Pilot Programme of Exchange and Cooperation in the Region Under Way
08. 03. 2016.As March marks the beginning of the first public activities in our pilot programme of exchange and cooperation, here we present short summaries of all programmes that will be implemented through the Kooperativa – Regional Platform for Culture. The programmes that will be implemented were chosen through a mutual, participatory process of evaluation and decision-making.
City Spaces – Spaces for Citizens
Lead Partner: Expeditio, CG
Partners: Mikro Art (Ministarstvo prostora), RS; Savez udruga Operacija grad, RH
Associate: IPop – Inštitut za politike prostora, SLO
Do we sufficiently use potentials of public spaces regarding the real needs of our communities? How can we better involve independent cultural actors in decision making processes on management of public spaces? These are some questions that the project “City Spaces – Spaces for Citizens” aims to respond, considering local contexts and experiences in big cities (Zagreb and Belgrade) as well as in smaller communities (Kotor, Tivat, Budva and Herceg Novi). Aim of the project “City Spaces – Spaces for Citizens” is to improve participation of independent cultural scene actors in decision-making processes concerning management of public properties in partner countries.
Poetics of Radical Publishing
Lead Partners: Kontrapunkt, MK
Partners: Multimedijalni institut, RH; Centar za nove medije_kuda.org, RS
The programme is an exchange between three prominent independent cultural organizations and their similar but different ex-YU contexts. In its focus are shared practices that see publishing as an act of critical intervention into the local cultural and political field. Contrary to mainstream publishing, these are concerned with how books are produced and distributed to transform the strategic register of social actors in changing their reality. Thus they extend the public agency of autonomous culture. Both market- and state-produced culture, driven by national agendas, limits options for autonomy required for critical and creative thought and action.
Extravagant Bodies – Crime and Punishment
Lead Partner: Kiosk, RS
Partners: Kontejner, RH; Kontrapunkt MK
Extravagant bodies: Crime and Punishment is collaborative project dedicated to artistic and critical questioning of the social, legislative, scientific and ideological constructions of criminality and social norms that delineate criminal from non-criminal behavior. The fact that the norms regulating socially acceptable behavior are changing through history enhances the awareness that social norms are part of larger ideological constellations. Project will examine what are the ideological presuppositions behind the social and legal regulations of criminality. It will consider the forms, the effectiveness, and the political and ethical implications of “punishment,” in particular the violence and discrimination inherent in the prison system itself and the continued existence of capital punishment.
Archive as Practice
Lead Partner: SEE.cult.org, RS
Partners: Kurziv, RH; Kulturtreger, RH; SCCA – Ljubljana, SLO; Qendra Multimedia, KOS
After more than 2 decades in existence the field of independent culture in the region has produced significant body of knowledge and practices as well as launched numerous artists that are subsequently adopted by “official culture”. Archiving is closely connected to both artistic curating and radical inclusion and democratization so it represents a crossover between institutional museum/archive and community archiving practices. The project explores the connection between independent culture and contemporary artistic production using diverse archiving practices. It contextualizes such production within the field of independent culture and arts thus demonstrating the connection and its relevance.
Nomad Dance Institute (Programme of Nomad Dance Academy)
Lead Partner: Lokomotiva, MK
Partners: Nomad Dance Academy, SLO; Tala, RH; Stanica, RS
Associate: Nomad Dance Academy, BG
During the ten years of NDA, a lot of knowledge has been produced and shared, on artistic, production, organizational and communication level. In 2010 we opened a new field of work, called Nomad Dance Institute. We want, on theoretical and practical level, to present new ideas on what can be considered a product in contemporary dance today: methodologies of work, processes of learning, frameworks set for research, etc. NOMAD DANCE INSTITUTE is about processes of performance making, research on methodologies for making choreography, curating, or teaching, production of advocacy toolbox, texts, interviews, books. Activities on which we are working in 2016 are coteaching, and archive.
