There is exactly a month left until the opening ceremony of the European Capital of Culture in Novi Sad announced for 13 January 2022. It was symbolically marked by Miloš Vučević, the Mayor of Novi Sad, on the number counter in front of the ‘Novi Sad – European Capital of Culture’ in the Liberty Square, which shows how many days are left until the moment when the city will hold one of the most prestigious European titles.
‘The opening of a new chapter in the book about Novi Sad is approaching. It will greatly contribute to the development and leave an indelible mark on the city, our country and the region. People from Novi Sad, Serbia, Europe and the world are involved in the ECoC project, and they are preparing something that has not been seen so far, not only in the region but wider. Maybe other ECoCs had more funds, but certainly not more creativity and courage, and this was confirmed by the two European awards we received in the previous weeks. The play on the Varadin Bridge and the ‘Tesla Light Gallery’ in the Suburbium of the Petrovaradin Fortress on 31 December, will present a narrative that connects us with the greatest scientists of mankind. I invite the citizens of Novi Sad to cross the Varadin Bridge together that day at 9 p.m. and be a part of the fantastic story,’ said Miloš Vučević, the Mayor of Novi Sad.
The number counter, which has been set in October, exactly 100 days before the title year, gathered the most diverse local and European artists, the representatives of organisations and institutions so far and it symbolically depicted the bond that the ‘Novi Sad – European Capital of Culture’ project managed to establish between institutional and non-institutional milieu, citizens of Novi Sad, as well as decision-makers, with the ‘For New Bridges’ slogan. Praises also came from the European Commission for that connection of various cultural stakeholders, after the last monitoring report, after which Novi Sad received the ‘Melina Mercouri’ award.
‘The experience has shown that interest and support of decision-makers are enormously important for the preservation of successful legacies of the ECoC project. Their in-depth understanding is even more important for their further development. By joining from the candidacy to receiving the title, but also the last two prestigious European awards in the field of culture, the Mayor of Novi Sad and a member of the City Council for Culture are a guarantee that culture will remain one of the city’s development pillars after the title year,’ said Nemanja Milenković, CEO of the Novi Sad – European Capital of Culture.
In the year of the title of the European Capital of Culture, Novi Sad will bring together about 4,000 European, regional and local artists at more than 1,500 cultural events, while details of the entire programme concept, divided into eight programme arches, which will be implemented chronologically in 2022. Milenković presented the arches to Mayor Miloš Vučević, as well as Dalibor Rožić, a member of the City Council for Culture, and Milan Đurić, Deputy Mayor.
The unique art celebration in Europe, Doček, will open the year of the title of European Capital of Culture in Novi Sad, with a programme that will be seen in our region for the first time. Doček, the best European trend brand in the field of culture, will gather more than 400 artists from Serbia and the whole of Europe, promoting the heritage of the great names of Serbian science through art, who reached global frameworks – Nikola Tesla, Mileva Marić Einstein, Milutin Milanković.
On 31 December, the citizens of Novi Sad will symbolically light up the city with the programme inspired by the life and work of the great scientist – Nikola Tesla. In front of the Rainbow Bridge, a part of the ‘Tesla, Inventartist’ play directed by Nebojša Bradić, performed by the Serbian National Theatre, which includes the audience, will be premiered, forming a procession from the bridge all the way to the Suburbium of the Petrovaradin Fortress, where Tesla’s multimedia light gallery will be located. Partner of the Tesla Light Gallery is the NIS company.
The opening ceremony of the European Capital of Culture, the celebration of ‘Zeniteum :: 2022’, by Slovenian avant-garde director Dragan Živadinov, scheduled for 13 January, also features great names in Serbian science – mathematicians Mileva Marić Einstein and Milutin Milankovic. The setting of the opening ceremony on one of the main city boulevards, near Banovina, is an architectural-multimedia endeavour that has not been done in Serbia so far.
Programmes within Doček are also planned for 12, 14 and 15 January, while you can find the detailed information, locations, and time slots, as well as the 2022 programme, on our website.
Photo: M. Pudić
