured with an AURICA during individual events.

+++ Eliad Moreh-Rosenberg, curator and director of the Museum of Holocaust Art in Yad Vashem, will be honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

+++ Representatives of the European Capital of Culture Novi Sad 2022 receive the title "European Trend Brand of the Year”

+++ The Dresden Symphony Orchestra receives the unique Special Jury Prize for Innovation and Experimentation in Pandemic Times

From a total of 110 applications from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Belarus, France, Israel, Lithuania, Russia, Serbia and the Netherlands, 26 applicants have made it onto the shortlist for the European Cultural Brand Awards 2021. This year, ten award winners will be honoured for the first time in individual events in Europe. The first award ceremony will take place on 10 November 2021 at 11:30 a.m. in the Gewandhaus Dresden for Eliad Moreh-Rosenberg, the Cultural Capital Novi Sad 2022 and the Dresden Symphony Orchestra. Due to the very tense incidence situation in Saxony and a new Corona protection regulation, the originally planned award ceremony for all prize winners in a gala character at the Dresden Staatsoperette on 11 November 2021 has been cancelled. https://kulturmarken.de/veranstaltungen/kulturmarken-award.

The awards for innovative cultural management, trend-setting cultural marketing and sustainable cultural promotion, founded in 2006 by the cultural manager Hans-Conrad Walter, are now regarded as Europe's most advanced cultural prizes and honour forward-looking cultural projects in a total of eight competition categories. This year, a jury of 40 selected 10 prize winners from the 110 entries.

In the category "European Cultural Brand of the Year 2021", the jury chose BTHVN2020 (GER) as the biggest musical impulse generator of the last two years. In addition, the project convinced through consistent brand management with a lively brand identity.

"European Trend Brand of the Year 2021" is the European Capital of Culture Novi Sad 2022 (SRB) from Serbia. The jury was convinced by the programme and the overall appearance of the future Capital of Culture, which had applied with several small projects.

"European Cultural Manager of the Year 2021" is Jasmin Vogel, director of the Kulturforum Witten (GER). Her skills in strategy development, vision development and project development make her the shooting star of the competition.

The European Cultural Foundation (NL) from Amsterdam can be pleased about the title "European Cultural Investor". The Culture of Solidarity Fund was established in response to the coronavirus crisis and supports innovative cultural initiatives that cross European borders, professional sectors and artistic disciplines to offer collaborative solutions to urgent as well as systemic problems in the wake of the pandemic.

The "European Education Programme of the Year 2021" is the Eva Pfitzner Leserattenservice (GER). The project motivates children, young people and adults to read with unusual formats, including a reading world record with 30,000 participants.

Tourismus NRW e.V. (GER) receives the prize as "European Cultural Tourism Region of the Year 2021" for the digital campaign "100 Years of Joseph Beuys". An interdisciplinary network developed the cycling route "Beuys & Bike", overcoming the dilemma of leaving cultural tourists at the closed doors of an entire region in the pandemic.

The "European Prize for Urban Culture of the Year 2021" is awarded to the Brunnenpassage Wien (AT). Since 2007 a model project for transcultural art, the Brunnenpassage's impact has been felt far beyond Austria's borders. Over 400 events take place annually in the former market hall at Brunnenmarkt. Society in its diversity is the starting point for artistic creation. Partnerships with cultural institutions in the city centre are part of the concept.

The "European Award for Sustainability in the Cultural Market 2021" goes to the Lower Austrian Film Commission (AT) for the project EVERGREEN PRISMA, the Green Filming Initiative of the LOWER AUSTRIAN FILM COMMISSION for sustainable filmmaking. The combination of digital platform, practice-oriented outreach programme and cross-national networking represents the comprehensive toolkit of the initiative.

The cultural manager Eliad Moreh-Rosenberg (ISR) was born in Paris and studied art history in Jerusalem. Today she is curator and director of the Museum of Holocaust Art at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem and is responsible for the museum presentation of the history of the Holocaust. Eliad Moreh-Rosenberg has curated numerous exhibitions and presented them in numerous museums. "Humanity will prevail" is her central message. She will be honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award in the category "European Cultural Manager of the Year 2021".

The Dresden Symphony Orchestra (GER) is one of the leading symphony orchestras for contemporary music. The productions of the variable ensemble - musicians from almost all important European orchestras come together for this purpose on a project-by-project basis - have received numerous awards (UNESCO Special Prize "World Horizon", ECHO Klassik). With innovative music education and alternative concert formats, the Dresden Symphony Orchestra points the way to the future - fresh, exciting and at the highest musical level. For their innovations and their willingness to experiment in pandemic times, they receive a unique special prize from the jury, among others for the projects "Himmel über Prohlis" and "Elbkarawane".

The prize winners will be honoured within individual events with the AURICA, a 23-centimetre-high waxed bronze statue. AURICA, a Romanian girl's name meaning the golden one, carries everything that is so desirable: aura, aurum and eureka. The sculpture also stands for the excellence, attractiveness and diversity of the European cultural market and symbolises the valuable mediation work of European cultural providers and the outstanding commitment of European cultural promoters.

The European Cultural Brand Awards are funded by the Saxon State Ministry of Science, Culture and Tourism and the state capital Dresden, and the prize is sponsored by the Hoffbauer Foundation. The competition is also supported by over 60 other partners from the business world.

Press contact:

Press release July 29, 2021

CultureInvest! Congress 2021 published under the motto #transnational – Solutions for a culture beyond. Programme with 150 contributors for download

 +++Europe's largest cultural congress offers a 72-hour programme from 10 to 12 November in Dresden with three main forums and 18 expert forums, which is now available for downloading.

 +++Michael Kretschmer, Prime Minister of Saxony, and the democracy researcher Prof. Dr. Ulrike Guérot will lead a debate on nationalism, populism and cosmopolitanism in the main forum.

 +++Thomas Krüger, President of the Federal Agency for Civic Education and Dr. Tobias J. Knoblich, President of the Cultural-Political Society e.V. discuss transnationalism and cultural transformation.

 "#transnational – Solutions for a culture beyond." is the motto of the 13th CultureInvest! Congress, which will take place from 10 to 12 November at the unique art, culture and creative site Kraftwerk Mitte in the art and culture metropolis Dresden. The congress will be opened by the Saxon Minister of State for Culture and Tourism and patron of the congress, Barbara Klepsch, and Dresden's Lord Mayor Dirk Hilbert. Within Europe's leading cultural congress, 150 experts and 650 participants will discuss transnationalism and its significance for culture and economy, for locality and globality, as well as for new, innovative and forward-looking solutions for cultural work that crosses borders. This year's agenda includes discussion panels on citizen participation and transnational cultural projects as well as expert lectures on cultural funding, cultural heritage and the digital revolution. The extensive programme is available for download at: https://kulturmarken.de/system/images/11859/original/causales_Kongress_Programm_2021_Web_DS.pdf

Three main forums on the main stage of the Staatsoperette and 18 parallel expert forums in six other locations on the art and culture site Kraftwerk Mitte Dresden form the pillars of the innovative congress architecture from 11 to 12 November 2021. In addition, the participants can expect an attractive supporting programme with a big opening party on 10 November in the Albertinum with guided tours and a flamenco programme as well as the award ceremony of the 16th European Cultural Brands Awards in the "Night of Cultural Brands" on 11 November in the Staatsoperette.

The discussion rounds in the three main forums will take place in front of 700 participants in a talk show format. The 18 expert forums on cultural funding, cultural outreach, cultural financing, cultural digitisation, cultural heritage, cultural personnel, cultural tourism, cultural ticketing, cultural sponsoring, cultural facilities, cultural capital, cultural marketing, artificial intelligence, sustainability, corporate responsibility, urban culture, culture in rural areas and audience development will present solutions, strategies and practical reports and are complex advanced training opportunities for cultural providers.

