In Sarajevo, on February 24th 2015, there was a presentation of the Balkans Arts and Culture Fund. On that occasion were presented 7 projects that were selected to be funded from this fund. Among the selected projects is the "ACT4CITY - Independent cultural actors towards sustainable Balkan cities" that will jointly realize: Expeditio, Kotor, MNE; Ministry of space, Belgrade, RS; Creative City Network - CCN, Skopje, MK; Art Workshop Lazareti, Dubrovnik, CRO. Presentation in Sarajevo was attended by the representative of Expeditio.
Balkans Art and Culture Fund (BAC) and the partnership between the Swiss Government, the European Cultural Foundation (ECF) and art∡ngle, were presented last Tuesday at the Art Gallery in Sarajevo. Large number of partner organisations, networks and artists from the entire region participated in the event, in addition to representatives of international organisations and missions, and the media. Seven regional collaboration projects (COLABs) selected on the basis of an open competition were promoted on that occasion.
Highlighting the fact that the European Cultural Foundation has been present in the Balkans region for the past fifteen years, where together with the local actors they worked on bridging people, investing into culture, connecting and catalysing cultural initiatives, director Katherine Watson expressed her content with the fast-growing Balkans Art and Culture Fund. “We are very pleased that through the Fund and thanks to the significant and invaluable contribution of the Swiss Government, we will continue to support the important work of cultural actors across the region “, highlighted Watson, adding that strong linkages between the communities across the region are vital to ensure a vibrant, engaged and sustainable civil society.
Director of Cooperation of the Swiss Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Joseph Guntern, explained that the main reason for supporting BAC is because they believe in creativity of artists and cultural workers in the Western Balkans countries. “Independent artistic expression and cultural work are leading driving forces of societies in building up democracy, security and prosperity for the people in strictly future oriented way”, said Guntern.
BAC team was particularly content for the inspiring exchanges with the cultural actors from the region that took part at the margins of the event.
(Source: http://www.balkansartsandculture.fund/news/public-presentation-of-the-balkans-arts-and-culture-fund)
