• What is ECoC?
• Application
• Why Wrocław?
• Wrocław 2016
• Honorary Patrons of Culture

Wrocław, the capital of Lower Silesia, is one of the oldest and most beautiful Polish cities. It is one of the most rapidly developing cultural centres. Theatres, the opera house, the musical theatre, the concert hall and numerous clubs, museums and art galleries offer a big number of artistic events throughout the year.

The city is renowned for international music festivals, the biggest of which is "Wratislavia Cantans". Wrocław is also the venue of the following events: Jazz on the Odra River Festival, Days of the Music of Old Masters, Singing Actors' Festival, Jazz All Souls' Day, Wrocław Meetings of One-Actor Theatres and Small Theatrical Forms as well as International Theatre Festival Dialog-Wrocław. Opera shows held in Wrocław's Centennial Hall, which are famous throughout Europe, delight with monumental character. Wrocław hosted many international music celebrities playing both popular and classical music, among others Joe Cocker, Anastasia, Sonique, Placido Domingo, Jose Cura and Garou. Thanks to festival Era New Horizons Wrocław became a hot spot on a film festivals' map. In autumn this year a new project of Roman Gutek will commence - "American Film Festival".

We should

We feel responsible for our multicultural heritage. Wrocław's fascinating history reflects the past of the entire Central Europe. One can find traces of the Polish, German, Czech, Austrian and Jewish cultures almost everywhere here. We should do our best to benefit from this historical multiculturalism of our city. That is the reason why we would like to encourage our western and eastern neighbours to join us and engage in projects aimed to reawaken the curiosity that was asleep throughout post-war decades. The European Capital of Culture is a chance not only for Wrocław but for the entire Europe - we should seize the opportunity to deepen integration in this part of our continent, to reconnect what has been apart for years.

We dream

We dream about the culture that will connect nations instead of separating them. We dream about the future with no one deprived of an opportunity to participate in cultural life and with all Europeans participating in culture, regardless of their religion, gender, age or financial situation. Wrocław will become the place of dialogue about the special role of culture in creating Europe without barriers.

We can

Wrocław will be a great capital of culture - our city is already an important point on the cultural map of Poland and Europe. Here international festivals are held and a modern concert hall, one of the most beautiful in Europe, is under construction. But what makes Wrocław strong is its inhabitants' potential and creativity. It is here where absurd used by the Orange Alternative movement helped people to overcome fear and lack of enthusiasm, which were so characteristic of the 1980s. The pictures of dwarves drawn on the walls, which armed militia did not manage to fight, became a symbol of our way of living. What is this way of living characterised by? Enthusiasm, creative energy and joy because of acting together.

We want

As the ECC 2016, Wrocław wants to share with everyone its story about "growing roots". Today Europe is looking for its identity. We can tell a story about the first inhabitants of Wrocław that settled, rebuilt and revived the metropolis after the destruction. It took the next generation a lot of time to get used to it; however, Wrocław's multicultural past was eventually accepted. What we want is an open dialogue about the identity of the new Europe. We do believe that by looking for our local identity as the inhabitants of Wrocław we are looking for Polishness and Europeness of our city.