Lokomotiva ::: Independently curated programme which is based on collaboration with artists working with live arts, or dance, choreography and performance. Program is supporting research and production of art and knowledge through residencies, productions of dance, lectures-presentations, conferences, workshops, symposiums etc., in which certain problems in the field are reflected, reassessed and critically reconsidered.
In 2013 Lokomotiva received an AWARD from Swiss Cultural Programme in the Western Balkan for the utmost commitment and valuable contribution to the development and promotion of the contemporary dance in the Balkans through the cooperation project NOMAD Contemporary Dance in the Balkans, implemented in period October 2007 – December 2010, in partnership with Stanica (Belgrade), Tanzelarija (Sarajevo), Tala Dance (Zagreb), Fico Balet (Ljubljana) and BrainStore (Sofia). The award was given in Sarajevo at the final event “Cultural Encounters – Collaboration, Achievements, and Perspectives” organised by the Swiss Cultural Programme in Western Balkan. The event gathered around 100 cultural operators, donors and artists from the region.
Artistic Residency of Snezana Premus with her project Physical manifestation II: Desiring body in Trafó Studio, Budapest 04-13 November 2017. The residency was organized by Nomad Dance Academy (NDA) and Lokomotiva – Centre for New Initiatives in Arts and Culture in collaboration with Workshop Foundation, Budapest in the framework of WILD CARDS program, as a part of the project Life Long Burning www.lifelongburning.eu.
Nomad Dance Academy on 20 and 21 October 2017 organized an event Nomad Dance Advocates in Belgrade . This advocacy initiative has been organized in Skopje in 2012 and Sofia in 2015, and has been developed as a continuous program for advocating for development of contemporary dance art in the region.
Nomad Dance Advocates is meant to be a gathering of artists and policy and decision makers where they can communicate and exchange experiences in a different, more direct and positive way. The idea behind this is to show the world of contemporary dance to the decision makers from a different perspective. Through the performative and less formal communication and discussions, games and art works, the representatives of ministries of culture, city administrations and other decision making bodies encounter artists, discover the world behind the stage and get a better insight into the potentialities of contemporary dance in today’s cultural space.
In 2015, Lokomotiva and Theatre of Navigator Cvetko achieved one of their most important goals – to create a sustainable space for creation, dissemination, education, meetings, collaboration and reflection in the field of contemporary performing arts. The creation of KINO KULTURA – Project Space for Contemporary Performing Arts and Culture, was a step towards this goal, and a space fulfilling the goal for five years (2015-2020), with the main support provided by Center Municipality. In 2020, this space was shut down due to lack of subsidies and support on local and national level. However, Lokomotiva keeps to its path, and continues to advocate for the development of an institution and a space for contemporary performing arts in Skopje.
KINO KULTURA – Project Space for Contemporary Performing Arts and Culture was developed as part of a private cinema theater built in 1937. After its renovation and opening, it became the only and most prominent space that hosted and developed programs for contemporary performing arts, as well as programs for the civil society and community. Since it opened Kino Kultura has elevated the process for creation of a new model of institution aiming to support and create working conditions for the production of contemporary performing arts creation, presentation and reflection, and enable the development of new forms of socio-political and cultural co-existence. Kino Kultura was producing conditions for institutionalization of the critical art practice and theory that is not represented in other public art, culture and education institutions in the country by collaborating with local and international art and cultural actors, as well as supporting, respecting and promoting diversity, participation, solidarity, democracy, human rights, working rights of cultural workers, gender equality, etc. During its 5 years of existence, such public space was unique in this context and its distinct program was developed in the field of contemporary art and culture, with an emphasis on performing arts (dance, performance, theater), offering an open program space for collaborative activities with the local and international community.
The basic program frames of “Kino Kultura” were comprised of 4 program lines: Theater Navigator and Lokomotiva (as programs developed by the main partners in relation to performing arts (theater, dance, and performance), Open Space (program developed in collaboration with other organizations from the independent cultural scene and the wider civil society sector, individuals and informal groups), and Together (program for animation, education, and creative development of the wider community). Theater Navigator and Lokomotiva curated their programs, while Open Space and Together were programs open for suggestions and not regulated by a process of selection or defined by aesthetic criteria or curatorial concepts. The activities realized in “Kino Kultura” include theater performances, contemporary dance and performance, workshops for experts and citizens, conferences, artistic research, residences, educational programs, different types of festivals, book promotions, concerts, etc.
The space of “Kino Kultura” was developed both from the aspect of programs and organization, as well as management by the co-founders, in collaboration with local and international partners. Regarding the development of the sustainable space and institutional model, the partners established several activities and programs which enabled them to reflect and consequently grow a model that would be the most suitable for the context and needs of the community. Thus, projects including Cultural Spaces for Active Citizens and Dissonant co-Spaces were developed through research, conferences, reflections, production of books, workshops, etc. This brought forward diverse ideas and results (the “Protocol for collaboration with the civil society within the program line Open Space”, international conference “Modelling Public Space(s) in Culture”, publication “Rethinking Institutional Practices in Culture and Historical (Dis)Continuities”, strategic planning of “Kino Kultura”), which are used as resources for future planning and development of the extension of Kino Kultura into a new institution for contemporary art, culture and policies.
