Pretraga

First Report

Three partners in the local context researched and collected relevant information related to the development of the case studies of the respected spaces. Researches considered following:
1)    Desktop analyses (analyses of the documents, policy papers, normative acts and other online resources)
2)    Interviews with selected artists, architects, cultural workers, economists and other relevant subjects for the specific local cases
3)    Focus groups involving different target groups.

 
Skopje Focus Group

Collected information was systematized and incorporated in the three case studies (drafts-as planned for this period), which will be further used for the development of the research questions and models development based on the specificities of local contexts (Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia).

Research methodology specificities vary from context to context and are related to the specific needs, problems and situational analyses.

In Croatia, the research consisted from desktop analyses, which embraced historical materials and factual findings in relation to the state of the site nowadays, and its perception in the local context. We conducted several field researches by visiting the site, interviewing citizens/users, potential owners and the local government. We visited the archives, the National archive in Zagreb and the Museum of the city of Trogir archive. We also fed and stimulated the journalists’ research in the case of the recent devastation of the site.

In Macedonia, the research consisted from desktop analyses, interviews and working group meetings. Desktop analyses hold findings about the historical development of the cultural space, mostly related to the post second World War period. Interviews were done with one of the building owners Ms Viktorija Kostova Volckova and Mr Aco Dukovski, ex-director of the public institution City Cinema - Skopje (Gradski Kina Skopje), a network of cities’ cinema theatres among which Kino Kultura, as one of the most important and visited. Third part of the research is related to the present period/state of the Kino Kultura, as reopened and new project - space for contemporary performing arts and contemporary culture. This part of the research was dedicated to formation of working group, consisting of partner organizations and individuals that we have invited to reflect on the further ideas and plans for the Open Space programme part of the Kinio Kultura. Working group costs of: Filip Jovanovski and Ivana Vaseva (Faculty of things you do not learn), Milan Zivkovic (Friedrich Ebert Foundation-office Skopje), Sofia Gosheva (economist and representative of the Association for Persons with Disabilities - Blue Bird), Oliver Musovik (artist), Bojana Nizamovska (Youth Educational Forum), Erina Filipovska, Damian Kokalevski (Creative City Network), Ivo Baru (Debate cinema - Kontra Kadar) Ivan Toromanovski (associate independent consultant) Violeta Kachakova and Biljana Tanurovska Kjulavkovski (Lokomotiva/Kino Kultura) and Pavle Ignovski (Theatre Navigator Cvetko/Kino Kultura).

In Serbia base line research started in September 2016, field and desktop researches were conducted. We collected materials (photos, documents, video materials, guidelines) from various public institutions (Museums, Media houses, libraries and Public Archive). At the same time we conducted four interviews with focus groups and stakeholders of the site. We included three students of MA Heritology studies, the Faculty of Philosophy of University of Belgrade.

Field Research, Radio Television of Serbia Archive and Museum



The main goal of the project Dissonant (Co)Spaces is to contribute to preservation of places of the common/cultural history and to champion new models of public spaces and cultural institutions defined on the principles of  civic participation, inclusion, exchange/dialogue and development of contemporary culture. 

In the first (methodology development and research) phase we have addressed the objectives that would be reached after the project implementation.

Our objectives are:
·      To re-think theoretically and develop innovative models of the cultural institutions as inclusive public spaces;
·      To critically reflect on the values of the dissonant modernist heritage
·      To enhance artistic exchange, reflection and production in public space
To create preconditions for involvement of communities, building partner network, collaboration among professionals and for influence on public policies regarding inclusive public spaces. 



Through the Social media and the blog we are investing in the audience development (reaching new audience). Through the research process we have created the network of professional collaborators (institutions, NGOs, individuals) and we have informed stakeholders about the project and its following activities.
In Croatia considering the specific circumstances of the recent spatial devastation in the close vicinity to the researched site, an initiative was launched by the local partner to raise awareness of the local community towards these negative processes. As a result, significant media echo followed and reached public on national level. (An extensive article was published on vizkultura web site, and it was one of the 10 top articles read on this important arts and culture web site. See more here: https://vizkultura.hr/author/dominko-blazevic/).

Trogir Field Research


Production of the artistic project included collaboration with two artists and two other collaborators (externally involved in the production of the performance). Performance “Save the dance” was presented as work in process on the programme PLATFORM(a) for contemporary performing arts in Kino Kultura in the end of October. This programme was international and had audience of 150 people.

As far as our partnership, we can conclude that it was fruitful and thriving, inspiring and motivated with discussions that reflected different perspectives. Leading partner has a role of a coordinator, but all activities and methodology were created with all partners. Each organization is responsible for organization of activities in their respected country. We had regular meetings on Skype, as well as e-mail communication that involved sharing of documents and information about the implementation of research phases in each country contexts. For the better coordination, as part of the activities, partner meeting was planned for end of January.
 
