Cultural activities in the suburbs of Novi Sad continue with the opening of a new Cultural Corner in Slana Bara near the Slana Bara Sports Centre (Sentandrejski Put 106b), on Saturday, 19 October.

This is the announcement of the future cultural station in one of the most remote parts in the city, far from the centre. The construction has already started, and Cultural Corner will have a task to activate the local community, encourage local organisations and artists, help during their creative work, with the special focus on Roma national community.

‘At Slana Bara, being one of the most remote parts of the city, unfortunately, there are no many activities within which the local community can spend their time in a creative way, create and learn. There is Veliki Rit, where Roma national community lives, that should be included in the creation of creative contents, cultural activities and education. The idea is that the Cultural Corner should initiate the dialogue between citizens and cultural scene, organisations, artists, they should help each other, and contribute to the overall picture of the city’, said Milica Rašković, Senior Associate for Participative Projects within the ‘Novi Sad 2021  – European Capital of Culture’. In the spirit of the announced dialogue, Divan – Discover New Cultural Station, will be organised in order to hear different ideas, on Saturday at 6 p.m.  Divan will be a chance to discuss the idea of the future cultural station, why it is important for this part of the city, how it should look like, which contents it should consist of, who should be involved, etc.

Participants in the Divan:

– Zorica Kalanjoš, assistant pedagogue, ‘Dušan Radović’ Primary School

– Dejan Perišić, catechist

– Božidar Stojkov, journalist of the Roma editorial of the Radio Television of Vojvodina

– Milica Rašković, the ‘Novi Sad 2021 – European Capital of Culture’

– Marija Jevtić, ‘Soul Peddler’ vinyl factory

– Saša Krga, artist

– Miodrag Perić, sculptor

More information here.

F.R.K.A. at Slana Bara

In addition to the opening of the Cultural Corner, The fifth ‘F.R.K.A.’ Festival of Roma Culture and Activism, organised by the Know How Centre, will be organised in Slana Bara, on the same day, 19 October.

The programme starts at 1 p.m. with the ‘Mašta i Mim’ children play, which presents a series of events through mime, so that every child could understand it, no matter the language.  Puppet workshop for children, during which they will be given a chance to say which programmes they would like to see in this cultural space and how they see their neighbourhood in the future, will be organised at 2 p.m. Dance performances that connect tradition and modern dance will start at 3 p.m., and hip hop dancers who participate in the ‘Moj Glas Putuje’ project, will perform together with KUD ‘Vila’. The ‘Zajedno Bogatiji’ workshop for children and the young, which breaks down prejudices, starts at 4 p.m.

After Divan, two bands will perform at 6 p.m. The Soulshine band will bring the sounds of blues from 8 p.m., and the ‘Kal’ band that combines Balkan style with sounds of Roma music will perform at 9 p.m.

More information about the programme you can find here.

The opening of the Cultural Corner is the beginning of the new programme arch ‘Second Europe’, which will, during two months, until 15 December, present different, hidden, evocative, minority culture through diverse programme such as ‘Synergy’ Theatre Festival of Language Minorities, minority media, ‘programmes created by ‘Superpower’ people with disabilities, performances of emerging bands from Europan Capitals of Culture, media art from the female perspective, ‘Cinema Now’ film art, etc.