Brief description of the organisation
The City of Pécs is the local public authority with 157,000 inhabitants (5th largest city in Hungary and largest one in the South-Transdanubian region). The municipality is among the most active cities in Hungary with regard to European cooperation and affairs, underpinned by its nomination as European Capital of Culture 2010, and therefore well networked with other cities and European institutions. With regard to the promotion of economic clusters, different competencies have already been developed within the economic development department of the municipality. Those include for example the participation of the municipality in the INTERREG 3B CADSES operation CITYREGIO II.
These capacities will be exploited when European good practices are analysed and new instruments (e.g. cluster marketing) to promote clusters are jointly developed with the partners.
The promotion of a creative industry clusters is a key objective of the City of Pécs to capitalise its status as European Capital of Culture. In that aim, it can rely on the close cooperation with Cultural Innovation Competency Centre Association (KIKK) as well the South-Transdanubian Region’s Regional Development Corporation. It has access to further expertise as the municipality closely cooperates with the University of Pécs.
Brief description of Pécs
Pécs is the seat and the largest city of the South-Transdanubian region in South-West Hungary; a Catholic Episcopal seat and a university city that provides home to a large number of festivals and other cultural events year after year. The city was awarded the title of European Capital of Culture for the year 2010 by the European Union.
Pécs is home to approximately 153.000 inhabitants and is a city of knowledge and history. Although Pécs is at a distance of five hundred kilometres from the Adriatic Sea, numerous travel books describe it as the Hungarian city with a touch of the Mediterranean atmosphere. The local city centre, with its ancient Christian remains from the Roman years, was declared a World Heritage Site in 2000 by UNESCO.
The cultural heritage of Pécs is not confined only to architectural treasures. The city boasts numerous citizens who created something outstanding in their own age and remain with us forever through their intellectual achievements. The traditional Zsolnay family established a porcelain factory here that still operates in the city. Internationally renowned artists used to live here, like Victor Vasarely and Amerigo Tot, whose works can be seen in permanent exhibitions. Contemporary art also constitutes an integral part of the city's life. Every week of the year sees the opening of an exhibition, a first night performance in the theatre or an event of contemporary literature somewhere in the city. The University of Pécs is the only institution outside the capital that offers training in music and visual arts – even at the doctoral level. Thanks to this, the city offers several opportunities for cultural development projects on the basis of the rich heritage of many thousand years.
Brief description of the city’s peculiarities as far as creativity and culture are concerned
In 2005 an expert made an analyze about how many people work in creative industry in Pécs – the number was 4500 its 6% of the all employees. In the region there are 320 music band, 200 dance club (modern and folk) 50 museums, 35 galleries, more than 100 amateur theatres and 113 companies works in the media – communication sector. In Pécs more than 30 companies work in graphics – design – printing and we have about 150 architectures.
The early Christian cemetery, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage list, the Pécs National Theatre Festival, the enchanting places, the Mediterranean climate are but a few things that make this city on the gentle slopes of the Mecsek Hills so attractive.
The European Capital of Culture programme is designed to enable the city to rediscover its urban character, regain the ability to admire its historic heritage and begin transforming it in a cheerful and tame way.
The main goal of the investment projects is to provide Pécs with an adequate number of cultural and artistic spaces with proper size that can meet European standards. They promote the utilization of the city's cultural potential and the development of creative industry and tourism.
There are 4 key projects:
- Pécs Conference and Concert Centre
- Zsolnay Cultural Quarter
- Reconstruction of Museum Street
- South Transdanubian Regional Library and Knowledge Centre
Pécs, Széchenyi tér 1. 7621 Hungary
[email protected]
Tel: +36/72/533-800 Fax: +37/72/212-049
http://www.pecs.hu/
Name of the contact person and contact details
Agnes Tiszai
Foreign Relations Officer
[email protected]
+36/72/533-849