Also, all invited participants shown great interest and willingness for further involvement and participation in the future project activities

Our cases - our spaces

Foundation “Jelena Santic” will conduct a research on “The Pioneer City” in Kosutnjak, Belgrade as a dissonant heritage with many memory layers. This location, known as an air spa since 19th century, during the WW II was headquarters for German army and it became Pioneer City during volunteer action after 1947. Pioneer town was built on a small area (8,40 ha). By the end 1962, it was expanded to 40,00 ha. Since its creation, there were promising plans for its construction and development, which is never fully realized. After the Yugoslavia break, it accommodated refugees and unfortunately some displaced families still live there. Currently this space belongs to the City of Belgrade, is extremely rusty and its facilities are given in a sublease of public and private companies. City of Belgrade has initiated the restoration work in this area, but only for sporting activities. We would like to envisage it as a possible model of a socio-cultural space that can be designed not only in Serbia. The Pioneer City is also an urbanistic valuable model, not only in Serbia, ex Yugoslavia, but also in former communist countries. At the same time the content of the space (spaces for artistic development of youth…) is extremely relevant for the development of innovative socio- cultural space that FJS will envisage. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lokomotiva wants to develop a new contemporary performing arts and culture space, as a new paradigm of a public space for art and culture, in an old cinema building (kino Kultura), space related to the cultural memory from Socialistic Yugoslavia, being an urban symbol of the city that was privatized with the law of de-nationalization. Hasn’t been considered by establishment to be restored by returning it in public hands as site of a cultural memory instead of investing in new monuments and building (as part Skopje 2014). Our idea is to develop the model on which we will base general advocacy for re-claiming the public spaces with socio-cultural memory instead of building new spaces. CSO Slobodne veze/Loose Associations’ initiated project “Motel Trogir” in 2013, space which marks one of the neuralgic points of the town since for many years it has been standing devastated due to unresolved ownership issues (due to the non-transparent privatization of what once was ´societal property´, in the beginning of the 1990s). 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Slobodne veze/Loose Associations platform since 2013 started the campaign for the formal protection of the Motel Trogir and result led to the inscription of the Motel in the Registry of Protected Cultural Goods by the Ministry of Culture of Croatia, at the end of 2013. Since then CSO Slobodne veze has performed various cultural activities with a general aim to reaffirm and critically re-think the public space, its usage and its contribution to the better quality of life of the community. Through this project we would like to share our experience with the partners, develop a sustainable model or an artistic residential and community space.

Our story

The project DISSONANT (CO) SPACES represents joint effort of three regional CSO's: Lokomotiva from Skopje, Foundation Jelena Santic from Belgrade and Loose Associations from Croatia.

It aims to contribute to the promotion of innovative solutions and possibilities for reforming privatised, derelict, abandoned or “in between” public spaces created within different socio-political and spatial paradigm, by exploring both what those spaces can denote today and their contribution to inclusion and civic participation through engaged arts and culture.

In Croatia these spaces are disputed and derelict, as well as in Macedonia while new are built to mark new “nation brand” identity, while in Serbia they have been used for political promotion. These spaces are the relics of the political economy of ex Yugoslavia, with social ideal as their generative core, no matter how naïve or immature those ideas can seem retrospectively. They are often the keepers of the collective memory, which has been radically reshaped in all three countries today: either by reinterpretation or erasure. This project is seen as a possibility to question and explore current processes of history and space- making and preserving some of the (past) common values and memory through developing new spaces for culture that will promote democracy, openness, solidarity and inclusion.

Our aspirations are towards reactivating and creating new spaces by producing effective cultural managerial models and socio-cultural and creative content, while preserving memory layers and developing discursive field in which they will be reflected. Through envisaged workshop, conference, art residences, study trip, artistic production, publication and promotional activities we would like to articulate following issues: what dissonant heritage means for broader public; which of the values of that heritage could be recognized as useful and important in larger socio-cultural and political context and how those spaces could be re-formed through cultural and artistic initiatives; research new/improved models of cultural institutions and managerial approaches; to introduce participation and usership as principles of deliberative democracy in management and their implementation in the (re) created public spaces and institutions in culture; promote democracy, openness, solidarity, participation, activism and inclusion as institutional values and principles related to the artistic content.

The project Dissonant Co(Spaces) is funded by Balkan Arts and Culture Fund BAC. BAC is supported by the Swiss Government through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the European Cultural Foundation (ECF). Also, project is supported by Ministry of culture and information of Republic of Serbia.