Provincie Fryslan

Role: Partner

Website: www.fryslan.frl

Contact persons:

Christa Eringa
Policy advisor on Culture
j.c.eringa@fryslan.frl

Gervin van Oene
Project Advisor Liveability Projects North-East Fryslân
g.vanoene@fryslan.frl

The Province of Fryslân is a regional public authority in the Northern Netherlands. Fryslân is mainly a rural region with 650.000 inhabitants that is characterized by its ‘mienskip’ (a Frisian word that means ‘community’ as well as ‘togetherness’).
With 419 villages in a rural area of which 350 have less than 1500 inhabitants, mienskip is of the utmost importance – Frisians look out for each other. Fryslân and its capital Leeuwarden are known for being European Capital of Culture in 2018 during which mienskip (or ‘Open Community’) was embraced as a driving force.

As a regional authority, the Province of Fryslân is positioned between the national and municipal authorities and is responsible for issues that concern the population of Fryslân such as(i.a.) spatial planning, environment, landscape, economy, regional viability and last but not least culture.
The province employs around 800 staff members. The Province of Fryslân was one of the initiators of the Leeuwarden-Fryslân 2018 bid, a main sponsor and closely involved in the organisation of the European Capital of Culture activities. The province worked closely together with the municipality of Leeuwarden and the LF2018 foundation, which led to a successful capital of culture year. LF2018 showed the unifying power of culture and how it can create energy in (rural) communities to work towards common goals.
Since LF2018, the three parties have been working on the legacy with the motto “Generation 2028”. A legacy that wants to inspire Frisians to think about the future of the region and to consider challenges as climate change or opportunities as digitalization.
The legacy will have the structure of a triennial with main festivity years in 2022, 2025 and 2028.