The arts in Klagenfurt are set to equal the world class football the city will experience during the coming EURO 2008. On Kardinalplatz, the "Culture Mile" will offer a lively and varied programme from June 7 to 16 - from salsa to swing, jazz and tango. And it was exactly on this square that city councillor for cultural affairs, Albert Gunzer, head of the organisational committee, Manfred Pock, and Roman Thaler of the cultural department of the city together with artists and organisations presented the projects planned for Klagenfurt during the time of the EURO.

"Klagenfurt is a city of the arts and culture and we aim to ensure that none of our guests during the EURO miss any of the cultural attractions", said city councillor Gunzer when presenting the planned activities for the Kardinalplatz and along the Lendkanal.
Organising committee chief Manfred Pock, added: "This project is a sheer delight. The "Culture Mile" and the "Arts Mile" will not only be marvellous reference projects for the EURO fans who will be our guests, but will also be a great gesture for the visitors and locals who have less of a football fixation."

Live music acts will perform on the "music stage east" on Kardinalplatz square, beginning at 7:30 pm (on June 11 and 12 on 9:00 pm); if the weather blows the whistle on outdoor events, the concerts will be relocated from the Culture Mile to the redesigned Kammerlichtspielen cinema centre.

The "lendspiel" Arts Mile will run along Lendkanal from Steinerne Brücke to Lendhafen and boasts a permanent exhibition from June 6 to 16. The four bridges will play a central role: artists from Germany, Croatia, Austria and Poland will design them. At Lendhafen there will be daily evening programmes with music entertainment and catering. "We have created a real live wire connection between the stadium area and the city centre", city councillor Gunzer said at the presentation of the programme.

The "play2be.at" arts project on Kardinalplatz will create a hot-bed of regional, supra-regional and international points of cultural reference against the background of the EURO. Everybody is invited to take part and prove team spirit. Via public viewing, "play2be.at" will enter another public scene and be transmitted to the Carinthian communities connected to the public viewing network.

The title of the current exhibition at the Carinthian Museum of Modern Art is "Länderspiel" (shown from May 8 to June 29), and at the "Künstlerhaus" museum, an exhibition under the title of "Heimspiel" is shown (May 22 to June 21). Werner Feiersinger's "Virtual Football Pitch in Public Space" (corner pole sculptures) will be on display until June 29..

On June 7 and 8 (at 7:30 pm), the "bremer shakespeare company" will give a guest performance at the Municipal Theatre and perform the play "Ein Königreich für einen Fußball".
Folklore and literature will be represented at Metnitzstrand. And the Municipal Gallery will also play its part..