Exactly 762 days have passed since the opening of the Dresden Capital of Culture Bid Office on 26 August 2017. Today, Friday, 27 September 2019, the state capital of Dresden will officially send its bid book for the title "European Capital of Culture 2025" to the Kulturstiftung der Länder under the motto "Neue Heimat Dresden 2025". The bid book will be accompanied by a "Good-Wish Book" in which Dresdeners have written down their hopes and wishes for the potential Capital of Culture year. Together with members of the Dresden 2025 Youth Council, the head of the Capital of Culture Bid Office, Dr. David Klein, is launching the bid book on the banks of the Dresden Elbe towards Berlin.

Curator Michael Schindhelm, the Capital of Culture Office and many other actors from the Dresden City Society have worked intensively on the strategy and programme in recent months. The local graphic design agency pingundpong designed the 60-page bid book according to fixed – and uniform – specifications for all applicants.

Neue Heimat Dresden 2025 – the motto of Dresden's bid

Curator Michael Schindhelm: "Neue Heimat Dresden 2025 understands culture as a wonderful technique to live differences tolerantly in exchange. We believe that this is where the power of culture lies. It is more important than ever to use this power to maintain communication in the European city in times of controversial disputes. In a 'European Capital of Culture', people should work together to create a new home."

The artistic programme is made up of four themes: "Heimat", "East and West", "Power of Strangeness" and "Neue Heimat X-Culture" and is developed by both creative artists and citizens alike. In addition to 25 lead projects, the programme concept relies on a large-scale participation process: The "Neue Heimat Platform". As early as 2019, more than 150 cultural and creative workers and committed citizens came together in this process to draw up visions and concrete projects for their city.

"With Neue Heimat Dresden 2025, Dresden presents the jury a vision for the future of Dresden, but also for Europe. It will be open to the public on our website from Tuesday, 1 October 2019", announces Dr David Klein, Head of the Bid Office Dresden 2025. Over the next few weeks, an international jury will look through the bids of the German candidates and examine the respective cities intensively.

Half time for the candidates

With the submission of the bid, the first step in the competition for the title has been taken. On Tuesday, 10 December 2019, the Saxon state capital will present its programme to the jury alongside its seven competitors. Only then will the jury announce the candidates who will be allowed to advance to the final round of decisions within the competition. Dresden is planning with a budget of 70.6 million euros if the bid is successful.

Exhibition on the bid at the Deutsches Hygiene-Museum Dresden

The bid book and its themes will be on display from 11 October to 15 December 2019 at the Deutsches Hygiene-Museum Dresden in a unique combination of exhibition and programme of events. Within nine weeks, almost 30 presentations, performances, discussions and lectures will take place in the large showroom "Neue Heimat Dresden 2025". The highlight is the project "The Curious Deal" with the Indonesian artist Uji Handoko Eko Saputro (Hahan). An eight-metre painting by the artist will be cut into individual pieces and exchanged for objects and stories by Dresdeners at auction.

Dr. David Klein, head of the Bid Office Dresden 2025, presents the bid book on the banks of the Elbe river in Dresden together with members of the Dresden 2025 Youth Council.
Members of the Dresden 2025 Youth Council browse through the bid book.
Members of the Dresden 2025 Youth Council wave at the camera on the banks of the Elbe river in Dresden.
Dr. David Klein, head of the Bid Office Dresden 2025, presents the bid book on the banks of the Elbe river in Dresden.