The 13th KulturInvest! congress and the 16th European Cultural Brand Awards are supported by the Saxon State Ministry of Science, Culture and Tourism and the state capital Dresden. In addition, more than 60 other partners support the unique congress format. These include our premium partners Arnold Group, ARTE Magazin, Bayer Kultur, Chemnitz – European Capital of Culture 2025, Mihai. media solutions GmbH, RSM, Sächsische Zeitung and SAP as well as our partners Beethoven-Haus Bonn, Deutsche Welle, Dresdner Philharmonie, egocentric Systems, future demand GmbH, KULTURPERSONAL, Kulturpolitische Gesellschaft e.V., State Capital Potsdam, Sachsen Energie, Tourismus Marketing Gesellschaft Sachsen mbH, Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Kulturherzstadt Zittau, Siemens, Siemens Art Programm, Bühnentechnische Rundschau, Chorzeit – das Vokalmagazin, crescendo, DAS MAGAZIN, Der Theaterverlag, Fundraiser Magazin, HauptstadtTV, HORIZONT, INTHEGA, kulturnews, Kreuzer, KM Kulturmanagement Network GmbH, kultur. west, marketing-BÖRSE, new business, Opernwelt, PUBLIC MARKETING, Stiftung&Sponsoring, tanz, tanznetz, Theater heute, TheaterManagement aktuell, WA Media GmbH, Berlin Partner, Deutsche Bahn, Dresden Marketing GmbH, ESB Marketing Netzwerk, kulturplakatierung, Kulturkreis der deutschen Wirtschaft im BDI e.V., Kraftwerk Mitte Dresden, Origo Kaffee, Partyrent, patide, Schloss Wackerbarth, Staatsoperette Dresden, tjg. theatre junge generation, VDVO – Association of Event Organisers and Wernesgrüner.

The congress is curated by Causales – Gesellschaft für Kulturmarketing und Kultursponsoring, which is also the initiator and organiser. Registrations with an early bird discount until 31 August are now possible at www.kulturmarken.de

Press contact:

Causales – Gesellschaft für Kulturmarketing und Kultursponsoring mbH,

Managing Director Hans-Conrad Walter, Bötzowstraße 25, 10407 Berlin

Phone: +49 30 53 214 391, Fax: +49 30 53 215 337,

E-Mail: walter@causales.de

www.kulturmarken.de, www.cultural-brands.com

Press release June 23, 2021

Causales publishes the second edition of the sponsorship publication Annual of the European Cultural Market in September 

+++ Novi Sad, the European Capital of Culture 2022, and many other European cultural operators present their sponsorship licences for 2022

+++ Until 30 June 2021 cultural operators can submit their sponsorship offers for 2022

+++Articles on the 18 thematic forums of the CultureInvest! Congress: Cultural Funding, Digitalization, Cultural Heritage, Outreach, Cultural Personnel and Diversity, Cultural Tourism, Cultural Promotion, Ticketing and Innovation, Cultural Sponsorship, Culture in Rural Areas, Metropolitan Regions, Cultural Facilities, CSR/CCR, Culture and AI, Sustainability in the Cultural Market, Cultural Marketing, Audience Development and Urban Culture

Causales is publishing the second edition of its sponsorship publication Annual of the European Cultural Market in September. In addition to the inspiring contributions on cultural policy under the guiding theme #transnational - Solutions for a culture beyond. the Annual will focus on the sponsorship offers of cultural providers from all over Europe for the year 2022 on around 300 sustainably printed pages. Business decision-makers will receive the Annual of the European Cultural Market 2022 in order to find suitable sponsorship cooperation for their companies and thus make a sustainable commitment.

Since 2004, the Annual of the Cultural Market has been published annually by the Berlin-based sponsoring agency Causales, which thus sets an impulse for the cooperation between culture and economy. The publication gives cultural providers the opportunity to present their sponsorship licences and helps commercial enterprises to find and establish suitable sponsorship partnerships. More than 320 sponsoring partnerships between culture, business and the media with a seven-figure total volume have already been arranged. Interested cultural providers can still secure a presence for the publication of their sponsorship licences until 30 June 2021.

The number of companies that recognise that investing in culture is not only an investment in society, but also in their own entrepreneurial future, is increasing. In 2014, only 40% of companies engaged in cultural sponsorship, but by 2017 this had risen to 57% and the numbers continue to rise. Causales would like to continue to promote this process with the Annual of the European Cultural Market and to show the immense potential that lies in cooperation with best practice examples of successful sponsoring cooperation between culture and business. In this yearbook and on the online portal for cultural sponsorship www.kulturmarken.de, companies can find a diverse overview of over 300 selected cultural brands with their sponsorship licences for 2022 at a glance, so that they can find the right partners for their own cultural commitment. We would be happy to advise you as a cultural provider on the publication of your sponsorship offer and to help you as a company promoting culture to find the right partner.

Causales would like to thank all partners, sponsors and contributors to this issue and wishes you every success and pleasure in finding suitable sponsoring partnerships from September onwards.

www.kulturmarken.de 

Product information:

Publisher: Causales - Gesellschaft für Kulturmarketing und Kultursponsoring mbH

Concept and publisher: Hans-Conrad Walter and Luisa Gajewski

Format: 210 x 210 mm

Price: 44,95 Euro plus 7% VAT and 3,90 Euro shipping costs within Germany / 8,90 Euro shipping costs outside Germany

Free distribution: free distribution to commercial enterprises at shipping costs

Press contact:

Causales - Gesellschaft für Kulturmarketing und Kultursponsoring mbH,

Managing Director Hans-Conrad Walter, Bötzowstraße 25, 10407 Berlin

Phone: +49 30 53 214 391, Fax: +49 30 53 215 337,

E-Mail: walter@causales.de

www.kulturmarken.de, www.cultural-brands.com

Press release April 13, 2021

Competition launches for the 16th European Cultural Brand Awards

Europe's most advanced cultural award makes the social relevance of culture more visible

Berlin / Dresden: On April 13, 2021, the competition for the European Cultural Brand Awards will start in eight categories and calls for applications until August 31, 2020. Launched in 2006, the competition for innovative cultural management, trend-setting cultural marketing and sustainable cultural promotion is now considered Europe's most advanced cultural award and honours pioneering cultural projects in a total of eight competition categories. This year, the award organizers, led by cultural manager Hans-Conrad Walter, want to motivate cultural providers in Europe in particular to make the social relevance of culture even more visible with their competition entries. A jury of 40 experts on business, culture and the media, headed by jury president Dr. Hagen W. Lippe-Weißenfeld, will decide on the nominations and award winners on September 24, 2021 in the cultural metropolis of Dresden. The award ceremony will take place on November 11 within the "Night of Cultural Brands" in the State Opera at the Kraftwerk Mitte Dresden in front of 700 invited guests within the CultureInvest! Congress. www.cultural-brands.com

Since its birth, the independent competition has evolved annually, adding new categories and modifying existing ones in order to stimulate the cultural market, make the enormous cultural potential visible, and reward creativity as well as dynamic cultural projects and exceptional personalities. Innovative cultural management is the basis for the top-class awards in each of the eight categories. Cultural policy stance, innovative programming, identity-based brand development, aesthetic and efficient brand management are also important elements of the jury's evaluation. In addition, trends in cultural tourism, urban culture, cultural education and cooperation with business enterprises are honoured. The European Cultural Brand Awards are thus aimed at cultural providers, companies that promote culture, foundations, municipalities, tourist regions and the media.

