The awakening of the spirit of the collective and the unity of the cultural and artistic scene, joining together for the sake of general improvement in art and the position of the profession in that area, public expression of views and suggestions for potential mistakes and misunderstandings of the authorities stood out as one of the particularly significant events in that field in 2023. Montenegro. Various events, ideas, situations, were the occasion for advertising, protests by artists and people engaged in culture, but also for unification for the sake of the same goals, which was not the case in earlier years.
The second part of the year was marked by the dissatisfaction of a large part of professional organizations and individuals due to the announced appointment Tamara Vujović at the head of the Ministry of Culture and Media. They questioned her references and her potential to contribute to the field in which they are engaged as a doctor of physiatry from the ranks of Democratic Montenegro...
This is how the "Culture is not booty" initiative was formed, which sent several announcements against this proposal, launched a petition with signatures, organized a protest within the framework of which it submitted several demands to the Government of Montenegro regarding the situation in art... The minister was appointed, representatives of the initiative talked with her, as well as with the prime minister Milojko Spajić, but what is unique is that the energy they spread did not die out and did not cease to exist after the actuality of the issue passed...
"It is time to finally talk openly, constructively in order to improve the current state of culture. If we want changes, we must initiate them together", that was once said on the Facebook page of this initiative.
In a very short time, "Culture is not prey" has become a kind of artistic platform for raising important issues, mainly through panel discussions, of which several have been organized so far, and where, in addition to artists, representatives of competent institutions are also invited to participate. and responded, as expected.
Who is actually behind and in front of the initiative "Culture is not prey" is a question with a simple answer - all those interested who want to be there...
"We are an open initiative in which anyone who wants to be a part of this story and anyone who feels that they can contribute is welcome," one of them told "Vijesti", the film director Mladen Ivanović further explains:
"We are workers in culture who gathered with the aim of establishing and setting up a platform that will initiate dialogue, monitor the work of the Ministry and all those under them, as well as work towards the improvement of this department. We want to map problems, talk about them, think and offer potential solutions... This gathering allows us to act together, react, announce when certain events happen, control work and timely inform the general public and the media about all potential challenges. At the same time, all these are our goals for the future", says Ivanovic, who adds to "Vijesti" that "this is one of the main events that happened in culture in 2023".
Because of all that, but also for many other reasons, writer, screenwriter, director Sandra Vujović points out that she is proud to be part of the "Culture is not prey" initiative.
"Culture has never been so marginalized or degraded as it is today, artistic professions are meaningless and devalued, and cultural workers are so humiliated. And that situation is not from yesterday. It has its own decades-long continuity. If we really want to face the truth and start to change that situation, then we have to admit to ourselves and the public that, in addition to the decision-makers, cultural workers who treated culture inertly and conformistly and did not raise their voices are also responsible for such a situation. against the decadence into which she plunged", states Vujović openly.
She is optimistic, and the reason for that is energy, desire, courage, but also rebellion, which are present and visible, and necessary for change, she says...
"The change of generations, which is evidently finally happening, brings a new energy, a new critical thought, but also the necessary will and great courage to face all the challenges that the process of change brings. Public interest, common good and noble goals have overcome ideological and all kinds of other differences among cultural workers this time, and that is to be commended. All of us who make up and create the culture of this country, no matter which party we belong to, no matter how ethnically or religiously we declare ourselves, no matter what ideological views we have, cannot escape from one banal fact, which is that we are all affected by what is written in the laws and that, in the end, we are all victims of bad, unknown or self-interested political decisions," emphasizes Vujović.
All this makes their vision and mission more important, but also more difficult, and the road longer. What they strive for, Vujović explains, are changes in several fields...
"That is why it is important to depoliticize culture, to initiate amendments to legal norms, as well as amendments to the five-year National Plan for the development of culture, to influence that experienced and expert persons are found in leadership positions in cultural institutions, so that we can finally fight for the annual budget for culture ceases to be a statistical error and reaches its legal minimum of 2,5 percent (it is foreseen that at least 2,5 percent of the state budget, minus the expenditures of state funds and the capital budget, will be set aside for the work of the culture department, if the real growth of the gross domestic product (GDP) between three and eight percent, prim.nov) and to stop all previous bad practices that have led to such a difficult situation in culture", she says.
