Culture as a means of bringing about changes is a basic thesis of the cultural capital philosophy. The idea of a cultural capital is to bring together the important areas of urban life and the social requirements of the future and to derive from this all measures, investments and concepts for actions. The basis of these concepts for action and ideas must be creative and innovative perspectives which guarantee sustainable and social shaping of our future, from which culture, education, economy and society can profit.

The idea of the cultural capital is: future!
It is not about illustrating the greatness of past times, but shaping the future. The cultural heritage shall be used for this purpose in the broadest sense. The duration and the importance of cultural achievements in the past (and the present) are not deciding factors for the success and quality of a cultural capital application.
It is rather a demand for action in public places and in the political communication, for shaping and using freedom.
In an ideal case, the cultural capital year itself is only the external expression of a process of change which a city has undergone in preparation for this year.
Besides the considerable international visibility, this is the attraction and the chance of such a project: that the many actors of a city (and a region) concentrate on a common goal and that a new quality of communication and cooperation develops. The aim is to initiate sustainable positive developments, to make important decisions for future generations and to create right, appropriate and good conditions for all citizens. Culture, in the broadest sense, is the means and the key for shaping the urban society and to move on into this 21st century with new dynamics.

Just as the cultural capital project is not restricted to just one festival year, spectacular fireworks, a large event, the objective is not creating an artistic metropolis. It is about a city development process in which, in addition to culture in the narrower sense (art), also all important and critical areas of our social cohabitation such as education, migration, work, inter-religious dialogue, living, housing, environment, intercultural dialogue, social matters, sports and lifestyle are to be developed in an intensive process.