The award winners will be honoured with the prize sculpture Aurica during the "Night of Cultural Brands" on November 11, 2021, in front of 700 invited guests from politics, business, culture and the media at the State Opera Dresden. The icon of the European cultural market is a 23-centimeter-high statue made by bronze casting. Its name is also European - AURICA, a Romanian girl's name meaning the golden one, carries everything that is so desirable: aura, aurum and eureka. The sculpture stands for the creativity, attractiveness and diversity of the European cultural market and symbolizes the valuable mediation work of European cultural providers and the passionate commitment of European cultural promoters.

For information on the call for entries, deadlines and competition categories, please visit https://cultural-brands.com/conventions/cultural-brand-award.

Applications can be submitted in these eight competition categories this year:

• - European Cultural Brand of the Year 2021
• - European Trend Brand of the Year 2021
• - European Cultural Manager of the Year 2021
• - European Cultural Investor of the Year 2021
• - European Education Program of the Year 2021
• - European Cultural Tourism Region of the Year 2021
• - European Award for Urban Culture 2021
• - European Award for Sustainability in the Cultural Market 2021

The European Cultural Brand Awards are sponsored by the Saxon State Ministry of Science, Culture and Tourism and the state capital Dresden, the prize sponsor is the Hoffbauer Foundation. The competition is supported by the premium partners SAP, RSM, Kulturplakatierung, Arnold Group, Bayer Kultur, ARTE Magazin, Deutsche Post DHL-Group, Deutsche Welle TV and the Sächsische Zeitung, as well as by the partners Kraftwerk Mitte Dresden, Staatsoperette Dresden, Dresden Marketing, theater junge generation, Partyrent Group, Deutsche Bahn, Mihai, Patide, Berlin Partner, Kulturmanagement Network, bcsd Bundesvereinigung City- und Stadtmarketing, Bühnentechnische Rundschau, WA-Verlag, theater heute, Opernwelt, Theatermanagement-aktuell, Tanz, public marketing, kultur west, tanznetz, Der Theater Friedrich-Verlag, fundraiser magazin, Kulturpolitische Gesellschaft, Hauptstadt TV, Stiftung & Sponsoring, Das Magazin, Horizont and VdVO -  the Association of Event Organizers.

Press contact:

Causales – Agency for Cultural Marketing and Cultural Sponsoring, Hans-Conrad Walter, Bötzowstraße 25, 10407 Berlin, phone: +49 (0) 30 53 215 337, mail: walter@causales.de, www.kulturmarken.de , www.cultural-brands.com

Press release dated 17 April 2020

Start of competition for the 15th European Cultural Brand Award

Europe's most advanced cultural award aims to motivate cultural providers to make a sustainable new start

On 17 April 2020, the competition for the European Cultural Brand Award will start in eight categories and calls for applications by 31 August 2020. The competition for innovative cultural management, trend-setting cultural marketing and sustainable cultural promotion, which was launched in 2006, is now considered Europe's most advanced cultural award and honors forward-looking cultural projects in a total of eight competition categories. In the anniversary year, the organizers of the award, led by the cultural manager Hans-Conrad Walter, want to motivate cultural providers and cultural sponsors to make a sustainable new start after the crisis. For the first time, the 40-strong jury of experts from business, culture and the media, under the newly elected jury president Dr. Hagen W. Lippe-Weißenfeld, will also award the "European Prize for Sustainability in the Cultural Market", which honors innovative projects, forward-looking ideas and climate-friendly concepts in the European cultural market. www.kulturmarken.de

Since its inception, the independent competition has evolved each year, adding new categories and modifying existing ones to stimulate the cultural market, highlighting the enormous cultural potential and rewarding creativity as well as dynamic cultural projects and exceptional personalities. Innovative cultural management in each of the eight categories is the basis for the top-class awards. Cultural policy stance, innovative programming, identity-based brand development, aesthetic and efficient brand management are also important elements of the jury's assessment. In addition, trends in cultural tourism, urban culture, cultural education and cooperation with commercial enterprises are also honored. The European Cultural Brand Award is thus aimed at cultural providers, companies promoting culture, foundations, municipalities, tourism regions and the media.

During the "Night of Cultural Brands" on November 26, 2020, in front of 750 invited guests from politics, business, culture and media in the Nikolaisaal concert hall in Potsdam, the prize winners will be honored with the prize sculpture Aurica, which symbolizes the attractiveness and diversity of the European cultural market. The most important figure within the European Cultural Brand Award is the AURICA, which is awarded annually in all categories as a prize sculpture. The icon of the European cultural market is a 23 centimeter high statue made in bronze casting. Its name is also European - AURICA, a Romanian maiden name meaning the golden one, carries everything that is so desirable: aura, aurum and eureka. The sculpture stands for the excellence, attractiveness and diversity of the European cultural market and symbolizes the valuable mediation work of European cultural providers and the passionate commitment of European cultural promoters.

Information on the call for proposals, deadlines and competition categories can be found at https://kulturmarken.de/veranstaltungen/kulturmarken-award.

Applications can be submitted in these eight competition categories this year:

• European Cultural Brand 2020
• European Trend Brand 2020
• European Cultural Manager 2020
• European Cultural Investor 2020
• European Education Program 2020
• European Cultural Tourism Region 2020
• European Prize for Urban Culture 2020
• European Prize for Sustainability in the Cultural Market 2020

The European Cultural Brand Award is sponsored by the State of Brandenburg, the state capital Potsdam and the premium partners RSM, Mihai, Arnold Group, ARTE Magazin and Deutsche Welle TV, as well as more than 35 other media and event partners.

Press contact:

Causales - Gesellschaft für Kulturmarketing und Kultursponsoring mbH, Managing Director Hans-Conrad Walter, Bötzowstraße 25, 10407 Berlin, Phone: +49 30 53 214 391, Fax: +49 30 53 215 337, E-Mail: walter@causales.de, www.kulturmarken.de, www.cultural-brands.com

Press Release March 27th

Europe's largest cultural congress will come to the Brandenburg state capital Potsdam in November 2020

From 25 to 27 November 2020 the state of Brandenburg and its state capital Potsdam will be hosting the 12th CultureInvest! Congress with the 15th Award Ceremony of the European Cultural Brand Awards. The motto: "For a culture-friendly climate and a climate-friendly culture". In addition, the KulturInvest! Congress, after we hopefully have overcome the societal crisis, together with international cultural experts and participants, will present solutions to get the cultural market up and running again - fully and sustainably. The “Meteorology City” of Potsdam, with its famous international art and culture Schiffbauergasse quarter serving as the congress campus, the Nikolaisaal as venue for the presentation of the European Cultural Brand Awards and the renowned Barberini Museum for the opening party are the ideal cooperation partners for Europe's leading cultural congress. 

Under the heading "The Innovative Cultural Industry. Climate Neutral. Democratic. Participatory.” the 12th CultureInvest! Congress takes up this subject and, together with more than 100 cultural experts and 650 attendees, and will develop visions for a sustainable cultural market that actively creates opportunities for sharing, promoting processes of democratisation in both the cultural sector and in society. This includes future-oriented issues such as green cultural management, green marketing, climate-neutral cultural property, democratisation in the cultural sector and digitalisation as a driver of participation.

A main forum in the Hans Otto Theater and 15 parallel specialist forums as well as three hands-on-approach workshops in six other locations will form the cornerstones of the innovative congress architecture from 25 to 27 November 2020 in Potsdam’s Schiffbauergasse. In addition, the international participants can look forward to an attractive supporting programme with a large Opening Party on 25 November in the Barberini Museum with guided tours and a discussion panel assembling prominent guest speakers as well as the presentation of the 15th European Cultural Brand Awards at the "Night of Cultural Brands" on 26 November in the Potsdam Nikolaisaal. Schiffbauergasse, the international art and culture quarter as the cultural heart of Potsdam is the perfect venue for the 12th CultureInvest! Congress: In addition to the municipal Hans Otto Theater, whose new house was opened in September 2006, six other internationally active independent cultural institutions have established themselves since 1992 in the fields of theatre, contemporary dance and art, music and literature, reflecting the turbulent history of the region and its development from an industrial wasteland to a vibrant and diverse cultural location.

