What is LOV2030
In 2030, a Belgian city will be the European Capital of Culture. Leuven & Beyond – short for East-Brabant – is applying as LOV2030.
In numbers
LOV is the name of our candidacy to become European Capital of Culture in 2030
LOV stands for Lovanium, the Latin name for Leuven. And of course LOV also refers to love. Because love is essential to fulfil our mission: by creating radically new connections, we strive together for a better future for Leuven and the entire region.
Leuven & Beyond
That region is very important to us. That is why we deliberately refer to ‘Leuven & Beyond’: we are reaching out to the world from the whole of East Brabant and showing that things can be done differently. That is also why we have chosen LOV2030 and not Leuven2030 as prescribed by the tradition of European Capitals of Culture.
LOV is all you need to connect the impossible, and it is the energy that is released when that connection is successful.
LOV as a mindset
How do you connect a museum with a primary school? A graveyard with life? A retirement home in Kortenberg with the incubators of Heverlee? Poverty with the climate? The region with the world?
With LOV, of course.
- LOV is not only our name, but also our mindset.
- LOV means looking for what we do not see, for our blind spots, to break through the bubbles in which we live.
- LOV stands for embracing friction and uncertainties.
- LOV brings together culture with education, innovation, sustainability, heritage, and sectors that we may not even know yet.
LOV is all you need to connect the impossible, and it is the energy that is released when that connection is successful.
Why do we want to become the European Capital of Culture?
Polarisation is spreading. Democracy is under pressure. Why is that? And above all: what can we do about it together? How can we find a way to live together in harmony? We believe we can find the beginnings of a solution to the challenges Leuven and the region face.
The European Capital of Culture title is a lever for this:
- The cultural programme in the city and the region will make the entire area an attractive place to live and visit. This will provide a concrete incentive for cooperation on mobility, transport, public transport and bicycle traffic. We will attract artistic talent and visitors not only to the city, but to the entire area. This will create a beneficial dialogue between the city and the region, because the region is us.
- What will we leave for future generations? We believe that art and culture based on imagination contribute to a new story for the future, one about a just and sustainable way of living together.
- It is an excellent opportunity to share experiences with all Europeans. After all, our challenges are also those of Europe and the rest of the world.
How do we tackle that? With radically new connections
What does that mean?
We are strong in networks, in Leuven and in the region. There are networks around culture, education, innovation, sustainability and representation. However, these networks often remain closed circles. This means that often the same people are heard and others remain invisible. We are in a bubble and do not talk to those who think and act differently.
But if you do what you always did, you will get what you always got.
Not talking to each other leads to polarisation. So we need to do things differently. We must create conditions that allow people and organisations to open up to themselves and to each other. We must ensure that our bubbles open up and new connections become possible. These are radically new connections.
What will the programme for 2030 look like?
We will start from our strengths: our people, a clear focus on nature and sustainability and our specialisation in innovation. These three elements are at the core of our DNA. They are also the three major themes for the programme: human, nature and innovation. In the underlying programme lines, we constantly seek out the tension between people and nature, between innovation and people, between nature and innovation. This is how we make the most radically new connections.
These are our programme lines
Human
- Place of birth
- Body & Soul
- Power to the People
Nature
- Cultural Climate Change
- Let's move, let's meet
Innovation
- Future Fusion
- Heritage for the future
We will link concrete activities to these programme lines. By 2030, we are aiming for around 600 activities, a mix of top events, medium-sized events and smaller activities. You can find concrete examples of these activities in our LOV stories.
It is important to remember that winning the title is not just about 2030. The title race will kick off a movement that will give the city and the region a positive boost both before and after the anniversary year.
European Capital of Culture is a competition
Every year, the European Union selects two cities to be European Capitals of Culture. The EU hopes to use this programme to highlight Europe's cultural wealth and diversity.
Belgium
In 2030, it will be our country's turn and one Belgian city will be awarded the title. Leuven and the region of East Brabant are candidates as LOV2030. Molenbeek for Brussels and Namur are also vying for the title. These Belgian cities have already been awarded the title:
- Antwerp in 1993
- Brussels in 2000
- Bruges in 2002
- Mons in 2015
It will be 15 years before Belgium can once again present a Capital of Culture, so we must not let this opportunity pass us by.
Cyprus
In 2030, a Cypriot city may call itself European Capital of Culture. In Cyprus, two cities are still competing for the title: Larnaca and Limassol.
Candidate member states
Two cities from candidate member states also submitted an application: Lviv from Ukraine and Niksic from Montenegro.
In September, a 12-member jury of European experts will judge the Belgian candidates.
We will know the result on 24 September.