Swap shop: Cities exchange culture

Berlin/Paris – Two major cultural cities are swapping their best galleries with each other to provide a double dose of art in the coming months. Paris and Berlin’s finest art centres are pairing up with their counterparts to provide residents with twice as much art.

The first leg is currently underway, with Berlin hosting the work of 12 Parisian galleries until the end of January 2009. A return leg takes place in February in Paris.

Cities are now working together to be civic centres, rather than competing with each other to win prizes such as European City of Culture. Now that cities behave like brands, collaborations with each seem a natural step to improve themselves.