A New Culture Bistro for Veszprém and a New Name and Slogan for the ECoC Volunteer Programme

“We would like to make an old dream of Veszprémers come true and fill the route leading to Veszprém castle - that is, Óváros Square and its surroundings - with life even when there are no major events ongoing. We have identified the problem that developments in this neighbourhood simply won’t work on a pinpoint basis, so we have launched our Street Scene Development Programme to help open establishments which could improve the atmosphere of the square and fill it with life. 

We would like to give functions to long abandoned city centre shops which have been missing from our urban palette to date, but will help Veszprém become a European touristic destination.

We are envisaging galleries, cafés and bookstores here which would attract locals and visitors likewise,” – says Dr. Tibor Navracsics, Government Commissioner of European Capital of Culture Veszprém-Balaton 2023. 

As the first step of this programme Papírkutya has been opened in the place of the former Veranda shop in Szabadság Square. The couple who run the restaurant were chosen by tender in 2019. The successful tenderers took on the obligation under contract to keep open every day of the week, serve breakfast, lunch and dinner until 11 o’clock in the evening, and also keep vegetarian dishes on the menu. The venue will have to accommodate ECoC’s cultural programmes, but the operators are also planning to put on concerts and exhibitions.

After opening Papírkutya, the ECoC team will soon be back with new tenders devised to change the street scene for the better.

“We started to look for a name and a slogen to the programme in an open bid, because we wanted to use the very process of choosing the name to get the active and creative people of the city and the region involved. More than a hundred proposals were sent in to the call, which we feel is an excellent result. It is good to see so many people’s minds triggered by the topic of volunteereing. The jury has chosen the slogan by Tamás Köller "SHINE TOGETHER!" to be the winner. We couldn’t find a name to match the slogan among the proposals, so, inspired by the slogan, we have opted for the name "BEAM TEAM,” – the Government Commissioner says.

In their assessment the jury remarked that the slogan is a particularly good match to the image of the European Capital of Culture project, which puts special emphasis on sparks and radiance.

The Beam Team will start work this summer already: their debut is due at the Street Music Festival, and a few days later, at the beginning of September they will work at the Filmpicnic both in Veszprém and in Balatonfüred. Registration of applicants will soon start on the ECoC programme’s website.