Vujović also reminds that these are all topics that they are raising, but which they also plan to deal with intensively in the future, during the year 2024, and all through starting a dialogue with decision makers.
Theater director Zoran Rakočević he is one of those who has always been an advocate of such initiatives and has not hesitated to comment on things, whether positive or not. Now he is enriching the platform and community "Culture is not prey". He reveals to "Vijesti" what his plans, expectations, and hopes are for the next year in the context of culture and art, and their initiatives...
"Regarding the next year, one should be optimistic (even if by force, even for a short time) and expect that the public interest will prevail over personal and party interests. This implies that people from the profession and people with knowledge should be respected, that quality personnel, people of integrity and knowledge should be found in the appropriate leadership positions, with whom we should enter into reforming and redefining the culture in the country together", he says.
Rakočević also has specific expectations, supported by arguments...
"That in that year, 2024, it first happens that our initiative receives, for example, an apology for various qualifications from officials, which happened during our first initiative, and then that it receives an invitation to dialogue. We remind you that so far we have organized four panel discussions on our own, to which officials have responded, although on the other hand, we have never received an invitation from them. The profession is eager to be respected," says the director.
And Ivanovic confirms that the authorities from the Ministry of Culture responded to their calls for dialogue, which he considers normal and which is given importance because previously this practice was worse.
"It is something that is expected of them. State institutions should do their job, and one of their responsibilities is to respond to dialogue, to invite dialogue themselves," he states.
Rakočević reminds that "the street and protest are alternatives to the lack of dialogue and respect", so it is necessary to master the skills of communication and cooperation...
"We have to start from learning the alphabet, because it seems to me that we are still in preschool... The greatest satisfaction I would experience as a member of the initiative is the respect of opinions, and then a concrete step. That there is no more: 'the laws are like that', 'the rules dictate' and the like. We are slaves to the rules we made ourselves. Let's change them together. If there is interest in it from 'the other side of the world'", says Rakočević.
He is encouraged by the echo that hints that culture, art and people who create and/or deal with those areas in Montenegro are (nevertheless) not left to chance, to the will of the individual, and that they will not disinterestedly accept new decrees, regulations, laws, the collapse of their own sector... Artists have spoken, it is expected that authorities in institutions, institutions, the Ministry of Culture and the Government of Montenegro listen, listen, question, accept, communicate and reciprocate, for the sake of general interests (in) art and culture...
"It is time for all of us to work together to ensure that, through the creation of quality cultural content, healthy values are returned to society that will shape and educate it. I sincerely hope that our example will be followed by other branches that want better and fairer conditions for work, and therefore good for this country", Sandra Vujović concluded in an interview with "Vijesti".
"The audience is with you"
Perhaps the beginnings of expressing dissatisfaction on the part of cultural creators are rooted in the confrontation of the former minister of that department Maša Vlaović and former director of the Contemporary Art Center of Montenegro Jelena Božović, and on the occasion of the establishment of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Montenegro, i.e. the transformation of the Center into a Museum.
Joint appeals and announcements due to this issue further evolved into protests in the public space, due to dissatisfaction with the Branch Collective Agreement, on the basis of which the artistic profession was not given an increased income and coefficient like other employees in cultural institutions. Those gathered took to the streets under the slogan "We are culture" and directed criticism, initiated dialogue, meetings and understanding, announced a strike... The Free Union of Culture of Montenegro was formed, headed by Vukan Pejović.
It happened then, in the first half of the year, that they received support from the directors of certain institutions, among the first Stevan Koprivica from the Podgorica City Theater and former director of the Montenegrin National Theatre Marko Baćović, and one of the more significant banners was with the inscription: "The audience is with you". And after a certain time, they succeeded in their intentions and demands...
In addition, the slogans from the banners are still valid, they warn and admonish: "So that our children don't beat themselves with bars, we take them to the theater, gallery, museum, to a concert", "Culture is what we have left when everything else is forbidden" , "Without culture, the state is just a territory, and man is just a shell"...
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