Andrea Kőhalmi, director of the Pécs Arts and Literature Centre
MúzeumCafé 8.
Arts and Literature Centre – the name suggests that the culture loving residents of Pécs can find everything here. The institution encompassing all arts genres has a theatre seating nearly 200 where classical music concerts and other high-standard music programmes, literary evenings, theatre performances and conferences are held. Smaller halls accommodate similar events and the gallery is suitable for exhibitions. Diversity is the basis of the centre’s attraction. The centre has managed to get Hungarian church leaders for a round-table talk to accompany the current exhibition, Space and Prayer, which relates to three denominations and features recently built churches. Next year it is hosting a series of events introducing Turkish culture where contemporary Turkish music and film will feature as much as traditional art and dance. How do the town’s 2010 ‘European Capital of Culture’ programmes affect the centre? In two years several new institutions will open and it will induce those already existing to change. The Arts and Literature Centre, which is maintained by the county, is also applying for support with several ideas. Yet due to the programmes organised in the framework of the 2010 events, which are strongly backed by the central budget, the institutions in Pécs are in a distinctly disadvantageous position with regard to traditional channels of making applications. Thus local organisations are obliged to finance their programmes from the budget of the European Capital of Culture. The Foundation for the Present Time has moved into the centre, giving it a strong literary profile.