Since 2009, the CultureInvest! Congress has successfully brought together personalities from the worlds of culture, business and politics throughout Europe and, with the presentation of the European Cultural Brand Awards, the most prestigious cultural prize in Europe, has generated international glamour in the European cultural market. The CultureInvest! Congress presents artistic excellence projects, discusses innovative, especially European topics of cultural management, marketing and investment and creates significant impulses for cultural institutions and cultural investments in Europe through the internationally acclaimed two-day exchange between culture, business, media and the public sector.

The 12th CultureInvest! Congress and the 15th European Cultural Brand Award are sponsored by the State of Brandenburg and the State Capital Potsdam. In addition, 50 other partners support this unique congress format. These include SAP, RSM, Bayer Kultur, the Arnold Group, Mihai Media Solutions, Deutsche Welle, ARTE Magazin, the innogy Stiftung für Energie und Gesellschaft gGmbH, the Monheimer Kulturwerke, Kulturpersonal and Ticketmaster. The congress is curated by Causales - Gesellschaft für Kulturmarketing und Kultursponsoring, which is also the initiator and organiser.

PRESS RELEASE 18.11.2019

 Cultural Policy Recommendations for Action of the Protagonists of the CultureInvest! Congress 2019

Under the precept " Heading for Europe! Transform the Culture", over 100 visionaries, utopists and cultural specialists presented the latest trends in the European cultural market at the CultureInvest! Congress on 7 and 8 November 2019 at the UNESCO World Heritage site Zollverein in Essen, reflecting the development perspectives of cross-border cooperation between culture, business, the public sector and the media as well as the digital revolution. With 500 cultural managers taking part, including cultural politicians such as Michelle Müntefering, Minister of State for International Cultural Policy at the Federal Foreign Office, Isabel Pfeiffer-Poensgen, Minister of Culture of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, and Martina Münch, Minister of Culture of the State of Brandenburg, Europe's largest cultural congress set an example for a cosmopolitan Europe with the bestowal of the European Cultural Brand Awards. https://kulturmarken.de

For more than ten years, Europe's largest cultural congress has stood for innovative thinking ahead, lively debates and successful solutions in a broad spectrum of cultural policy, cultural management, cultural marketing, and cultural tourism as well as in the field of tangible and intangible investments in culture. In cooperation with the Kulturpolitische Gesellschaft and the radio station Kulturradio WDR3, a final debate was held under the motto "Heading for Europe! Transform the Culture” under the moderation of Dr. Michael Köhler, broadcast by WDR3 on 17 November 2019 from 18:04 to 19:00. The most salient quotations and cultural policy recommendations of the CultureInvest! Congress 2019 and its final forum are summarized below.

In her opening speech, Prof. Dr. Ulrike Guérot pointed out two options for the future of Europe: "Either back to the past - or actively shaping European democracy". The democracy researcher and political scientist is a passionate visionary of a post-national, European Republic of Regions and its citizens. She also proclaimed "equality of rights instead of cultural uniformity for all European citizens".

"Culture has the potential of a social avant-garde. Creative artists: make yourself capable of speaking", is the call of Dr. Hagen Lippe-Weißenfeld to all cultural managers. "We must stimulate innovation, since goals result from visions - and courage is needed to achieve them," he recommended with an eye to cultural policy.

Media manager Prof. Dieter Gorny called for "more mutual translation of culture, business and politics, calling on the cultural managers present: "Culture must come out of its convenient resonance chamber!” In this context, Gorny also called for a European Commissioner for Culture as well as a “digital Bauhaus” or a European Digital Academy - places where ideas can be quickly turned into reality.

Prof. Dr. Hans-Peter Noll, the most prominent property developer in the Ruhr area and Chairman of the Board of the Zollverein Foundation, stated: "We need more experimental laboratories and test sites for our utopias and visions, such as the Zollverein colliery heritage site". He appealed to the politicians: "For the development of locations under the banner of "preservation through conversion", we need grants for such projects in order to bring them to life.

Hedwig Fijen, the newly proclaimed European Cultural Manager of the Year 2019 and Director of the Manifesta Nomadic Biennial, recommends European cultural policy to promote "more diversity in personnel structures in order to grow together in Europe, as well as a setting up European Erasmus programme and a funded European Voluntary Year of Social Service for cultural providers.”

In the 12 thematic fora of the CultureInvest! Congress, cultural entrepreneurship, cultural tourism, the revitalisation of historical sites, cultural education, urban culture, cultural transformation, marketing and financing strategies were thoroughly discussed and ideas for the European cultural market were jointly devised. After the two intensive congress days, the participants agreed that this congress is currently the most innovative forum for the transfer of knowledge between culture, business and science.

Hans-Conrad Walter, long-time organiser and Managing Director of Causales, welcomed the guests on the first day of the congress with the words: “With your ideas you will shape the future of Europe"! He drew a positive balance at the end of the congress: "The ideas, visions and utopias have been formulated; now the work begins". The next CultureInvest! Congress will take place in November 2020 in another federal state: "We always go where we are needed".

Main Founder: Land Nordrhein-Westfalen, Stiftung Zollverein; Premium-Partner: RSM GmbH, SAP, Mihai, Bayer Kultur, Funke Mediengruppe, Kulturpolitische Gesellschaft e.V.; Themen-Partner: Bayer Kultur, E.ON, innogy Stiftung für Energie und Gesellschaft, EVENTIM, Kulturpolitische Gesellschaft e.V., MEYER Architekten, Monheimer Kulturwerke GmbH, Ruhr Tourismus GmbH, RSM GmbH, SAP, Stiftung Zollverein, WDR3; Media-Partner: ARTE Magazin, Bühnentechnische Rundschau, Crescendo, Das Magazin, das Orchester, Das Theatermagazin, Deutsche Welle, Fundraiser Magazin, Funke Mediengruppe, HORIZONT, INTHEGA, KulturBetrieb, Kulturmanagement Network, Kulturpolitische Gesellschaft e.V., kultur.west, Magazin museum.de, New Business, Opernwelt, Public Marketing, Stiftung & Sponsoring, tanz, tanznetz.de, Theater heute, Theatermanagement aktuell, WDR3; Event-Partner: BTHVN2020, Deutsche Bahn, ecce, ESB Marketing Börse, fritz-kola, ICT, Kulturkreis der deutschen Wirtschaft im BDI e.V., Kulturpersonal, Kulturplakatierung, lineUpr, marketing-Börse, Mihai, Patide, Partyrent, VDVO - Verband der Veranstaltungsorganisatoren, Zittau2025, Berlin Partner für Wirtschaft und Technologie GmbH

Press contact: Hans-Conrad Walter, Causales GmbH, Managing Director, walter@causales.de, +49 (0)30 5321 4391, www.cultural-brands.com

Press release November 10th 2019 

Night of the Cultural Brands: Awards for European Cultural Activists and Innovative Cultural Projects

The winners of the 14th European Cultural Brand Awards have been finally selected. Out of 105 applications, a total of 22 cultural initiatives qualified for nomination. On 7 November, the winners of the eight competition categories were announced at a festive gala at the Zollverein World Heritage Site in Essen.

The Cultural Brand Award is the most prestigious competition for cultural management, cultural marketing and cultural sponsoring in Europe. It awards the prize sculpture Aurica, which stands for the excellence, attractiveness and openness of the European cultural market and symbolizes the valuable mediation work of European cultural providers and the outstanding commitment of European cultural investors. 42 jurors decided on the winners and announced them this evening.

