“RUHR.2010 provided a major stimulus for the region” - RWE draws a positive balance from the region’s year as European Capital of Culture
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“We have electrified the Ruhr District,” was the positive balance drawn by Alwin Fitting, member of the Executive Board of RWE AG, at the close of the region’s year as “European Capital of Culture”. RWE was a main sponsor of RUHR.2010. The “Capital of Culture” projects supported by RWE proved highly successful both from an artistic perspective and in terms of resonance with the public.
- (1888PressRelease) December 14, 2010 - The spectacular “Ruhr Atoll” fully deserved its reputation as a leading project for RUHR.2010. Over 36,000 visitors steered their pedal boats to the ensemble of artificially structured islands in Lake Baldeney. The photograph exhibition “A Star is Born” in Essen’s Folkwang Museum, featuring the major figures from 50 years of pop music history, was seen by some 67,000 visitors, making it the most successful photograph exhibition ever held by the museum.
Prof. Oliver Scheytt, Managing Director of RUHR.2010 GmbH, also appraised the successful cooperative effort: “The core element in the cooperation between RUHR.2010 and RWE was the concept of ‘Energy’. The Ruhr Atoll used the tools of art to pose the key question for the future: How do we obtain and use energy? This project reflected local and global thinking and action in a unique manner. Together, we developed “culture” as an inexhaustible source of energy. In addition, by supporting and, in some cases, initiating regional projects, RWE AG played an active role in shaping the 2010 Capital of Culture and thus made an important contribution to its success.”
RWE implemented a good dozen cultural projects of its own as its contributions to the programme for the “year of the City of Culture”. These included exhibitions in Mülheim, Recklinghausen and Dortmund, art installations along the Ruhr Valley cycle path and artistic activities involving children and young people. In a representative survey in North Rhine-Westphalia, more than 60% of those surveyed thought that RWE’s activities fitted in ‘well’ to ‘very well’ with the concept of the “Capital of Culture”.
As a company with a commitment to the Ruhr District, RWE was the first participant from the industrial sector to commit as a main sponsor of RUHR.2010. Executive Board member Alwin Fitting sums it up as follows: “RUHR.2010 was an important stepping stone toward a successful future for the Ruhr District. The year as “Capital of Culture” has given the region lasting stimuli both to become stronger and to undergo changes. RWE has also electrified the Ruhr District with its wide variety of cultural activities, which enabled us to give something back, with pleasure, to the region that has been our home for decades.”
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