Successful First Six Months for Chemnitz as European Capital of Culture 2025

Chemnitz 2025 is attracting the much hoped-for attention - from the people of Chemnitz themselves, but above all from visitors from the region, Germany, Europe and all over the world: visitor numbers have risen significantly, both in the city and region and in the museums and cultural institutions. There has also been a noticeable increase in catering, conferences and congresses as well as in public transport. The entire Capital of Culture region is benefiting from increased interest, which is also reflected in the number of overnight stays. The Capital of Culture motto "C the Unseen" could not have been more apt. A city and a region have become visible and have been attracting cultural tourists for six months. Many are visiting Chemnitz and the region for the first time. The general tenor: they like being here.

Since the opening event on 18 January with around 80,000 guests, well over 1,000 events have already taken place in the Capital of Culture programme. Some formats reached a particularly large audience: KOSMOS Chemnitz, a festival for culture and democracy, took place over three days for the first time and ended on Sunday with a record attendance of 115,000. The Hat Festival in May attracted 105,000 visitors, twice as many as last year. The European Capital of Culture Marathon also brought over 8,000 runners to the starting line in May and thousands of visitors and fans to the route. The opening of the PURPLE PATH art and sculpture trail in April attracted thousands of interested visitors to the 38 municipalities in the Capital of Culture region. The installation "The Universe in a Pearl" by Rebecca Horn in the Hospital Church in Lößnitz alone has so far attracted 8,200 visitors and the "Entanglements" exhibition in the revitalised Kulturbahnhof in Flöha has so far attracted 10,000.At the #3000Garagen festival on Whitsun weekend, over 7,000 people celebrated on the lawn of a large Chemnitz garage, 6,000 danced at the Tango Festival and around 10,000 people have taken part in the hands-on activities in the region's maker hubs so far. The Hartmannfabrik - a renovated factory building and part of the 30 intervention areas of Chemnitz 2025 - is now home to the Capital of Culture's visitor and information centre, which is visited by up to 500 guests a day.

Barbara Klepsch, Saxon State Minister for Culture and Tourism: "The positive effects of the Capital of Culture on culture and tourism are clearly noticeable and I am convinced that the Capital of Culture has already developed an enormous radiance. It has brought Europe to Saxony and thus brought international visibility, sympathy and attention to our federal state. It thus impressively demonstrates what culture can achieve. I am also delighted that Chemnitz is an important venue for numerous events this year and next. People from other parts of Germany, Europe or even from all over the world will come to the region, be pleasantly surprised by the cultural offerings and thus become ambassadors for the state of Saxony."