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SUPPORT PROGRAM PROGRAM PODRŠKE
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We invite all friends, colleagues, collaborators, artists, artistic and cultural associations, art faculties, and cultural institutions to join us in protecting yet another space for contemporary art that keeps the artistic scene of Serbia, and the entire region, vibrant and relevant.

Below is the original statement from the Association Independent Cultural Scene of Serbia (NKSS):

The artistic association Remont, founded in 1999, announced the closure of its gallery in Belgrade on its 25th anniversary, citing reasons such as: “the promotion and glorification of identities based on the trivialization and misuse of national values, the insistence on party affiliation, the marginalization of critical thinking, budget funding of ‘suitable’ organizations in the local context, and rigid conditions and criteria of foreign donors.”

Let us remind you, Remont is one of the key independent cultural organizations that has, through its work, provided a space for artists to exhibit and produce on the art scene, ranging from the youngest to the most senior artists. The organization has collaborated with cultural actors from Serbia and has connections with numerous international organizations, institutions, artists, curators, art historians, and researchers. Remont has a rich archive of photographs, recordings, resources, catalogs, publications, monographs, and books related to contemporary art production in Serbia; countless research endeavors and initiatives have organized and systematized significant artistic works, initiatives, and projects in Serbia from the second half of the 20th century to today. Its members have carried out many educational, informational, and promotional programs aimed at expanding the audience for contemporary art; digitizing and systematizing materials in the field of contemporary art; and creating a rich, relevant, critical, experimental, bold, and exciting gallery program of contemporary art in the city. They are the authors of numerous programs aimed at supporting, empowering, connecting, and informing all actors of the contemporary art scene and audience, both domestically, regionally, and internationally. Remont awards the “Dimitrije Bašićević Mangelos” prize to young artists, which includes a residency for artists in New York. Furthermore, Remont is one of the initiators and founders of the Independent Cultural Scene of Serbia and the regional cultural platform Kooperativa.

The situation faced by Remont is not isolated. NKSS points to the urgent problem of the collapse and/or closure of organizations that have been key actors in shaping and developing independent culture in Serbia for many years.

Due to the inability to maintain continuity in their work, there is a deterioration of the achievements of the independent cultural scene. This trend is alarming not only because it leads to the loss of spaces for work and gathering audiences but also because it paralyzes the long-term community-building efforts, the creation of collective artistic and critical works, and the development of new initiatives and networks, which, for various reasons, are not possible within local institutional frameworks.

Without stable support, key actors of the independent scene, such as the Rex Cultural Center, Remont, ULUS (The Association of Fine Artists of Serbia), the Center for Cultural Decontamination, and the Magacin Cultural Center — to mention just a few from Belgrade — face the threat of losing their entire body of work, accumulated knowledge, projects, and initiatives. While many organizations may not be recognized as worthy of support for ideological or political reasons, Remont and ULUS can be considered true societal institutions that cover activities of undeniable importance for the entire artistic and cultural scene, and thus for society as a whole. ULUS is the heir and bearer of the most important forms of connecting cultural-artistic and social problems and practices from the past, and Remont from the more recent past, both as associations of artists. All these are issues that transcend the specific critical situation faced by Remont and point to much broader processes that have been unfolding for a long time and are vitally threatening the cultural and artistic scene.

The NKSS emphasizes the extent to which the lack of infrastructural support for independent, autonomous, non-profit, alternative cultural-artistic spaces — and even institutional spaces such as numerous cultural centers across Serbia that have been privatized, commercialized, or closed over time — devastates the cultural fabric and cripples future generations. We demand an immediate response from relevant institutions, primarily the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia and the Secretariat for Culture of the City of Belgrade, as well as all other relevant and responsible institutions at both the city and national level, to take urgent measures to prevent the closure of the Remont gallery as a vital artistic space.

We call upon all colleagues, artistic and representative associations, art faculties, and cultural and artistic institutions in Belgrade and Serbia to join our appeal and through joint efforts prevent the closure of yet another space for contemporary art, which still keeps Serbia’s art scene alive and relevant.

