Zora Jaurová became the artistic director of Košice – European Capital of Culture 2013 project

The Mayor of Košice František Knapík inducted Zora Jaurová (35), theater dramaturge, reviewer and translator, into the newly created position of the artistic director in the European Capital of Culture 2013 project earlier today. She shall coordinate all preparatory work and lay out new team structure organization. In the upcoming years, she will coordinate activities leading up 2013, and set off the continuous sustainability of the project.

Zora Jaurová collaborated with the Košice team during city’s candidacy for the ECC title in 2007-2008, namely as a special advisor with the Interface project. “When I was trying to decide who would lead the project, I looked at the two-years of working with Zora Jaurová, who engaged herself single-handedly into development of the project through advice and special consult. I am glad that a person, who has been recognized in Slovakia and abroad, and knows the European cultural environment as well, will head this project. Should one create a project of high quality, it is necessary to view the larger picture, and to employ international experience – Zora has it all and wants to use for our city,“ said the Mayor.
“I am very glad I have been given the opportunity to work on the biggest cultural project in the history of Slovakia. I think the position of an artistic director in a project of this scope, namely Košice – Interface 2013, would pose a tremendous professional challenge to any culture professional in Europe ,“ said the new artistic director.

Zora Jaurová (1973) completed her theater dramaturgy studies at the Faculty of Drama and Puppeteering at the University of Fine Arts in Bratislava. She completed several long-term work experience projects abroad (Great Britain, Norway). She has worked as a theater dramaturge, reviewer, and translator. Until recently, she directed the national bureau of the European Grant Program Kultúra (2007-2013) – Kultúrny kontaktný bod (Culture (2007-2013)- Cultural Point of Contact)
In 2004-2006, she represented the Slovak Republic with Cultural Affairs Committee at the Council of the EU. She was a member of jury at Dráma a Poviedka (Play and Short Story) contests for several years.
In 2005, she founded Inštitút pre kultúrnu politiku (Institute for Cultural Politics). She writes analytical and opinion-shaping pieces in this sphere. She has been a member of the executive committee with the European organization Culture Action Europe (previously known as European Forum for Arts and Heritage –www.cultureactioneurope.org). 
Her work has been published in numerous Slovak and foreign periodicals.
Since 2007, she was acting as the main consultant with Košice – Interface 2013 project, which came in first in the contest for the European Capital of Culture 2013 title.

Contact: Zora Jaurová, Artistic Director of Košice – ECC 2013, zora.jaurova@kosice13.sk,

Zuzana Lehotská,
Media spokesperson, project team Košice – European Capital of Culture 2013