Martinović for "Vijesti": KotorArt succeeded despite the system, not thanks to it

The KotorArt International Festival celebrates its 25th anniversary this year - a quarter of a century in which it has grown into one of the most recognizable cultural platforms in the region and an example of the development of a modern international festival born from a civil society initiative. Founder and general and artistic director of the festival, pianist and university professor Ratimir Martinović, from the very beginning, has been building KotorArt as a space that goes beyond the framework of the festival, striving to contribute to connecting and strengthening the local community, developing cultural policy, strengthening the civil sector and affirming the overall cultural potential of Montenegro.

For a city with more than two thousand years of history, this jubilee may not be large in terms of time, but it is quite enough for a festival to confirm its connection to the environment, artistic reach and international significance. Over the course of two and a half decades, KotorArt has grown into a platform that combines top-notch creativity, cultural heritage, international cooperation and responsible community action.

In an interview with “Vijesti”, Martinović points out that the civil sector is the most vital part of the cultural scene, but at the same time the one that is not systematically recognized and supported enough. He warns that a significant part of the country's cultural potential remains fragmented and that, without changing the approach to cultural policies and a clearer understanding of the different roles that festivals play in modern society, Montenegro is missing opportunities for the development of local communities, the cultural sector and cultural industries. However, KotorArt, with its continuity for a quarter of a century, has confirmed that such initiatives can be sustainable in the long term, artistically relevant and socially significant.

This year, KotorArt celebrates its 25th anniversary, and the anniversary also coincides with the 20th anniversary of the restoration of Montenegrin independence, as well as the 20th anniversary of the death of Don Branko Sbutega. How do you view that period and the development of KotorArt in those circumstances today?

I can see the connection between these anniversaries. When Montenegro regained its independence in 2006, the Festival also celebrated its first five years of existence. From the very beginning, the festival tried to contribute to the building of civil society, coexistence and European values ​​through art and culture. In those years, we realized major projects such as Mozart's Requiem and Beethoven's 9th Symphony, as well as concerts that connected musicians from the region. I remember the moment when young musicians from Kotor, Podgorica and Dubrovnik stood on the same stage for the first time, and the audience recognized it as something more than a concert. All these projects are part of the same story about how culture can help society become more responsible. Posthumous awarding of the Order of the Montenegrin Flag, 1st Class, to Don Branko this year by the President Jakov Milatović, symbolically connects and rounds off these anniversaries.

Don Branko Sbutega left a strong mark on the cultural and spiritual life of Boka. To what extent is his vision still present in the identity of the festival today?

Don Branko's vision of KotorArt as an independent cultural initiative still lives on. He saw the festival as a space of freedom, dialogue and high standards, not as a tool for daily politics or commercialization. His influence is not only historical - it still obliges us today to preserve the values ​​on which the festival was founded, which is reflected in the ritual of its opening, the call to the bells of the Cathedral of St. Tryphon to ring "in the name of forgiveness, reconciliation and love".

The opening concert is titled “Duration.” What was needed for KotorArt to last 25 years?

Twenty-five years is just a moment for Kotor and Boka, but for the festival it is a serious period. To get this far, it took persistence and a refusal to stoop to the lowest common denominator. We always strive to be one step ahead of the times, regardless of resistance. The key is to maintain responsibility towards the city and the community, and not towards party or other expectations. Looking back today, what I feared most was not the lack of money, but the lack of patience - and it was precisely patience that saved the Festival in the end.

What is the biggest challenge for the sustainability and continuity of festivals in Montenegro today?

The biggest problem is not the number of festivals, but the lack of a clear state strategy towards them. Montenegro has over 200 festivals, which is a good circumstance for a tourist destination like Montenegro, but we do not see clear quality criteria, nor mechanisms to support capacity development. Most festivals, including those of national importance, still operate according to project logic, without a long-term support system. The state treats them as one-off programs, and not as part of the cultural infrastructure. That does not sound very sustainable and purposeful.

You mentioned the project financing model. What does it mean in practice for the planning and development of KotorArt?