Corners Balkans
Lead Partner: Exodos Ljubljana, SLO
Partners: Drugo more, RH; Fond B92/Rex, RS
Associate: POGON – Zagrebački centar za nezavisnu kulturu i mlade, RH
CORNERS is an international platform for artists and audiences, designed and driven by cultural organizations at the edges of Europe. CORNERS Balkan is a programme which will be implemented in our region in 2016. We are creating opportunities for artists and researchers to produce multidisciplinary contemporary artistic and cultural collaborative projects. The objective is to enable exchange across geographical, political and economic divisions. CORNERS philosophy interconnects artists with different backgrounds – geographical, social, political and professional – and of different disciplines – photography, video, sound, new technologies, dance, theatre, performance, music. Our co-creations are developed across borders of artistic disciplines and have strong cross-cultural dimensions.
From Diaspora to Diversities
Lead Partner: Remont, RS
Partners: NGO Esperanza, MK; Institut za suvremenu umjetnost, RH
Associate: KunstOst, AT
The programme From Diaspora to Diversities wants to initiate changes in the overall understanding of diaspora in the contemporary context of nomadic cultural practices. The project was inspired by the necessity to address the notion of diaspora and its broader understanding in the context of the changed ambient of increased mobility, globalization and different ways in experientiality of cultural diversities. Within the frame of the main theme focus, the project was especially initiated by the need to address and to reflect artistic practices of the Western Balkans artists who have different diasporic background and experiences. In the context of globalisation, artists, as well as, other people on the move, have different motives then before. It is a zeal for gaining new experiences, personal development, enjoying cultural diversity.
The Socio-economic Status and the Lifestyle/Workstyle of the Employed/Engaged in the Civic Cultural Sector of SEE
Lead Partner: Asocijacija NKSS, RS
Partners: Asociacija, SI; Expeditio, CG; Crvena, BiH; Centre for Research and Gender Policy, KOS; Contemporary Arts Centre (CAC), MK
Besides a general insight of the hard working conditions in civic cultural sector in the societies of South-East Europe and the precariat status of those employed/engaged in it, the precise empirical data – which could be the basis for the formulation of measures for collective action or the creation of advocacy programs – do not exist. The aim of this research project is to collect detailed data regarding the working conditions in civic cultural sector in six countries in the region [Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia] as well as the social status of those employed/engaged in the civic cultural sector, their lifestyles and their “workstyles”.
Traces of Struggle
Lead Partners: Ploštad sloboda, MK
Partners: Kreativni sindikat, RH; Teorija koja hoda, RS
The processes of problematisation, falsification and negation of struggle and victory over fascism in the ex Yugoslav context apparent in the last decades go hand in hand with the restoration of capitalism in the name of democracy and creation of national states on the territory of ex Yugoslavia. The productions joined in Traces of Struggle observe the currency of antifascist heritage and its political potential in the public sphere today, joining many similar artistic, cultural and political initiatives that arose in the ex Yugoslav space actively working on re-affirmation of anti-fascist heritage of Yugoslavia.
Building Common Platform for Balkan Arts and Business Forum
Lead Partner: Asociacija, SLO
Partners: Centar za empirijske studije kulture jugoistočne Evrope, RS; JADRO, MK; Crvena, BiH
As state funding is becoming less sustainable for cultural producers, a stronger tie with other sectors (business, education, space, ect.) is becoming inevitable. In order to make sure it does not come at the expense of existing funding and autonomy of cultural producers, and that cultural sector becomes interesting for potential partners from other sectors, the programme wises to introduce a common space for cultural producers and business actors. Through the programme, a research in the existing (good) practices of collaboration between different sectors (emphasis on business) and culture will be conducted. The analysis will cover the entire Western Balkans, and an online platform will be set up as well.
Audience is Looking at You
Lead Partner: MKC Bitola, MK
Partners: OKC Abrašević, BiH; Asocijacija NKSS, RS
This programme will stimulate cooperation based on programs between independent youth cultural organizations by sharing practices and experiences about audience development in SEE Region. Activities will be focused on sharing know-how for building relations between artistic and cultural institutions from one side and their audiences on the other side, not solely focusing on expanding the number of participants but also on creating diversity within the audience.
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