Press release November 9th 2017

On November 9, this year's winners of the European Cultural Awards were awarded with the AURICA at the "Night of Cultural Brands" gala at the Wintergarten in Berlin. The ceremony was attended by 500 guests representing cultural institutions, businesses, politics and the media. The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao was selected as the "European Cultural Brand of the Year 2017". Other categories were bestowed upon the Kulturzug Berlin - Wroclaw//Breslau, the Würth Group, Tourismus NRW e.V. with its #urbanana project, the Daetz Foundation and the Stuttgart Cultural Office (Kulturamt Stuttgart). Frances Morris, director of the Tate Modern art gallery in London, was honored as the "European Culture Manager of the Year 2017" Dr. Gereon Sievernich, director of the Martin Gropius Baus (Martin Gropius Building) in Berlin, received an AURICA for his life's work so far. www.kulturmarken.de

The jury's reasoning: The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao has shaped both the cultural and economic importance for the region. The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, with its unique architecture, has succeeded in shaping the urban landscape and urban culture in a sustainable way. The "Bilbao Effect" attracts more than a million visitors from all over the world to the museum for modern art every year. According to the judges, the top-class museum has also achieved a leading position as a cultural brand on the European market.

In total, 104 entries were submitted in seven categories this year. The panel of 38 expert judges representing businesses, politics, culture and the media, chaired by Prof. Dr. Oliver Scheytt, president of the German Culture Policy Society (Kulturpolitische Gesellschaft e.V.), honored seven other award winners that evening:

• • Frances Morris, director of the Tate Modern art gallery in London, received the "European Culture Manager of the Year 2017" award.

• • Dr. Gereon Sievernich, director of Martin Gropius Baus in Berlin, was honored with a special award for his life's work so far.

• • Kulturzug Berlin-Wrozlaw//Breslau der Deutsch-Polnischen Gesellschaft e.V. was voted "European Trend Brand of the Year 2017".

• • The "Prize for Urban Culture 2017" was awarded for the second time to the Stuttgart Cultural Office (Kulturamt der Stadt Stuttgart) for its project "Zukunftslabor Kultur".

• • The Würth Group received the "European Cultural Investor of the Year 2017" award for its cultural engagement inEurope.

• • Tourismus NRW e.V. received the "European Cultural Tourism Region of the Year 2017" title with its #urbanana project.

• • The judges recognized the programs offered by the Daetz Foundation (based in Liechtenstein, Saxony) by bestowing the "European Education Program of the Year 2017" award upon the organization.

The winners were honored with the AURICA, a 23 centimeter tall waxed bronze statue. 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 symbol 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. The main sponsor this year is the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe, as well as premium partners Der Tagesspiegel, ARTE Magazin, Deutsche Welle, HORIZONT, BayerKultur and Berlin Partner für Wirtschaft und Technologie. Funding for the AURICAs is provided by SecuritasAB.

Press contact: Hans-Conrad Walter, Managing Director of Causales GmbH;
Bötzowstr. 25, 10407Berlin; Tel.: 0049- (0) 30 53 214 391; Mobile: +49 (0) 152-542 165 17; walter@causales.de. This press release as well as press photos will also be available for download at www.kulturmarken.de/presse.

Press release October 29, 2015

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

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 contact: Hans-Conrad Walter, Managing Director Causales GmbH; Bötzowstr. 25, 10407 Berlin; Tel.: 0049-030 53 214 391; Mobile: 0049(0)152-542 165 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 .de/mediathek.