Although officially a festival of national importance, KotorArt depends to a lesser extent on state money - we provide most of the funds in partnership with the Municipality, and through sponsorships, international funds, partnerships and our own income. The project model should not be the basis for financing festivals with international reach. This method of financing prevents long-term planning, the engagement of professional staff and the development of the organization. I am not looking for an exception for KotorArt. I expect clear, transparent criteria according to which every festival with concrete results and continuity could plan its development in the long term, instead of proving its existence every year.

Most festivals, including those of national importance, still operate on a project-based basis, without a long-term support system. The state treats them as one-off programs, not as part of the cultural infrastructure. That doesn't sound very sustainable and purposeful.

Despite this, how realistic is it to expect the development of cultural patronage in Montenegro?

Currently difficult. For the development of patronage, legal regulations are needed that would motivate private investments in culture through tax and other incentives - this is a practice that works great in Europe. There is no such regulation in our country, and KotorArt has raised this issue with the authorities several times, so far without any concrete progress.

To what extent are the state and the economic sector today willing to see culture as an investment, rather than an expense? Is Montenegro's cultural potential being sufficiently used as a development resource?

They are not ready enough. Culture is still perceived as an expense or a political decoration. Creative industries are mostly recognized and promoted, while the cultural economy, which is based on heritage and identity, is not recognized as an important development resource even in the proposal for the new Law on Culture. Such an approach is short-sighted and differs from European practices, just like the part that refers to the centralization of local cultural institutions and the position of civil organizations in culture. We will certainly address the numerous objections of the Kotor cultural sector to the proposal for the Law on Culture when it is at the public debate. A huge part of the country's authentic and innovative cultural potential is still hidden in the civil sector. Instead of developing this potential, it is too often ignored, marginalized and left fragmented - and systemic support for the civil sector would be the fastest way to change that.

Despite this, KotorArt has achieved significant results. What are you particularly proud of?

I am proud of the different generations of producers and cultural workers who have gone through the festival, gaining experience and contacts - today you can meet them in cultural institutions throughout Montenegro and the region, some run their own festivals, ensembles, some work in European cultural networks. The festival was not only a program for the audience, but also a space in which people developed their professional paths. It is also especially important to me that through 31 commissions of new compositions and recordings that we produced, we gave local and regional composers the opportunity to have their music heard and to draw attention to contemporary musical creativity. KotorArt is also recognizable today for the people it brings together, this circle of artists, producers and cultural professionals is expanding from year to year, and this is precisely one of the most important values ​​that the festival leaves behind.

In such circumstances, how important are international partnerships and European projects for the development of KotorArt?

They are very important. They allow us to be part of European networks, to exchange experiences and to represent and promote the cultural and creative scene of Montenegro within the European framework. Through 180 international partnerships and co-productions developed during the 25 years of the festival's work, with institutions from the country, the region, Europe, the USA and China, we have received a confirmation of quality that opens the door for further cooperation - it is at the same time an encounter with international practices and creative ideas that return to Kotor.

We are working to become a year-round platform that combines artistic excellence, heritage and community development. The long-term goal is to strengthen local capacities, so that the cultural scene in Kotor and Boka Bay is less dependent on the enthusiasm of individuals, and more reliant on systemic development support. In parallel, we want to contribute to the fact that heritage is not only perceived as a tourist resource, but as a living value that needs to be preserved and developed

What role, in your opinion, could KotorArt have in the next 25 years?

We are working to become a year-round platform that combines artistic excellence, heritage and community development. The long-term goal is to strengthen local capacities, so that the cultural scene in Kotor and Boka is less dependent on the enthusiasm of individuals, and more reliant on systemic development support. In parallel, we want to contribute to the fact that heritage is not only perceived as a tourist resource, but as a living value that needs to be preserved and developed. This is, in essence, our desired contribution to the future preservation and affirmation of Kotor's status on the UNESCO list of world cultural and natural heritage.

After a quarter of a century, how do you perceive KotorArt today - as a festival, a cultural institution, or a platform for reflecting on society through art?

KotorArt will continue to exist in all three forms - as a festival, a cultural institution and a platform for reflection and action in the field of developing the city's cultural infrastructure and supporting the local cultural scene. We have been in talks with the Municipality of Kotor for a long time, and some of these initiatives will be presented to the public this month. Our goal is to contribute not only with the program, but also systematically, in order to pave the way for the preservation and improvement of the city's culture and identity as it deserves - according to European practices and criteria.