Under the all-encompassing title of Aarhus 2017, this vibrant university city, already well-known for its thriving festival scene, is set to enthral and intrigue visitors and locals alike, to a background of reinvented metropolitan areas, with an extensive calendar of thought-provoking artistic and cultural events.

An excellent option for a city break with world-class attractions, thriving food scene and creative vibe, Aarhus will host an impressive cast of international and Danish artists over the year Including four not-to-be-missed 'Mega' highlights, 13 'full moon' experiences and over 350 featured events. The city will rethink art, music and food on a grand scale, like never before, providing even more reasons to visit.

Commenting on the events for Aarhus-2017, Managing Director Rebecca Matthews said: “Aarhus 2017 is going to be a creative tour de force with new works, special commissions, premieres, major events and festivals. The quality and diversity of the programme we have assembled means there is truly something for everyone, whether you're from Aarhus, Denmark, or visiting from elsewhere. We have created a huge, game-changing year by combining the knowledge of global experts on culture with the views of local people, to determine what quality means in and for arts and culture, here and now.”

Rethinking Art & Culture
Bringing global culture to the Central Denmark Region for the entire year, Aarhus 2017 will draw on the creative input of Scandinavia's foremost cultural figures alongside a wealth of international talent to bring together a truly eclectic programme of events.

With a definitively Danish flavour, performances will include the spectacular re-telling of Frans G. Bengtsons's classic Viking legend “Red Serpent” by The Royal Danish Theatre on the roof of the Moesgaard Museum; Watermusic- a theatrical sound and light show in the old industrial port of the harbour featuring singer and composer Oh Land to a backdrop of magical projections; and the performance of Danish Oscar award-winning film director Susanne Bier's three feature films, Open Hearts, Brothers and After the Wedding as a ballet, an opera and a musical-drama respectively.

Olafur Eliasson, the renowned Danish-Icelandic visual artist, whose 150-metre skywalk installation 'Your rainbow panorama' dominates the roof of the city's ARoS art museum, will also be collaborating with British music producer Jamie XX and visceral choreographer Wayne McGregor to create a contemporary ballet that rethinks American writer, Jonathan Safran Foer's book Tree of Codes. Commissioned by Manchester International Festival, Park Avenue Armory, FAENA ART, Paris Opera Ballet, Sadler's Wells and European Capital of Culture Aarhus 2017, it promises to be 'a hypnotic immersion and multi-layered theatre of the sublime'.

Other international performances of note include Aarhus 2017's Artist-in-Residence English born Anohni, from Antony & the Johnsons, who promises a vibrant interweaving of human identities in sound and vision through the creation of a new mixed media work; a performance of “Distant Figure”, a collaboration between one of the legends of contemporary theatre, US director Robert Wilson and the iconic artists, choreographer Lucinda Childs and composer Philip Glass; and the Australian actor Cate Blanchett multifaceted performance of German artist Julian Rosefeldt ground breaking project MANIFESTO.

In partnership with European Capital of Culture Aarhus, ARoS Aarhus Art Museum will be making their own contribution to Aarhus 2017 with an ambitious new international art project called THE GARDEN - End of Times, Beginning of Times. Stretching more than 4km along the Aarhus coastline, the project will comprise three parts: The Past – at ARoS Aarhus Art Museum; The Present – in the city centre of Aarhus; and The Future. Exploring the significant shift in the relationship between man and nature over the last 400 years, it will show how various worldviews (religious, political, ideological or scientific) have materialised in man-made nature and in art.

Adding to its historic town with buildings and exhibits ranging from the mid 1500s to the 1970's, Aarhus's award winning attraction Den Gamle By will take a further step back in time when it opens a new experiential underground museum in April 2017 as part of Aarhus Tells. Taking the new time elevator to the basement exhibition area, visitors will be able to explore Aarhus through the Viking Age (800 – 1150) before entering an underground cathedral which explains the tremendous impact religion had on the city from 1200 to 1500. Highlighted as a 'capital' event, Aarhus Tells completes the picture of the city's chronology from Viking settlements, a market town in the Middle Ages to industrialization and the last 60 years of development using accurate models, movie effects, sounds and smells, engravings, photos, films and interactive games.

