The Larnaka 2030 organisation
brings together all the European Capitals of Culture
in the commercial centre of the city!
Can all of Europe fit in the commercial centre of Larnaka? How could the area become the common ground where all the European cities that have been European Capitals of Culture (ECoC) since the establishment of this very important cultural institution, the longest in the EU, meet? These questions were raised and answered by Larnaka 2030, in collaboration with the Shopkeepers Association of the Historic Centre of Larnaka together with the Architects and Designers working groups of the Organisation.
The exciting result of this interaction and co-creation is Common Ground, a project that has never been seen before in Europe. It is a large-scale visual intervention on the shop windows that will embrace the historic commercial centre of Larnaka. The exhibition takes place on the occasion of the celebrations for Europe Day and the 20th anniversary of Cyprus' accession to the EU.
The participating architects and designers, all of them young professionals from Larnaka, worked for five months on a voluntary basis, creating a single composition of self-adhesive surfaces that will be applied to the exterior of the shop windows and will continue in the public space, in the pedestrian streets and squares. In this way, an integrated graphic and visual environment will be created along the entire length of the main shopping streets of Ermou and Zenonos Kitiéos, starting from Zouchouri Square. Thematically, the interventions are based on idiosyncratic features of the different cities that held the ECoC title, with each shop hosting a different cultural capital.
The idea was developed and proposed by the Larnaka 2030 working groups and was subsequently received with enthusiasm by the shopkeepers with the number of participating shops approaching eighty! This is without doubt an unprecedented mobilization of the commercial community of Larnaka with an artistic project as the starting point. Common Ground, which will last for a month, will be launched on Sunday 12 May with a series of events of participation, activation and appropriation of public space.
During the intervening weekends the streets will be transformed into pedestrian areas, hosting parallel artistic activities in public space, such as urban performances, live music and interactive games. All this activity adds value to the shopping centre, inviting people to come and engage creatively. The link below shows the full programme of the project's parallel activities: Common Ground Program Link
"The Common Ground visual intervention is typical of the modus operandi of Larnaka 2030. It is a result of co-creation between different communities of the city, from young architects and graphic designers to the shopkeepers of the city's historic shopping centre. More than 150 people have been actively involved in the creation of this artistic project, in the process of re-imagining the city that is, providing creative solutions to the daily problems facing the city, imagining and making Larnaka the centre of Europe. With this project, we send the message that Europe is our Common Ground, that Art and Culture is our Common Ground and most importantly that we ourselves are the Common Ground, the creators of the city we want, but also of the Europe we want", notes the artistic director of Larnaka 2030 Kelly Diapouli.
From the Larnaka 2030 side, the following architects and designers worked under the guidance and coordination of architect Kyriakos Christofides, who is the curator of the project: Harris Aristodimou, Eisa Baddour, Eugene Gavriel, Pericles Georgiou, Agni Demetriou, Christina Ilia, Maria Isaac, Stavri Kalopetridou, Konstantinos Kelpis, Marios Kyriakou, Louis Loizou, Irini Louka, Marialena Byrou, Anastasia Orfanidou, George Petrou, Leda Solomonidou, Stella Taousiani, Yiotis Tsangaris, Konstantinos Harilaou and Christina Harpa.
It is worth underlining again that this exciting artistic intervention in Larnaka's commercial centre is the fruit of the co-creation of artists, architects and designers with the city's business community. Over 150 people worked systematically to design and implement a project that fills the city centre with art, expression and optimism. This is without a doubt a tangible example of a dynamic interaction that redefines Larnaka, highlighting its inextricable links with Europe.
Participating Municipalities:
Municipality of Larnaka │ Municipality of Aradippou│ Municipality of Dromolaxia - Meneou │ Municipality of Lefkara │ Municipality of Athienou│ Community of Pyla
Sponsors:
Strategic Partner: PETROLINA
Gold Sponsors: AJK Group | Andreou Brothers LTD |Quality Group Cyprus| Ocean Basket
Silver Sponsors: Ypera Insurance | Metro Supermarket | HF Markets
Academic Partner: UCLan Cyprus University
Supporters: Sunshadow Investments
Advertising/PR Partners: DeLeMa McCann Cyprus
Friends: Panikkos Livadiotis Group | McDonalds
Digital Partner: Ideaseven
For more information: info@larnaka2030.eu
