Prior to the final announcement of the European Capital of Culture for 2021, the Assembly of the City of Novi Sad has adopted the Cultural Development Strategy for the period from 2016 to 2026, after several months of public debates with representatives of the cultural sector and with the participation of citizens. At the same time the Organizing Committee of „Novi Sad 2021“, body entrusted with the management of candidacy, passed the final application of Novi Sad candidacy for European Capital of Culture. The application form has been adopted unanimously, and in the next few days will be sent to Brussels to the representatives of the Panel of independent experts from the European Commission.

Thanks to the project „Novi Sad 2021“, this year in February a work on the Strategy has begun and representatives of cultural institutions, members of the independent scene, artists and interested citizens were invited to participate. From July 15th to August 15th the document was available to the public, and numerous public hearings were organized to which a number of actors from the cultural life of Novi Sad took part, and the Strategy was finally adopted by the Assembly of Novi Sad today. Strategy deals with a number of disadvantages in terms of systematically resolving the situation in culture, while its application will be of an essential importance, and in that process the participation of all relevant factors of culture is expected.

Discussions took place in the spirit of democracy and tolerance and “Novi Sad 2021” Team representatives consider linking all actors in the cultural scene of the city, as a result of this candidacy, of great importance because the slogan, „4 new bridges“ therefore becomes a reality that can no longer be ignored.