Rethinking Food
Denmark's second city Aarhus, along with Central Denmark Region, has fast been gaining a worldwide reputation as a centre of Gastronomy and even more so for the coming year when it will be 'Rethinking Good Food' with over 100 different food events as the European Region of Gastronomy 2017. With outstanding fresh ingredients and new restaurants, bars and food markets adding to its culinary prowess, the region continues to gather international acclaim for its Michelin star restaurants and annual Aarhus Food Festival which has grown to become the largest in the Nordics. As part of the 2017 celebrations, the city will bring together chefs, producers and world leaders in sustainable thinking to host a programme of events and activities that not only pays tribute to gourmet cuisine and local ingredients but addresses 'Rethinking Good Food' for a more sustainable food culture. With numerous events throughout the year to whet all sorts of appetites, one of the highlights will be The Catastrophic Meal, a three-part gastronomic adventure where scientists, Sci-Fi thinkers, scenario plotters and chefs will create a menu of the future - born out of much scientific, culinary and forward-thinking discussion. It will then be followed by The People's Feast, a communal dinner where 500 people will be able to sample different menus from all over the world as well as the outcome of The Catastrophic Meal.

Rethinking Architecture
As part of the city's innovative plans to rethink the footprint of Aarhus, rethinking public spaces and creating new recreational areas, one centrepiece for the celebrations will be the completion of the revamped former industrial harbour area.

Connected to the heart of the city via a short stroll along the vibrant restaurant lined canal, this new maritime urban space opens up to reveal some of the city's newest and most striking architecture.
Recently finished, the state-of-the-art media space, DOKK1, which houses the main library and civic centre, marks the start of this extensive development. Adjoined by open-air concert spaces and the nearly completed expansive hub for recreation 'Harbour Square', the area stretches past the new gleaming star shaped Navitas - a powerhouse for science and innovation, to Aarhus Ø with its striking building The Iceberg, a uniquely angular housing development that reflects the natural beauty of an iceberg, how it breaks up and floats across the sea's surface capturing light.
As part of the on-going redevelopment, Aarhus Ø will open a new cosmopolitan harbourside swimming pool complex in the summer. In addition to being able to take a dip in the sea, it will be a hip new place to hang out with small sandy beaches, 300-metre-long quayside promenade with an array of new eateries and bars, new theatre for children and novel floating beach.

Bringing more life to this disused area and continuing to grow, the nearby Haven Ø, an inventive urban farm project, offers a new take on allotment gardening with over 250 enthusiasts currently growing their own vegetables, herbs and flowers out of pallet boxes.

Also, as part of rethinking residential accommodation in the area, the Northern Pier has seen the completion of Grundfos, a new technical college and dormitory designed by the architectural firm Cebra to provide low cost housing for students´wo will be subjects to test Grundfos's next innovations. Reinforcing the purpose of the building with vertical stripes as a metaphor for books, it cleverly uses varying materials and window openings inside and out to create different living spaces along with mirrors which provide an endless kaleidoscopic of reflections that help to lighten the building. Another innovative project currently under construction is the 'House of Generations'. Due to be finished in 2019, the community initiative will gather senior housing, assisted living facilities, day care and student accommodation under the same roof, bridging the gap between the generations.

Rethinking Where to Stay
With visitor numbers up over 9% in the first half of 2016 and as part of the city's on-going regeneration, Aarhus will also see several new hotels and hostels open as part of the year of celebrations.

Renovating one of the city's former mission houses, local visionary and owner of two of Aarhus's most popular cafes Bogcafé and Vincaféen, Kenny Jess Brandt is set to convert the atmospheric period building into a boutique hotel with a touch of 1920's New York and Parisian flair. Opening in April 2017, it will jazz up the city with suitably themed 'Salon' nights.

Perfect for the budget traveller, a new Wakeup Hotel will offer facilities associated with 3- and 4-star hotels at 2-star prices when it opens. Based on relatively small, yet very well appointed rooms, with furniture from top Danish designers, it will offer fabulous views over Aarhus from the top levels of the hotel.
With the movement of the main library to its new location at Dokk1 by the harbour, the beautiful old city library building in Mølleparken will offer another affordable option when it finishes its transformation into the Library Hostel with 100 rooms, 450 beds and a social space for both locals and travellers.

Rethinking Getting Around Aarhus
A significant rethink about getting around Aarhus and the East Jutland region has been the DKK 3.5 billion investment in the climate-friendly Aarhus Light Rail. Launching as part of the European Capital of Culture, the 110 kilometre electric system, which predominantly utilises old track, will reduce energy consumption, noise and air pollution in the city. The electricity will also be generated from a sustainable source – such as wind power – making it carbon neutral, and thus an important addition to Aarhus's overall plan to reach carbon neutrality in 2030.

 

Another green initiative also due to launch is 'The Culture Ring', a 450km cycling route which will tie together an excellent selection of routes for exploring the many cultural attractions, expanses of great outdoors, nearby villages, lakes and coastline surrounding Aarhus. A book of maps, plus digital guides and signs will point the way with specially designed cycle shelters conveniently placed along the way.