Under the umbrella of Smart Tourism, the European Commission has launched two competitions to promote smart and sustainable tourism in the EU, network and strengthen destinations, and facilitate the exchange of best practices.

Oulu, with its 39 partner municipalities in Northern Finland, will step into the spotlight as European Capital of Culture 2026. The full programme will be officially launched on Thursday 4 September 2025 in Oulu, streamed live across Europe.

The opening of a work by the world-famous US land art artist James Turrell on Friday 28 November 2025 in Oelsnitz/Erzgeb. will be the glowing finale of the Capital of Culture year. Turrell's light sculpture "Ganzfeld - Beyond Horizons 2025" will be installed as part of the PURPLE PATH art and sculpture trail  on the site of the former coal mine.

The 15th Culture Next Conference will take place in the city of Bielsko-Biała, from the 15th to the 17th of October, under the theme “Culture & Wellbeing”. Registration is now open until the 2nd of September 2025!

From 29 to 31 August 2025, Seiffen, one of the 38 places in the European Capital of Culture region (Chemnitz 2025), will host the first European Toy Maker Festival. Traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design come together in Seiffen, a centre of Ore Mountain woodcraft. The festival location is a former public swimming pool, which is reopening its doors for the first time after staying vacant for 20 years.

Visitors can discover traditional, contemporary and European woodcraft at interactive stations, as well as in open workshops and museums throughout the town.

A living tradition
The Ore Mountain region's woodcraft tradition, featuring toys and the traditional Christmas decoration, dates back centuries. Mining was the economic driving force of the region from the late Middle Ages. As mining became increasingly difficult, woodcraft became an important second source of income for many families.

Since this year, woodcraft from the Ore Mountains is official part of Germany's intangible cultural heritage. This tradition is kept alive in the toy village of Seiffen, home to the only training centre for woodcraft. On Saturday and Sunday, trainees demonstrate their skills in front of an audience. 

International guests and local masters
In addition to the public programme, the focus is on professional exchange. The festival aims to connect traditional businesses with young designers and international partners. As part of the professional forum the ‘Tradition and Form’ prize will be awarded.

Guests include:
Maho Ito (Japan), who trained in Seiffen and combines German woodcraft expertise with Japanese aesthetics.
Grapat (Spain), A family business that manufactures turned wooden toys and exchanges ideas with German colleagues. → Website
Emma Brix (Germany), a young award-winning industrial designer and graduate of Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design Halle, who combines modern forms with traditional craftsmanship → Webseite
Renowned traditional companies from the region are also represented, such as Wendt & Kühn from Grünhainichen with their iconic angel figures or Sina from Neuhausen, a family business that has been creating woodcraft in the Ore Mountains for decades.
More than 40 manufacturers and design studios from over 10 countries are taking part, including Spain, Poland, Portugal, Austria and Germany.

 
The festival is organised by the municipality of Seiffen and DENKSTATT Erzgebirge, which develops new approaches to design and marketing and is committed to bringing the art of woodcraft to the next generation. The Toy Maker Festival is part of the European Capital of Culture programme and is supported by the Chemnitz 2025 main project Makers, Business & Arts, that builds bridges between creative makers, art and business.

The programme is online here.

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From the world of European capitals of culture and national capitals of culture, including those in Italy, someone should speak up. If there is anyone. And if they plan to say or do something to stop the genocide in Gaza.