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Post-script to the ECCM Network and Symposium by Hatto Fischer
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Introduction
By way of extrapolation the ECCM Symposium 'Productivity of Culture' was meant to reflect further upon the idea of networking at global level. This had become all the more necessary as European Capitals of Culture operate every year no longer just at local and European level. Thus the need for a 'network of networks' was largely a given.
Unfortunately the ECCM network could not benefit from the Symposium and advance with this idea of wishing to create a 'network of networks'. Developments since the last Symposium held also in Athens in 2005 had weakened the network considerably. By 2007 the ECCM was no longer in a position to convince others and especially the newly designated European Capitals of Culture to join and to support the network.
As a matter of fact the ECCM Network had not yet resolved the problems which emerged after the last General Assembly held in Patras 2006 when coming together in Athens one year later. By that time the network operated only on the basis of an interim solution and mainly thanks to the personal initiative of Spyros Mercouris. But instead of being strengthened by such a substantial Symposium and personal efforts, the weakness of the network became even more self-evident at the Symposium.
One clear indication was that during this second Symposium in Athens its members could no longer convince others to join them. Above all they were unclear about wanting more an informal than a formal network – an absurd positioning given the fact that the ECCM was a formal network. As a matter of fact this kind of confusion reflected that the vision for the ECCM to continue somehow was all but gone. Some had come already to the conclusion that networking between the various European Capitals of Culture required another framework. They could not say exactly why, but it was felt that the ECCM existing since 1992 was in no position to renew itself - the exact opposite of what had brought about the Symposium, namely an understanding of culture as the capacity to renew itself and therefore to be called the 'productivity of culture'.
Thus when the post script letter arrived from the two interim coordinators to announce the official closing down of the ECCM network, this did not come as a surprise. Circumstances for networking European Capitals of Culture had changed and the ECCM had not the means to cope with all the new demands while still upholding its legacy as wished for by Spyros Mercouris.
Post-script: the folding of the ECCM Network in 2010
From: Ivonne Cunha Rego [mailto:ifcrego@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, June 24, 2010 10:51 PM
Subject: ECCM – Network of the European Capitals of Culture and Cultural Months - Final Communication
Dear colleagues, dear friends,
Acting within our task as coordinators ad interim of the Network we want to inform you that ECCM has ceased to exist with the cessation in the “Registre de Commerce et des Sociétés”, Luxembourg, siege social of our Network, as of June 11, 2010. This cessation was based on the consent expressed by the members to our proposal to bring ECCM to an end.
We want to thank all member cities, organizations and individual persons who have supported the work of the Network. Thanks to ECCM the ideas of disseminating culture in Europe, fostering trans-European cultural cooperation, making culture an important factor of public life and serving sustainability of cultural actions and structures were promoted.
Other initiatives have emerged meanwhile so we can be convinced that the ideas of ECCM will prevail in the future.
We invite all interested friends and colleagues to continue serving these ideas by supporting the Documentation Center on European Capitals of Culture, http://www.ecoc-doc-athens.eu. This Center has been established in Athens recently and it will be inaugurated officially on October 2010 upon invitation of the Mayor of Athens and in the presence of the EU-Commissioner for Culture and personalities from various cities and countries in Europe.
You can simply express your interest by emailing: info@ecoc-doc-athens.eu
With our kind regards,
Luxemburg, June 11, 2010
Ivonne Felman da Cunha Rego Jörg-Ingo Weber
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