After two years of working to set up the legal structures to support the European Capital of Culture (ECoC) bid, Valletta 2018, the public now has a first opportunity to help shape the vision of the ECoC year at Imagine 18, a conference and workshops on Monday and Tuesday.

Conferred by the European Commission, the title of European Capital of Culture provides Valletta, and all Malta, with the opportunity to participate in what is probably the most prestigious and visible cultural initiative in the EU.

Imagine 18 is being organised by the Valletta 2018 Foundation, a new entity charged with formulating and implementing the vision and strategy of the ECoC bid.

“Imagine 18 represents the real start, the kick-off in earnest, of our bid to secure Valletta as a European Capital of Culture in 2018,” David Felice, chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Commission for the ECoC, which will be a member of the Valletta 2018 Foundation, said: “We’ve made immense progress in the past year or so in creating a strong platform on which to launch the bid. Now we need to articulate what it will be. We are starting the most important part of our journey towards Valletta as an ECoC. The foundation’s first milestone is to submit preliminary proposals, the so-called “bid book”, to the European Commission by October 17 this year.”

The EC has designated two countries as potential ECoC hosts in 2018: Malta and The Netherlands, where four cities are competing for the title.

A key factor in determining a city’s viability as an ECoC is the candidate’s vision of what it expects the year to achieve. Imagine 18 has been conceived as a vehicle to crowd source ideas from both the public and cultural stakeholders to channel into the bid book.

Valletta 2018 project coordinator Karsten Xuereb said the workshops on Tuesday would be aimed at stimulating a free flow of ideas with discussions focused on eight core themes ranging from looking at exploring creativity and play in cultural, youth and educative projects to bringing science closer to everyday life and from celebrating cultural diversity to harnessing and innovatively re-interpreting the islands’ events and traditions.

For more information and to register for the event call 9982 7188 or e-mail graziella.a.vella@gov.mt.