In the category European Cultural Brand of the Year 2019, the Jury chose jazzahead! as an international trade fair that stands out with sustainable and consistent brand management, brand identity and positioning. Through its inimitable communication, jazzahead! demonstrates consequence in philosophy and core values. 

The STEGREIF.orchester from Berlin was awarded the title of European Trend Brand of 2019. Through original and trend-setting impulses and a singular artistic concept, the orchestra not only demonstrates creativity and innovative spirit, but also has a clear unique selling proposition on the classical music market. The STEGREIF.orchester brand captivates with breaks in conventional rules and clarity of content as well as consistency in the staging of its artistic concept.

Hedwig Fijen, Director of the Nomadenbiennale Manifesta, was awarded the prize in the category European Cultural Manager of the Year 2019. Her courage to take new approaches in cultural mediation, her cooperative thinking and acting and her exemplary creative spirit were decisive for the Jury's decision. The major European art event Manifesta sets trends with its wealth of ideas and shows competence in the implementation of new approaches.

The Swiss Art Stations Foundation is committed to experimental ways in contemporary art as well as to cultural education and research. For its special support of the MUZEUM SUSCH in a former monastery on the Flüela Pass that opened in 2019, the Foundation received the European Cultural Investor of the Year Award 2019. Here, the creative involvement of the investor is combined with the lasting effect of a cultural project that possesses international innovative strength.

The project "Erbe, Tradition, Moderne - Europäischer Kultur- und Wissenstransfer durch Wandergesellen" ("Heritage, Tradition, Modernity - European Culture and Knowledge Transfer by journeymen") of the Deutsche Gesellschaft e.V. in Berlin was selected as the European Education Programme of the year 2019. Journeymen and –women from Germany, Switzerland and France, among others, travelled to Sibiu/Hermannstadt, which was once founded by German and Luxembourg settlers, to jointly contribute to the preservation of the rich cultural and historical heritage of the place. The project receives the prize for its innovative mediation strategies in cultural education and the development of qualified international partner networks.

The "Kulturland Brandenburg" is the European Cultural Tourism Region of the year 2019. By taking sustainable economic, ecological and social criteria into account in the development of its cultural projects, the Kulturland Brandenburg has presented itself as a strong region with clear objectives. Additional criteria for the Jury's decision were theme campaigns, successful cultural brand management and the effective integration of cultural providers as well as the cultural and creative industries.

The city of Krefeld with the “Krefeld Change of Perspective” received the Urban Culture Award 2019. By involving as many urban milieus as possible, the City’s culture planners have developed original and creative concepts that contribute to strengthening the identification of citizens with their city. According to the Jury, the projects and their participatory impact are exemplary for other cities.

The European Media Culture Prize 2019 goes to "Monopol, das Magazin für Kunst und Leben” (the Magazine for Art and Life"), which provides new access to cultural reporting through various formats, thus making a valuable contribution to contemporary cultural mediation. With podcast, text and image, Monopol stands for creative cultural marketing by using effectively multimedia resources.

The Lifetime Achievement Award in the category Cultural Manager of the Year 2019 went to Prof. Dr. Oliver Scheytt, the former chairman of the Jury and former President of the Kulturpolitische Gesellschaft. With this award, the Jury acknowledges his many years of commitment to pioneering cultural projects such as the successful application "Essen für das Ruhrgebiet. European Capital of Culture 2010" and numerous other visionary projects. Prof. Dr. jur. Oliver Scheytt is regarded as a mastermind of cultural policy and cultural management in Germany. With his expertise, his ideas and his commitment, he has left his mark on an entire region and set accents nationwide. In the eyes of the jurors, he thus already now deserves the award for his life's work, "although he will hopefully enrich the cultural scene for many more years with his creativity, his ideas and concepts".

Hans-Conrad Walter, Managing Director of the hosting agency Causales and creator of the Cultural Brand Awards, is delighted with the Jury's decision, and he wishes to thank the prizewinners for their purposeful applications. He congratulates the manifold initiatives and keeps his fingers crossed for a successful future!

Press release October 2th 2019                                        

Expert Jury nominates 22 entries for the 14th European Cultural Brand Awards; Prof. Dr. Oliver Scheytt receives Lifetime Achievement Award

The shortlist of the European Cultural Brand Awards 2019 has been finalised. On 26 September 2019, a 42-member jury of experts from the fields of culture, business and the media having assembled on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Museum Island Berlin selected 22 nominees. 105 entries from Germany, France, Holland, Croatia, Lithuania, Austria, the Czech Republic and Switzerland had been submitted for the 14th European Cultural Brand Award. The award ceremony for Europe's most prestigious cultural prize will take place as part of the "Night of Cultural Brands" cultural brands gala on 7 November 2019 on the UNESCO World Heritage site Zollverein in Essen in front of 650 invited guests from business, culture, politics and the media. The awards go to trendsetting cultural providers, sustainable investments in cultural projects, innovative educational programmes, urban culture and cultural tourism regions as well as the most committed cultural managers from Europe. The award ceremony will be opened by Michelle Müntefering, Minister of State for Cultural Affairs at the Federal Foreign Office

The judges nominated the following candidates:

Within the prize European Cultural Brand of the Year 2019, the panel nominated State Castles and Gardens of Baden-Württemberg, jazzahead! and 100 years of bauhaus.

The following have a chance to be recognized as the European Trend Brand of the Year 2019: Festival Out Of The Box, #strangethingschallenge - Historisches Museum der Pfalz as well as the STEGREIF.orchester.

The potential winners of the award European Cultural Manager of the Year 2019 are Dr. Gabriele Minz (Managing Director Young Euro Classic), Benedikt Stampa (Director Festspielhaus Baden-Baden) and Hedwig Fijen (Founding Director Manifesta).

The judges’ nominations for the category European Cultural Investor of the Year 2019 went to the Atelier Türke Messedesign - „Revolte! – Creative Urban Art“, the Art Stations Foundation CH - MUZEUM SUSCH and FEDORA - The European Circle of Philanthropists of Opera and Ballet.

The jury’s nominations in the category European Education Program of the Year 2019 will give these organizations a reason to celebrate: „# in the Bubble?“ - Cölner Barockorchester, „Erbe, Tradition, Moderne - Europäischer Kultur- und Wissenstransfer durch Wandergesellen“ - Deutsche Gesellschaft e.V., as well als JeKits - for every child musical instruments, dancing, singing.

Kulturland Brandenburg - „Rediscover Brandenburg with us!“, Saalfelden Leogang Touristik GmbH and the Tourist Authority South Moravia received nominations for the European Cultural Tourism Region of the Year 2019.

The following are in the finals for the award offered for the German speaking parts of Europe – the Prize for Urban Culture 2019:. City Krefeld with the “Krefelder Perspektivwechsel” (“Krefeld’s change of perspective”), City Bad Oldesloe and Kulturraffinerie K714" - Monheimer Kulturwerke GmbH.

Nominated in the new category „European Prize for Media Culture 2019“ is Monopol – Magazin for Art and Lifestyle.

Following the decision on this year's award winners, the jurors elected Dr. Hagen W. Lippe-Weißenfeld, member of the Board of the Kulturpolitische Gesellschaft, as the new Jury President of the European Cultural Brand Awards.

The former chairman of the Jury and former President of the Kulturpolitische Gesellschaft, Prof. Dr. Oliver Scheytt, will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award in the category "European Cultural Manager of the Year 2019" at the "Night of Cultural Brands" cultural brand gala on 7 November 2019 as a pioneer of cultural policy and cultural management in Germany.

