Although the coronavirus has turned off the spotlights, put away the conductor's batons, and closed the movie theaters all over Montenegro, it is almost certain that culture will live on this summer.
Due to the improvement of the epidemiological situation and the increasing number of vaccinated citizens - numerous festivals already have favorable forecasts.
Kotor art festival - is one of the few that successfully presented its program last year and adapted to the measures from day to day.
And this year, the organizers point out, they are ready to revive the squares within the walls of the old town in Kotor.
"We have a completely prepared program, the festival will last a month, from July 14 to August 14, we adapt to the dates and artists. What I can say is that the opening is traditionally in front of the cathedral, to hear the bells, to remind us of some values, and to start another year, it will also be an evening with a music program. We also support young people from Montenegro who are studying abroad," said Sara Lakićević, PR manager of the Kotor art festival and Don Branko Music Days.
The director of the Grad Teatar festival in Budva, Milena Lubarda Marojević, points out that the preparations for the 35th edition of this manifestation are well underway, and that it is also certain when it will take place.
"It should be opened on July 10, and last until August 20. During all that time, we plan to show 45 programs, which are traditionally divided into four areas - dramatic, literary, musical and fine arts, with some other talks , and conversations in the square and everything that characterizes an open-air festival," said Lubarda Marojević.
She points out that in line with this year's slogan of the festival - "Return to life" - culture is also coming back to life.
"The long-awaited and announced premiere of the play "Green Choja Montenegro" is planned for August 10 here in Budva, which will be our return to theater and life after a long time," said Lubarda Marojević.
Lake Fest will also be held in the town under Trebjes, near Lake Krupac.
"The organization is going in its own way, and following what is happening in our country and in the region, we started preparations about 20 days ago, we are contacting the bands, who were at the stand, waiting for our call, and with whom we continuously talked, which were booked for last year. This year, Lake is booked for the beginning of August, the specific dates are August 5, 6 and 7," said Zečević
According to Zečević, special attention will be paid to preserving the health of both visitors and artists.
"We are monitoring the situation in the region, the general trend is to request either a vaccine certificate or a PCR test, we will probably be conditioned, as organizers, to meet these conditions, we will ask the same from the performers and guests, that there be some regulation of health care, we will respect that," Zečević said.
Although June in Podgorica's Njegošev Park is reserved for Underhill Fest and feature films – this year that will not be the case.
"Due to the fact that the Ministry of Culture canceled the competition for co-financing programs and projects in 2021, we decided to move the festival to September after all. The Ministry announced the renewal of the competition, the applications we submitted will be valid, and now we are simply waiting, when the Ministry will, again start the story. We have a determined film program, we have selected films, so we would be ready for June, because last year we presented the festival, we didn't want to let the audience down, but this year we will wait until the end of September, I can't say the exact date." , said Anđelka Nenezić, director of Underhill Fest.
Financial problems this year also brought uncertainty to the International Festival of Alternative Theater "Corifej", which has been held in Kolašin for seven years.
"It is still in the first phase of planning, we still haven't started talking about the specific program, the main reason is that we don't know what will happen with that co-financing from the Ministry of Culture, I must say that we have been depending on it for years. If it is realized, it will be in mid-August, until the end of the month," said Zoran Rakočević, director of that festival.
The organizers of one of the biggest music festivals on the Adriatic coast - Sea Dance - still did not want to go public with any details.
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