Kulturanova was founded in May 2001 as an umbrella association of informal independent art groups and young artists from Novi Sad.
Kulturanova is an NGO focused on the development of independent culture and cultural entrepreneurship to encourage positive social change, improve the position of creative people in Novi Sad and its region, and raise awareness on social issues. The organisation also advocates for creativity as a lever for economic development.
Throughout Kulturanova’s activities, the following values are highlighted: interculturalism; peacebuilding; cultural diversity; inclusion and equality; intersectoral, minority and human rights; cultural democratisation; and active citizenship through participation in cultural activities. The association considers cultural rights as an important part of human rights. Kulturanova also encourages youth creativity through art education, the production of cultural content and the promotion of public policies in the field of culture and youth. For instance, they have developed the programme Teatarnova to develop the theatre skills of young people, and the programme Muzikanova to give them a chance to create and promote their own musical content.
Most of their projects are implemented in partnership with many organisations from the region as well as from the EU and the rest of the world. This encourages collaboration between different cultures and fightsxenophobia.
Kulturanova is engaged on four ongoing European cooperation projects focused on:
1. giving new skills to cultural producers and artists by focusing on two particular fields of the Cultural and Creative Industries: management models for cultural spaces and artistic interventions in non-conventional contexts (TRAINART);
2. developing artistic experiences and exchanges to explore how traditional and analog artistic expressions can involve and attract a younger audience from Generation Z (Z ELEMENTS);
3. building careers for 18-25 year-old Europeans and supporting Europeans over 25 already working on developing a project in their organisation or community (CAREERS IN THE COMMON GOOD);
4. topics related to the European migrant crisis, focusing on the Balkan route countries (PORT OF DREAMERS).
Why did they join the ENCC?
Like the ENCC, Kulturanova is very much focused on how art can benefit local communities. According to them, culture is one of the best ways to create links between people and organisations. Connecting people with similar interests in order to work and create together has proved to be a way to enhance regional, as well as international cooperation, and it also results in forging permanent links between them. Kulturanova believes that ENCC membership will bring them new opportunities regarding our shared goals. They are also happy to share their experience with other ENCC members as well as to enter new partnerships.