During the “Night of Cultural Brands” on November 7th, the award winners in the respective categories will receive the AURICA, a 23 centimeter tall waxed bronze statute. AURICA is a Romanian girl’s name, which stands for “The Golden One”. The name is a combination of everything humankind covets so much: Aura, aurum and eureka. Moreover, the sculpture is a symbol for the excellence, attractiveness and diversity of the european culture market and a synonym for the valuable communications work of european cultural providers as well as the outstanding commitment of the sponsors in the european culture.

The European Cultural Brand Award receives funding from 53 business partners, including Zollverein Foundation, State of North Rhine Westphalia, RSM GmbH, SAP, Mihai, Bayer Kultur, ARTE Magazin, Deutsche Welle, Funke Mediengruppe. Funding for the AURICAs is provided by Securitas AB.

Press relations: Causales - Gesellschaft für Kulturmarketing und Kultursponsoring mbH, Managing Director Hans-Conrad Walter, Bötzowstraße 25, 10407 Berlin, Germany, fon: +49 (0)30 53 214-391, mobile: +49 (0)152 54 216 517, www.cultural-brands.com

Press release April 9th

European Cultural Brand Award 2019

Invitation to tender issued for Europe's most advanced cultural award

The 14th call for the most innovative European competition for cultural management, cultural marketing and cultural promotion has been launched. Europe's most advanced cultural award honours dynamic cultural projects and exceptional commitment on the part of European cultural investors and trend-setting cultural managers. Until 31 August 2019, cultural providers, business enterprises, foundations, publishing houses as well as cities and tourism companies can submit their applications in eight competition categories. On 26 September, a 41-member jury of cultural experts, chaired by Prof. Dr. Oliver Scheytt, will decide at the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Museum Island Berlin on the nominees. Within the "Night of Cultural Brands", the award winners will be presented with the AURICA, the icon of the European cultural market on the UNESCO World Heritage Site Zollverein in Essen in front of around 750 guests from the worlds of business, culture, tourism, media and politics.  https://kulturmarken.de/veranstaltungen/kulturmarken-award

Applications may be submitted in the following eight competition categories:

- European Cultural Brand of the Year

- European Trend Label of the Year

- European Cultural Manager of the Year

- European Cultural Investor of the Year

- European Educational Programme of the Year

- European Cultural Tourism Region of the Year

- Prize for Urban Culture (German-speaking area)

- European Media Culture Prize

The "Best of the Best" in these categories will be honoured at the "Night of Cultural Brands", which is held in hall 12, the former sorting conveyor belt hall, of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Zollverein, where in operating hours numerous conveyor belts were used to sort out rock pieces from the coal. The prize-giving ceremony of the 14th European Cultural Brand Awards in this unique setting represents the emotional highlight of the CultureInvest! Congress on the grounds of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Zollverein inEssenon 7 and 8 November 2019. The Congress, under the patronage of Dr. Stephan Holthoff-Pförtner, Minister for Federal and European Affairs and International Affairs of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, brings together 750 participants from all overEuropesupported by more than 100 speakers and moderators from the world of culture, business, media and politics. As a leading forum for European cultural providers and cultural promoters, it offers an excellent expertise and networking platform.

Hard coal mining is not only to be seen as a tremendous driving force for our prosperity in the wake of the founding of the Europan Coal and Steel Community as the basis for a modern, united Europe, but also for the transformation process of the industrial society into a creative service society. The very special history of the award venue shaped this year's CultureInvest! Congress motto " Heading for Europe! Transform the Culture". Among the prize winners of recent years are the Dresden State Art Collections, the Institut du Monde Arabe, the Vienna Burgtheater, the Schirn Art Gallery, RUHR.2010, the Bregenz Festival, the Dortmunder U and the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao as European cultural brands. In addition, the AVL Cultural Foundation, Würth Group, Bayer Kultur, Mercedes-Benz Bank, Migros and BMW have been honored as European Cultural Investors. Amelie Deuflhard (Kampnagel, Hamburg), Francis Morris (Tate Modern, London), Prof. Gereon Sievernich (Martin Gropius Bau, Berlin), Udo Kittelmann ( National Gallery, Berlin), Prof. Dr. Thomas Girst (BMW Group), Volker Ludwig (Grips Theatre, Berlin), Hedy Graber (Migros) and Jürgen Flimm ( State Opera Berlin) have been honoured as European Cultural Managers over the past twelve years. The Ruhr metropolis, the city of Basel and the city of Trier were able to position themselves as a cultural tourism region. Last year, crescendo - the magazine for classical music & lifestyle - was delighted to receive the first prize for media culture.

Initiator of the European Cultural Brand Award is Causales - Gesellschaft für Kulturmarketing und Kultursponsoring mbH. The European Cultural Brand Award is sponsored by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Zollverein Foundation and the premium partners RSM, MIHAI, ARTE Magazine and Deutsche Welle TV, as well as over 35 other media and event partners.

Media contact: Causales - Gesellschaft für Kulturmarketing und Kultursponsoring mbH, Managing Director: Hans-Conrad Walter, Bötzowstrasse 25, 10407 Berlin, Germany
Phone: +49 30 53 214 391, Fax: +49 30 53 215 337,
walter@causales.de, www.kulturmarken.de, www.cultural-brands.com 

Press release Feburary 22nd 2019

Zollverein Foundation takes the CultureInvest! Congress to the city of Essen in 2019

For the first time Europe's largest cultural congress takes place in the metropolis of the Ruhr Area that is rich in culture and business

Berlin/Essen. "Aufbruch nach Europa! Transform the Culture" is the motto of the 11th CultureInvest! Congress taking place from November 7 to 8, 2019 on the UNESCO World Heritage Site Zollverein. Zollverein Foundation has succeeded in bringing Europe's largest cultural congress to the city of Essen with the presentation of the European Cultural Brand Award. This is possible with the kind support of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Under the patronage of Dr. Stephan Holfhoff-Pförtner, Minister of Federal, European and International Affairs of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, 100 renowned initiators from the fields of politics, business, culture and the media will present the latest trends in the european cultural market in 12 themed forums and develop future visions for cultural brands with 750 participants expected from all over Europe. The Zollverein colliery, built in the Bauhaus style with its famous double trestle winding tower, is considered to be the "most beautiful colliery in the world”, the lighthouse and landmark of the metropolitan Ruhr region. The monument, the only world heritage site in Germany that is not only being preserved but also converted into a tourist attraction and economic hub, offers an impressive setting for the Congress, which will be dedicated to the transformation process of the industrial society into a creative service society in 2019.
www.cultural-brands.com

Since 2009, the CultureInvest! Congress has successfully been bringing together personalities from the worlds of culture, business and politics from all over Europe. It has generated a strong international reputation in the European cultural market with the conferring of the European Culture Brand Awards, the most advanced cultural prize in Europe. This innovative think tank presents projects of artistic excellence, discusses innovative, in particular European topics of cultural management, marketing and investments, and provides important stimuli for cultural institutions and cultural investments in Europe through the internationally acclaimed two-day debate on culture, business, media and the public sector.

Twelve themed forums with keynote lectures, specialist lectures, practical examples and discussion panels form the framework of the proven congress architecture in six eventlocations on the UNESCO World Heritage Site Zollverein. These include trend-setting topics such as Europe, transformation, migration, digitalisation, culture financing, cultural sponsoring, cultural education, industrial culture, creative industries, cultural tourism as well as brand staging and brand management of cultural projects. There will be exclusive guided tours for congress participants across the Zollverein site and the Ruhr Museum, as well as the ceremony for the 14th European Cultural Brand Awards at the "Night of Cultural Brands" on November 7, offering an attractive fringe programme.

