Project Description: The Culture for Democracy (CfD) grant enabled the implementation of four seminars across Serbia, bringing together participants from Bor, Požega, Niš, Pirot, Struga, Sofia, Podgorica, Banja Luka, Bela Palanka, and Belgrade, as well as international guests.
The seminar “Precariat and Entreprecariat” in Pirot was organized in cooperation with the Nova Art Scena association at the Čedomir Krstić Gallery. Dutch cultural researcher Sep Ekenhauzen presented international studies on artists’ working conditions across Europe, introducing concepts such as entre-precariat (Silvio Lorusso) and projectariat (Kuba Szreder). Participants also visited the abandoned outdoor art collection located within the former Prvi Maj Pirot factory complex.
The seminar “Ecosystems of Solidarity” in Požega was organized in partnership with the local organization Kulturni Sklop at Emilija Ostojić Primary School. It began with a presentation of the Arts Collaboratory network, followed by the introduction of networking tools, with particular emphasis on the Collective Pot model. The accompanying program included a film screening from documenta fifteen, as well as visits to the Užice Museum, the Kadinjača Memorial Park, the Reflector Cultural (DE)Center in Gorjani, and a traditional pottery workshop in Zlakusa.
The seminar “Cooperative Governance” in Bor was organized in cooperation with the Bor Public Library and involved local artists. Its central theme was the cooperative model. Guests Joana Mašedu and Mário Roda from the Portuguese cooperative KICKVOIDLÖOP presented cooperatives as an alternative economic model and discussed their potential to address the challenges of contemporary capitalism. Following the presentations, participants toured key locations in Bor and explored the library’s photographic archive documenting the development of the mining town and the RTB mining complex.
The seminar in Novi Pazar, organized in cooperation with the Academic Initiative Forum 10, focused on Alternative Economies for Artists. Guest speaker Emanuele Braga—artist, philosopher, and activist—led discussions on the challenges of the contemporary art market and alternative economic models for artistic practice.
An online event titled “Skin in the Game Protocols for Emerging Art Collectives” was also organized and led by philosopher and digital humanities expert Érik Bordeleau. During the session, he presented The Sphere project, offering insights into innovative approaches to collaborative artistic production and collective funding.
Through these seminars, artists and other cultural professionals from Serbia, the Western Balkans, and across Europe had the opportunity to exchange experiences, gain a deeper understanding of each other’s local contexts, and establish new opportunities for regional and international collaboration.
Grant amount: 3,000,000.00 RSD
