Merida, Mexico
This year is a double celebration for Merida, having been crowned Cultural Capital of the Americas for the second time – the first-ever city to win the accolade twice. It also happens to be the 475th anniversary of the city's founding and Merida and its residents are in full party mode.
Merida is the capital of Mexico's Yucatan state. It was built on the site of the ancient Maya city of T'ho by Spanish conquistador Francisco de Montejo, who promptly dismantled the town's sacred pyramids to build the Catedral de San Ildefonso and other seminal buildings. Modern Merida therefore has a unique, if slightly jumbled identity. A juxtaposition of ancient ruins and colonial Spanish architecture coupled with a distinctly cosmopolitan feel.
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Already home to an abundance of art galleries, museums and cultural institutions, this year Merida will up the ante with a year-long commemorative programme called Merida Fest, featuring art installations, film screenings, live music and dance recitals by local residents.
Aarhus, Denmark
Often overshadowed by Denmark's capital Copenhagen, Aarhus on the Jutland peninsula's east coast is being thrust into the limelight this year as the newly appointed European Capital of Culture, a title it has positively relished.
Described by the programme's chief executive Rebecca Matthews as a "creative tour de force", Aarhus 2017 is expected to be a frankly dizzying array of cultural activity. In September, the industrial port of Randers will be transformed into a magnificent spectacle of light, sound and 3D projection, with Danish singer-songwriter Oh Land leading a 300-strong choir in the biggest outdoor performance of its kind held in the city.
Another music and dance spectacle is the Tree of Codes, a collaborative effort involving world-renowned dance institutions and the avant-garde music of Jamie xx. Throughout the summer, ARoS Art Museum will stage an ambitious art festival, which will take over both the museum and the city through contemporary installations. Entitled The Garden, the festival explores the Aarhus 2017 theme of "re-thinking" to explore how humans have altered nature in the context of the past and present, and looking to the future.
Paphos, Cyprus
Sharing the title of European Capital of Culture 2017 with Aarhus is the Cypriot city of Paphos. A city on the crossroads of the Eastern Mediterranean, the birthplace of Aphrodite and a Unesco World-heritage site, Paphos is already rich in culture and history.
The programme embraces the city's ancient past in a contemporary context while connecting Cyprus to the rest of the world. The opening ceremony on 28 January will see a live performance inspired by the Greek myth Pygmalion, which tells the origin of Paphos. The show involves volunteers from all over the country and even includes music from the Aarhus Jazz Orchestra in a gesture of solidarity.
One advantage Cyprus has over its Scandinavian counterpart is almost year-round sunshine. As such, Paphos will host many of its activities as "open air factories" across the city, reflecting the programme's core theme of openness and connectivity. Expect al fresco music, walking tours and even film screenings on the beach. The goddess Aphrodite provides inspiration for many artistic ventures, including a new large-scale installation by local painter Mary Plant to go on display in Medieval Manor House on the archaeological site of Kouklia.
Later in the year, The Many Faces of Venus interactive exhibition will showcase Western perceptions of Aphrodite throughout history, bringing artwork from the great museums of Europe to the shores of sunny Cyprus.
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