The world-famous UNESCO World Heritage Site Zollverein is an icon of the hard coal mining age, tourist attraction and as a young, growing power generator of the creative industry and thus indeed a highly suitable venue for the 11th CultureInvest! Congress. With the exit of the coal industry and the closure of the last hard coal mine Prosper Haniel in 2018, the age of coal and an important period of European history are drawing to a close. The UNESCO World Heritage Site Zollverein is resolutely facing up to the transformation process that has been going on for decades and in recent years has evolved into an educational campus and a growing cultural and economic centre. The settlement of artists, museums and companies from the creative industries as well as the new building of the Folkwang University of the Arts with the Design Department are components of the Zollverein master plan and the associated principle of "Preservation through Conversion". With around 1.5 million visitors per year, Zollverein is one of the best-visited cultural tourism destinations in North Rhine-Westphalia.

The CultureInvest! Congress 2019 is funded by the State of North Rhine-Westphalia. In addition, 50 other partners support the unique congress format: These include E.ON, SAP, RSM, Bayer, innogy Stiftung für Energie und Gesellschaft gGmbH, Mihai, Meyer Architekten,BundesvereinigungCity-und Stadtmarketing e.V., Deutsche Welle, ARTE Magazin, Securitas SE, Ruhrtourismus GmbH, ecce and EVENTIM. The congress is presented by the Zollverein Foundation and curated by Causales - Society for Cultural Marketing and Sponsoring, which is also the initiator and organizer of the event.

More information and registration including Early-Bird Tickets up to March 312019:
www.cultural-brands.com/conventions/11th-cultureinvest-congress/registration 
 

Press contact:

Hans-Conrad Walter
Causales – Gesellschaft für Kulturmarketing und Kultursponsoring mbH
Bötzowstraße 25
10407 Berlin
Fon +49 (0)30 53-214-39
E-Mail: walter@causales.de
www.kulturmarken.de

Delia Bösch
Stiftung Zollverein, Head of Communication and Marketing/Public Relations
UNESCO-Welterbe Zollverein
Bullmannaue 11
45327 Essen
Fon +49 (0) 201 246 81-120
E-Mail: delia.boesch@zollverein.de
www.zollverein.de

Press release November 3rd 2018

The Dresden State Art Collections are „European Cultural Brand of the Year 2018“

The European Cultural Brands Award was hosted on November 12^th at the Radialsystem in Berlin

On November 12, this year's winners of the European Cultural Awards were awarded with the AURICA at the "Night of Cultural Brands" gala at the Radialsystem in Berlin. The ceremony was attended by 500 guests representing cultural institutions, businesses, politics and the media. The Dresden State Art Collections was selected as the "European Cultural Brand of the Year 2018". Other categories were bestowed upon the Faust-Festival Munich, AVL Cultural Foundation, the city Trier, MUTIK, the Bielefeld Marketing GmbH with The "Bielefeld City Brand” and crescendo. Amelie Deuflhard, director of the Kampnagel in Hamburg, was honored as the "European Culture Manager of the Year 2018". Dieter Kosslick, director of the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale), received an AURICA for his life's work so far. http://cultural-brands.com/

For the most advanced among 4.500 european cultural prizes, 99 competition entries have been submitted in eight different categories. Under the chairmanship of Prof. Dr. Oliver Scheytt, President of the Kulturpolitische Gesellschaft e.V. (Cultural-political Association), a panel of 39 expert judges honoured nine awardees:

European Trend Brand of the Year 2018: With its 15 museums and four institutions, the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (Dresden State Art Collections) are one of the oldest, largest and most prominent museum consortia in the world. The museums and institutions of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen are famed, visited and oriented in different ways and have very diverse target groups and tasks. Together, however, they are more than the sum of their respective components. As the world's leading universal museum, their encyclopaedic collections represent a cosmos of global art and cultural history.

Europäische Trendmarke des Jahres 2018: Munich was in FAUST fever for half a year. The aim of the festival was to bring the various interpretations of Goethe's most famous drama closer to the general public - with the help of more than 230 cultural partners of all formats and genres, who independently designed the festival's programme. The initiators managed to give the Faust Festival a high recognition value, combining the classical with the modern based on its innovative aesthetics.

European Cultural Manager of the Year 2018: Amelie Deuflhard has played a decisive role since the mid-1990s in shaping the international independent scene of the performing arts. During her time inBerlin and later inHamburg, she has established an extensive network of artists, curators, festivals, media, theatres, sponsors and academics, from which the scene benefits on a lasting basis. She consistently pursues her vision of breaking down the "art temple", the middle-class educational notion of theatre, understanding theatre as a laboratory for new forms and experimental arts. and Hundertwasser come alive in animated digital paintings.

Life's work so far: As the director of the Berlin International Film Festival, Dieter Kosslick is able to achieve way more than big emotions on cinema. He brought the Rolling Stones and Madonna to the Berlinale and was able the convince Angela Merkel to wear 3D-glasses. Over the last 17 years, under his management not only the Berinale developed itself, but also the city make progress through the Berlinale: the metropolis became cosmopolitan. The cultural manager Kosslick politicized the Berlinale, brought it into the neighbourhood and opened an important door to the future. Kosslick is able to join forces, explore fields of experimentation and brought 16.000 international industry visitors from 130 countries to the city.

European Cultural Investor of the Year 2018: Since its foundation in autumn 2007, the A-V-L CULTURAL FOUNDATION has been committed to promoting activities and projects at the intersection of art, science and technology. In addition to the focus on art & science, the AVL CULTURAL FOUNDATION supports a broad range of visual arts, new media art, digital art, sound art, music, dance theatre and interdisciplinary projects. Special attention is being paid to promoting young talent.

European Education Program of the Year 2018: As a partner company of the Mercator Foundation, MUTIK creates nationwide network projects in the field of cultural education in schools. Enabling all children to experience art and culture is a task to which MUTIK is passionately committed: art and culture encourage children to get involved in new things and to become actively involved in society. To achieve this goal, MUTIK develops projects and implements them with partners from education, culture and politics.

European Cultural Tourism Region of the Year: The year 2018 sees the 200th anniversary of the birthday of Karl Marx. A good occasion to make Marx a theme for his native city of Trier; not a simple subject by any means: after all, Marx is also seen as a politically irritating figure. There have been heated debates in which form the impact of Marxism should be assessed today. Various organizations and institutions have hosted controversial panels, conferences and lectures in Trier, Marx’s birthplace.

Preis für Stadtkultur 2018: Bielefeld Marketing sees itself as a driving force forBielefeld. Identifying and promoting good ideas for the city: This is what "Deine Fan-Aktion fürBielefeld" / your fan action forBielefeld is all about - a new format for city marketing. With a creative project competition, citizens and institutions are actively involved in city marketing - in the right balance between leadership and participation.

European Prize for Media Culture 2018: : Since 1997 CRESCENDO has been one of the largest and most important cultural magazines inEurope. Since 2010 it is also the only premium magazine for classical music and lifestyle. With Crescendo TV, Crescendo Live and the Crescendo PremiumCD, the journal is constantly reinventing itself. In 2018, the magazine celebrates its 20th anniversary. Crescendo stands for a new narrative style for classical music and sees itself as a bridge builder for art and culture.

The Aurica® trophy, which is presented in all categories, is a symbol for the excellence, attractiveness and openness of the European culture market and synonymous with the valuable brokerage work done by European culture providers and the outstanding advocacy of European culture investors.

Pressekontakt: Hans-Conrad Walter, Geschäftsführender Gesellschafter der Causales GmbH; Bötzowstr. 25, 10407 Berlin; Tel.: 0049-030 53 214 391; Mobil: 0152-542 165 17; walter@causales.de Diese Pressemeldung und Pressefotos sind auch unter www.kulturmarken.de/presse abrufbar.

