Viborg, one of Denmark’s oldest cities, has transformed itself from an administrative centre into a visual creative hub encompassing education, culture and business. Animation, drawing, film, photography and other media arts are core features of the municipality and are reflected in key local institutions such as The Animation Workshop, a leading European animation school.

As a UNESCO Creative City of Media Arts, a central ambition is to ensure that visual creativity flourishes across the entire municipality for the benefit of citizens of all ages, visitors and creative professionals. Viborg integrates layers of visual creativity into everyday life, the physical environment and its annual festivals, often drawing on the area’s long and significant history – Stories create our life. Viborg’s annual Animation Festival places animation firmly on the agenda and is Denmark’s largest festival of its kind.

Since 2014, the City Council has strategically used animation and visual creativity as both a policy focus and a democratic tool to develop and communicate information to citizens. Today in Viborg, animation and storytelling are regarded as multifaceted tools and methods for supporting sustainable urban development for both younger and older generations. This approach has evolved into the Creative Viborg Strategy, aimed at artists, creatives, citizens, institutions and organisations that are active within visual creativity, or who wish to work and develop initiatives in this field - thereby bringing visual creative value to local society.

Focal Point: Henrik Holmskov, 5hh@viborg.dk

Link: unesco.viborg.dk/