We invite all friends, colleagues, collaborators, artists, artistic and cultural associations, art faculties, and cultural institutions to join us in protecting yet another space for contemporary art that keeps the artistic scene of Serbia, and the entire region, vibrant and relevant.

Below is the original statement from the Association Independent Cultural Scene of Serbia (NKSS):

The artistic association Remont, founded in 1999, announced the closure of its gallery in Belgrade on its 25th anniversary, citing reasons such as: “the promotion and glorification of identities based on the trivialization and misuse of national values, the insistence on party affiliation, the marginalization of critical thinking, budget funding of ‘suitable’ organizations in the local context, and rigid conditions and criteria of foreign donors.”

Let us remind you, Remont is one of the key independent cultural organizations that has, through its work, provided a space for artists to exhibit and produce on the art scene, ranging from the youngest to the most senior artists. The organization has collaborated with cultural actors from Serbia and has connections with numerous international organizations, institutions, artists, curators, art historians, and researchers. Remont has a rich archive of photographs, recordings, resources, catalogs, publications, monographs, and books related to contemporary art production in Serbia; countless research endeavors and initiatives have organized and systematized significant artistic works, initiatives, and projects in Serbia from the second half of the 20th century to today. Its members have carried out many educational, informational, and promotional programs aimed at expanding the audience for contemporary art; digitizing and systematizing materials in the field of contemporary art; and creating a rich, relevant, critical, experimental, bold, and exciting gallery program of contemporary art in the city. They are the authors of numerous programs aimed at supporting, empowering, connecting, and informing all actors of the contemporary art scene and audience, both domestically, regionally, and internationally. Remont awards the “Dimitrije Bašićević Mangelos” prize to young artists, which includes a residency for artists in New York. Furthermore, Remont is one of the initiators and founders of the Independent Cultural Scene of Serbia and the regional cultural platform Kooperativa.

The situation faced by Remont is not isolated. NKSS points to the urgent problem of the collapse and/or closure of organizations that have been key actors in shaping and developing independent culture in Serbia for many years.

Due to the inability to maintain continuity in their work, there is a deterioration of the achievements of the independent cultural scene. This trend is alarming not only because it leads to the loss of spaces for work and gathering audiences but also because it paralyzes the long-term community-building efforts, the creation of collective artistic and critical works, and the development of new initiatives and networks, which, for various reasons, are not possible within local institutional frameworks.

Without stable support, key actors of the independent scene, such as the Rex Cultural Center, Remont, ULUS (The Association of Fine Artists of Serbia), the Center for Cultural Decontamination, and the Magacin Cultural Center — to mention just a few from Belgrade — face the threat of losing their entire body of work, accumulated knowledge, projects, and initiatives. While many organizations may not be recognized as worthy of support for ideological or political reasons, Remont and ULUS can be considered true societal institutions that cover activities of undeniable importance for the entire artistic and cultural scene, and thus for society as a whole. ULUS is the heir and bearer of the most important forms of connecting cultural-artistic and social problems and practices from the past, and Remont from the more recent past, both as associations of artists. All these are issues that transcend the specific critical situation faced by Remont and point to much broader processes that have been unfolding for a long time and are vitally threatening the cultural and artistic scene.

The NKSS emphasizes the extent to which the lack of infrastructural support for independent, autonomous, non-profit, alternative cultural-artistic spaces — and even institutional spaces such as numerous cultural centers across Serbia that have been privatized, commercialized, or closed over time — devastates the cultural fabric and cripples future generations. We demand an immediate response from relevant institutions, primarily the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia and the Secretariat for Culture of the City of Belgrade, as well as all other relevant and responsible institutions at both the city and national level, to take urgent measures to prevent the closure of the Remont gallery as a vital artistic space.

We call upon all colleagues, artistic and representative associations, art faculties, and cultural and artistic institutions in Belgrade and Serbia to join our appeal and through joint efforts prevent the closure of yet another space for contemporary art, which still keeps Serbia’s art scene alive and relevant.