Press release October 2nd 2018                                             

Press Release October 5, 2017

Panel of Expert Judges nominates 22 Applicants for the European Cultural Brand Award 2017

The shortlist for the European Cultural Brand Award 2017 is complete. Under the chairmanship of  Prof. Dr. Oliver Scheytt, President of the Kulturpolitische Gesellschaft e.V. (Cultural-political Association), a panel of 38 expert judges chose 22 nominees from the 104 submissions for the 12^th European Cultural Brand Award representing the fields of culture, business and media, at the Tagesspiegel publishing complex in Berlin on September 29^th. The award ceremony will be hosted in conjunction with the Cultural Brands Gala “Night of Cultural Brands” on November 9^th 2017 at the Wintergarten Varieté in Berlin. A total of 500 guests from the worlds of business, culture, politics and  media have been invited to attend. Prizes will be awarded for the best marketing strategies deployed by cultural providers, for the most creative culture sponsoring investments into culture, the most innovative education programs and the most dedicated culture managers of the year. www.kulturmarken.de

The judges nominated the following candidates:

For the prize European Cultural Brand of the Year 2017 the panel nominated the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, ORF Radio Österreich 1 (Austrian radio station) and Kampnagel – Internationale Kulturfabrik GmbH.

The following have a chance to be recognized as the European Trend Brand of the Year 2017: The Silk Road Symphony Orchestra (CALLIAS FOUNDATION), Ulm Stories – Geschichten einer Stadt (A Town’s Stories; Interactive Media Foundation) and the Kulturzug (Culture Train) Berlin – Wroclaw// Breslau (Deutsch-Polnische Gesellschaft Berlin e.V.).

The potential winners of the award European Cultural Manager of the Year 2017 award are Frances Morris (Director of the Tate Modern, London), Eliad Moreh-Rosenberg (Curator and Director of the Yad Vashem's Art Department), Christoph Lieben-Seutter (General Director of the Laeiszhalle and of the Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg) as well as Prof. Gereon Sievernich (Director of the Martin Gropius Bau).

The judges’ nominations for the category European Cultural Investor of the Year 2017 went to the Würth Group, Alfred Kärcher GmbH & Co. KG and the Wilo Foundation.

Leeuwarden Friesland (European Capital of Culture 2018), Van Gogh Europe and #urbanana (Tourismus NRW e.V.) received nominations for the European Cultural Tourism Region of the Year 2017.

Their nominations in the category European Education Program of the Year 2017 will give these organizations a reason to celebrate: The Flying Steps Academy, the Daetz Foundation – Institute for Intercultural Knowledge and Communication as well as the Paläon – Research andAdventureCenter.

The following are in the finals for the award offered for the German speaking parts of Europe – the Prize for Urban Culture: Zukunftslabor Kultur (Future Laboratory Culture; Culture Department of the State Capital of Stuttgart), 250 Jahre Goldstadt Pforzheim (The Gold City of Pforzheim Celebrates 250 Years; City of Pforzheim) as well as the FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS LEIPZIG (Leipzig Tourismus und Marketing GmbH)
 

During the “Night of Cultural Brands,” the award winners in the respective categories will receive the AURICA, a 23 centimeter tall waxed bronze statute. AURICA is a Romanian girl’s name, which stands for “The Golden One”. The name is a combination of everything humankind covets so much: Aura, aurum and eureka. Moreover, the sculpture is a symbol for the excellence, attractiveness and diversity of the European culture market and a synonym for the valuable communications work of European cultural providers as well as the outstanding commitment of the sponsors in European Culture. The European Cultural Brand Award receives funding from 43 business partners, including premium partners Sparkassen Group, Der Tagesspiegel, ARTE Magazin, BayerKultur, Deutsche Welle, Kulturplakatierung, HORIZONT and Berlin Partner für Wirtschaft und Technologie. Funding for the  AURICAs is provided by SecuritasAB.

Press relations: Causales - Gesellschaft für Kulturmarketing und Kultursponsoring mbH,
Managing Director Hans-Conrad Walter, Bötzowsraße 25, 10407 Berlin,  Germany,
Tel.: +49 (0)30 53 214-391, mobile: +49 (0) 152 54 216 517, www.kulturmarken.de

Press release October 29, 2015

Young Euro Classic secures the “European Culture Brand of 2015” title

The awards ceremony for the European Cultural Brands  Awards was hosted on October 29 in Berlin

Young Euro Classic and its Peace Orchestra received the “European Culture Brand of 2015” award. On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Cultural Brands Awards this years award winners were honored tonight at the “Night of Cultural Brands.” The ceremony was attended by 550 guests representing cultural institutions, businesses, politics and the media at the “TIPI am Kanzleramt in Berlin .” Other category awards were bestowed upon the Tonhalle/IGNITION, the City of Hamburg, Mercedes-Benz Bank AG, Basel/ Culture Unlimited, Märchenland – German Center for the Fairy Tales Culture as well as Hedy Graber.

Each summer, the festival of the world’s best youth orchestras – the “Young Euro Classic” has been hosted in Berlin for the past 16 years. On 18 concert nights, excellent young musicians between the age of 18 and 28 from more than 40 nations play for more than 25,000 patrons. The target group comprises young and old fans of classical music and also those not familiar with the genre. The festival defines itself as a utopian societal and community model for harmonious and functional communal living. It is a commitment to Europe, peace and international understanding. By initiating unique projects that allow musicians with artistic and political ambitions to meet, Young Euro Classic has intensified and proliferated the efforts to establish new bi- and multi-national youth orchestras in the classic music genre. The Young Euro Classic Peace Orchestra, for instance, was founded in 2015: On August 23, 73 young Russians, Ukrainians, Armenians, Turkish musicians and Germans performed Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 under conductor Enoch zu Guttenberg and the auspices of Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

The panel of 29 expert judges representing businesses, polticis, culture and the media, chaired by Prof. Oliver Scheytt, president of the German Culture Policy Society (Kulturpolitische Gesellschaft e.V.) , honored several other award winners that evening:

The “Culture Manager of 2015” award went to Hedy Graber, Head of the Culture and Social Services Division of the Swiss Migros Cooperative Association.

The title “European Trend Brand of 2015” was bestowed upon thee Junge Tonhalle/ IGNITION (Düsseldorf)

The City of Hamburg’s municipal marketing department won the "City Brand of 2015" award.

Based on the example of the COLOURS – International Dance Festival (Stuttgart), the Mercedes-Benz Bank AG was recognized for its many years of involvement and was lauded as the “European Culture Investor of 2015.”

The title “European Culture Tourism Region of 2015” went to Basel/ Culture Unlimited.

The judges recognized the programs offered by Märchenland – Deutsches Zentrum für Märchenkultur (Berlin) by bestowing the “European Education Program of 2015” award upon the organization.

A total of 99 applications in seven categories participated in or were proposed for the 10th Cultural Brands Awards Contest. The 10th Cultural Brands Awards ceremony was the highlight of the CultureInvest Congress hosted at the Publishing House of the Tagesspiegel on the Askanische Platz on October 29 and 30, which is considered the industry event for culture marketing and investment. The Cultural Brands Award is made possible by RSM Verhülsdonk, the BMW Group, the Tagesspiegel, arte-Magazin as well as – for the first time – by the Deutsche Welle and 33 other partners.

Press liaison: Hans-Conrad Walter, Managing Director Causales GmbH; Bötzowstr. 25, 10407 Berlin; Tel.: 0049-030 53 214 391; Mobile: 0152-542 165 17; walter@causales.de As of October 30, 10 am, this press release as well as press photos will also be available for download online at www.cultural-brands.com/mediathek.