Košice, the European Capital of Culture 2013, is headed out on tour to Bratislava accompanied by a non-traditional, multi-functional mobile podium on wheels - KULTOUR 2013. The Košice 2013 team will kick off the program in the capital on 13 December at 4:00 PM at Primaciálne námestie (Primate's Square). The tour going forward will include visits to the following city centres: Žilina, Banská Bystrica, Prešov and Košice. The organizers want to use this unconventional format and accompanying program to bring the project closer to all the residents of Slovakia.

KULTOUR 2013 visitors will have the opportunity to learn more about the Košice 2013 project, its aims and goals, completed and planned activities; they will also compete for valuable prizes and have the ability to express their opinions regarding the project. The program will be moderated by Stano Bilý and Števo Hric. "The Na Peróne Theatre will present its unconventional street performance 'Frame'. Children will have fun with our animators and will be able to paint and draw in the style of Andy Warhol and others. A symbolic blackboard will be set up for visitors to write their suggestions for Košice, our team and many others, of course depending on the public's mood and the weather," said Jozef Môcik, manager of the KULTOUR 2013 project, with regards to the program.

"A research questionnaire will also be a part of the Slovak tour. We are interested to see if people in Slovakia are aware of the project, what they know about it and what they expect from it. Those who also provide contact information will be entered into a drawing for a collection of books written by Sándor Márai. The prize will be books published by Kalligram, which is publishing the complete works of this famous Košice native in Slovak," added Zuzana Lehotská from the Košice 2013 communication department.
One participant from the research questionnaire will be selected from every city at the end of the tour on 19 December in Košice at 4:00 PM. The Sándor Márai book winners will really have something to look forward to under the Christmas tree. Those interested can also complete the research questionnaire electronically at http://www.kosice2013.sk/sk/folder/kultour/dotaznik

KulTour2013 - this mobile, multi-functional format is a unique informational, marketing and production tool that as a separate mobile unit will compose the foundation used for open air presentations, artistic creations and interactive cooperation with visitors through games, an artistic program and new technologies. KULTOUR 2013 will be a unique representative of the European Capital of Culture 2013 at selected large cultural, sporting and civic events in Slovakia and abroad. "The idea of having a 10-member musical or dance troupe on a 3 x 3 metre stage was really quite bizarre at the beginning but this is what has enabled us to reduce the prominence of the stage, making it easier to include the audience into the program. The mobile set up features all the necessary equipment for presentations and is used to control the area once unpacked. This configuration should allow it to stage dozens of appearances during the year and to help a larger overall audience get to know the KOŠICE 2013 project in a scope that exceeds our expectations," stated the architect who designed the mobile KULTOUR 2013 concept, Martin Schaller.

Project partners in 2011 include: the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic, City of Košice, Košice - Tourism, the cities of Žilina, Banská Bystrica, Prešov, Bratislava and others.

You can find more information at www.kosice2013.sk in the KULTOUR 2013 section.

Program
13.12. - Bratislava (Primaciálne námestie)
14.12. - Žilina (Námestie Andreja Hlinku)
15.12. - Banská Bystrica (Námestie Štefana Moyzesa)
16.12. - Prešov (Hlavná ulica)
19.12. - Košice (Hlavná ulica)