Slogan for Novi Sad candidacy for European Capital of Culture 2021 is „4 new bridges„, decided the Arts Council which also defined program and project concept of the candidacy.

After the first, constitutive meeting held earlier this month, the Arts Council has held a first working meeting in which, besides defining slogan of the campaign for the European Capital of Culture, discussed the program concept of four bridges. Bridges symbolize Novi Sad throughout its history: bridges associate to connecting people, cultures, religions, traditions that for hundreds of years made Novi Sad to be an example of interaction and rich diversity of all kinds. Bridges are the essential question of identity for every person, organization, and even the city itself – especially the city such as Novi Sad, which is the only city in Europe whose bridges have been destroyed in the recent past, both the real ones and the symbolic.

The four bridge program concept will consist of eight topics that candidacy will deal with:

Bridge 1 – cultural heritage and hospitality

Bridge 2 – conflicts and migration

Bridge 3 – creative industries and youth

Bridge 4 – cultural capacity and public spaces

Through the new bridges, the city of Novi Sad will present, but also strengthen its capacities and potentials. On the other hand, the candidacy for the prestigious title is a unique opportunity for our city to face and solve some of the important challenges and shortcomings.

Based on the given framework of the program structure and project concept, a new open call for all citizens, non-governmental organizations and institutions to propose their projects will be released tomorrow. Selected projects will become an integral part of the Application for the final process of nomination.

Parallel to this process, the Arts Council, composed of eminent experts from different fields of cultural and social life, is working on defining the artistic concept and strategy of Novi Sad candidacy for European Capital of Culture 2021.

In addition to the undisputed personal contribution to the development of the city of Novi Sad, as well as institutions and organizations, the members were elected on the basis of their expertise in different segments of the cultural life of the city. Members of Arts Council are: Rita Kinka, a pianist, a representative of the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, which has performed in almost all European countries with the support of the foundation “Women of Europe”Award; Dubravka Lazić, PhD, student doctorant at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad (2013) closely related to film studies and is currently a full professor at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad; Tijana Palkovljević, director of the Gallery of Matica srpska, author of a doctoral thesis on the topic ,, Picture of cultural identity through the presentation of works of art “; Vesna Kaćanski, editor of the music department of the Cultural Center of Novi Sad; Vladimir Kopicl, literature, film and theater critic, whose works are included in several European and world anthologies and collections; Valentin Vencel,actor and director of the Novi Sad theater “Ujvidek”, member of an expert team that prepared Eger candidacy for European Capital of Culture; Dušan Kovačević, founder and director of “EXIT” festival, the youngest winner of the February Award of the City of Novi Sad, as well as Zdravko Vulin, director and editor in chief of the Student Cultural Center.

Novi Sad 2021 is a platform for the development of the creative potential of Novi Sad. This project primarily has to motivate and inspire workers in culture, but also all citizens to reconsider the current value and set new goals towards democratic cultural development of the city. The contemporary identity of Novi Sad, revitalization of cultural heritage, reconstruction of old and open new spaces for culture, development of international and inter-sectoral cooperation, fostering intercultural dialogue, decentralization of culture, developing cultural participation of citizens, are just some of the principles of cultural development, which must be done on to the way to win this prestigious title.