Pécs gears up for year as European cultural capital

Hungary's southern city of Pecs will be Culture Capital of Europe for 2010 offering some 350 cultural programmes to which one million visitors are expected, chief executive of the project manager Pecs2010 office told MTI on Sunday, a week before the programme's official launch.

Csaba Ruzsa said the city's big reconstruction projects are on schedule, despite earlier worries about stalling construction and problems with finances, and the Zsolnay Cultural Quarter, Museum street and the Grand Exhibition Area could all open by June 2010, ready for the Cultural Capital programmes.

The project manager expects tourism to rise by 20 percent compared to 2007/2008 levels, with most guests expected from Hungary, but some from neighbouring countries and further, too, Ruzsa said.

To highlight some of the programmes, Ruzsa mentioned the talent-scouting Fringe Festival in April, the Europe Mania for pop concerts and theatre programmes in May and PanBalkan Art, which is a public art project showcasing work made using pianos donated from up to ten countries, to be displayed on Pecs's public spaces at the end of August.

Pecs will launch the Cultural Capital Europe year on January 10 with a grand gala opening to be aired live on public television, Ruzsa added.

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