Aarhus reinvents itself as European Capital of Culture

High above the Aarhus art museum ARoS, visitors move through a rainbow walkway with spectacular light effects. The setting, designed by light artist Olafur Eliasson in 2011, seems to resemble a dream. This unique light installation has become the trademark of contemporary Aarhus.

Aarhus wants to open up new perspectives to its visitors and is using art to this end. Pictured here, "Boy" is the title of a sculpture by artist Ron Mueck that is featured at the ARoS museum. The modern art institution will also hold a major exhibition called "The Garden" as part of the Aarhus 2017 events. Danish artists will show their works alongside those of international colleagues.

Denmark's unofficial slogan - "the same for everyone" - is designed to express the country's tolerance and open-mindedness. Light artist Nathan Coley took inspiration in this motto and scattered several of these installations around Aarhus. Pictured here in front of the Aarhus City Hall, the light displays call on people to rethink their perspectives.

The European Capital of Culture events are addressed to children and young people in particular. For the opening day, young students from villages surrounding Aarhus wrote their thoughts on paper and sent them off into the sky attached to balloons - making them traveling thoughts.

Organizers hope that children and adults alike will be amazed by the hundreds of performances lined up for the year. Operas, concerts and festivals held as part of Aarhus 2017 will be aimed at an inclusive audience and not just cultural elites, according to the director of the event, Rebecca Matthews.

British singer Anohni will compose, record and work in Aarhus during the entire year. Her new album will be performed with the Aarhus Philharmonic Orchestra in November. Her powerful and sensitive vocals combined with her signature abrupt changes in style are, like everything else during Aarhus 2017, intended to encourage people to rethink their perspectives.

The acclaimed dance performance "Barbarians," the Paris Opera Ballet, and a number of Danish artists will all flock to the 2017 Culture Capital. There will also be a global music summit and jazz expeditions. With participation being a key element of Aarhus 2017, visitors are invited to join in.

The MoMu (Moesgaard-Museum) building appreas to be growing out of a lawn. It's one of the most celebrated pieces of architecture in Aarhus. Later in the year, its roof will serve as the stage for a Viking performance - a Danish saga about love and conquest called "The Red Serpent." Organizers hope the show will draw thousands of visitors to this unusual location.

The MoMu in Moesgaard enables visitors to have encounters with prehistoric humans. Highlighting early human history, this starcase features a number of examples of human evolution. The museum will also host a special exhibit on history's first refugees within the framework of Aarhus' year as European Capital of Culture. Another museum in town shows "Life-boats," a show on refugee vessels.

The curator of the Old Town Museum (Den Gambe By), Martin Brandt Djupdraet, says Aarhus will benefit greatly from this special year. He expects visitors to flock to his outdoor museum. A century ago, a major exhibition in Aarhus totally transformed the city, establishing its reputation as a place of art and culture. "That might happen again now," says Djupdraet.

This Danish living room dating back to the year 1950 is the latest acquisition of the "Den Gamle By" museum, and one that is actually in active use: Danes suffering from dementia come together here for a cup of coffee in this old-fashioned setting. Finding themselves in a familiar environment helps keep their condition at bay - a new approach in combatting dementia.

A lot of construction work is underway in Aarhus this year. There will be both Danish and international architects involved in numerous building projects, like these edifices along the shore that resemble icebergs. With the new building projects in Aarhus, ensuring sustainable energy for the new inhabitants is part of the local mindset.

Aarhus is turning into a city of light in 2017, with light shows, water music and the European fireworks championship bringing plenty of sparkle. The city will be visible from far away thanks to a light installation at the port and the tower of the City Hall. The Cathedral of Aarhus, meanwhile, will celebrate the Martin Luther anniversary year with a light installation of its own.