The Summer of Culture is extremely wide-reaching in its scope, with events held across the state covering cultural, religious, artistic and social themes. In early 1992 the Rhineland-Palatinate state government announced the staging of the first Rhineland-Palatinate Summer of Culture, the aim of which was to increase people's awareness of the region's attractive cultural programme. Rural areas were particularly targeted in the hope of stimulating people's interest and of spreading pleasure in art and culture, in discussion and debate. What the organisers had – and continue to have – in mind was a sort of 'citizens' movement for culture'. And the Summer of Culture is, in fact, characterised by the large number of small projects and ideas at its core that were themselves developed out of local or regional initiatives. With almost 250 events including concerts, readings, exhibitions, children's activities, theatre and much more, the festival is a marvellous melting pot of people and ideas.