Lokomotiva, together with partner organizations from the local context and through various projects and processes in cooperation with regional and domestic experts, is working on a new model of institution as a sustainable model for artists, cultural workers and the community, which will provide working conditions in the field of contemporary performing arts. The idea continues even though the Kino Kultura space is no longer in the service of culture. The format in which the space itself functioned is transformed into a developing platform (including several organizations) with the goal to grow into a cultural institution for contemporary arts (a model of civil-public partnership).
Lokomotiva keeps on developing new models of governance and collaboration in the field of contemporary art and culture, driving the reformation of cultural policies and working conditions in the field of dance, as well as in the larger socio-cultural sphere, through research, critical and theoretical reflection, capacity building of the cultural sector (public and civil), production and advocacy activities.
_________________________________________
/македонски
Во 2015 година Локомотива и Театарот на навигаторот Цветко заедно ја постигнаа една од нивните најважни цели – да создадат одржлив простор за создавање, ширење, едукација, состаноци, соработка и размислување во областа на современата изведувачка уметност. Создавањето на КИНО КУЛТУРА – Проектен простор за современа изведувачка уметност и култура, беше чекор напред кон целта и беше простор што ја исполнуваше целта пет години (2015-2020 година) со главна поддршка од општина Центар. Во 2020 година, просторот беше затворен поради недостаток на субвенции и поддршка на локално и национално ниво. Сепак, Локомотива останува на својот пат и продолжува да се залага за развој на институција и простор за современи изведувачки уметности во Скопје.
КИНО КУЛТУРА – Проектен простор за современа изведувачка уметност и култура се разви како дел од приватниот кино-театар изграден во 1937 година. По неговото реновирање и отворање стана единствениот и најистакнат простор што одржува програми за современи изведувачки уметности, како и програми за граѓанското општество и заедницата. Кино Култура уште од самото отворање го подигна процесот на создавање на нов модел на институција со цел да поддржи и создаде услови за работа за производство на современи театарски уметности, презентација и размислување, но и да овозможи развој на нови форми на социо-политички и културен соживот. Кино Култура произведуваше услови за институционализација на критичката уметничка практика и теорија што не е застапена во другите јавни уметнички, културни и образовни институции во земјата, преку соработка со локални и меѓународни уметнички и културни актери, поддршка, почитување и унапредување на различностите, учеството, солидарноста, демократија, човековите права, работните права на културните работници, родова еднаквост и така натаму. Во своето петгодишно постоење, ваквиот јавен простор беше единствен во овој контекст и неговата посебна програма беше развиена во областа на современата уметност и култура, со акцент на изведувачката уметност (танц, перформанс, театар), нудејќи отворен програмски простор за соработка и активности со локалната и меѓународната заедница.
Основните програмски рамки на „Кино Култура“ беа составени од 4 програмски линии: Театар Навигатор и Локомотива (како програми развиени од главните партнери во врска со изведувачките уметности (театар, танц и изведба), Отворен простор (програма развиена во соработка со други организации од независната културна сцена и поширокиот граѓански сектор, поединци и неформални групи) и Заедно (програма за анимација, едукација и креативен развој на пошироката заедница). Театар Навигатор и Локомотива ги курираа своите програми, додека Отворен простор и Заедно беа програми отворени за предлози и не се регулирани со процес на избор или дефинирани со естетски критериуми или кураторски концепти. Активностите реализирани во „Кино Култура“ вклучуваат театарски претстави, современ танц и изведба, работилници за професионалци и граѓани, конференции, уметнички истражувања, резиденции, едукативни програми, различни видови фестивали, промоции на книги, концерти и други настани.
Просторот на „Кино Култура“ беше развиен и од аспект на програмите и организацијата, но и управувањето од страна на ко-основачите, во соработка со локалните и меѓународните партнерите. Во однос на развојот на одржливиот простор и институционалниот модел, партнерите развија неколку активности и програми што овозможија да се рефлектира и следствено, да се развие модел кој би бил најсоодветен за контекстот и потребите на заедницата. Така, проектите како „Културни простори за активни граѓани“ беа развиени преку истражувања, конференции, размислувања, производство на книги, работилници, итн. Сето тоа донесе различни идеи и резултати („Протокол за соработка со граѓанското општество во рамките на програмската линија Отворен простор“, меѓународна конференција „Моделирање јавен(ни) простор(и) во културата“, публикацијата „Преиспитување на институционалните практики во културата и историски (дис) континуитети“, стратешко планирање на „Кино култура“), кои се користат како ресурси за идно планирање и развој на проширувањето на Кино Култура во нова институција за современа уметност, култура и политика.
Локомотива, заедно со партнерските организации од локалниот контекст, преку разни проекти и процеси во соработка со регионални и домашни експерти, континуирано работи на нов модел на институција како одржлив модел за уметници, културни работници и заедница, кој ќе обезбеди услови за работа во областа на современата изведувачка уметност. Идејата останува, иако просторот Кино Култура повеќе не е во служба на културата. Форматот во кој функционираше самиот простор се трансформира во развојна платформа (која вклучува и неколку организации) со цел да прерасне во културна институција за современа уметност (модел на граѓанско-јавно партнерство).
Локомотива продолжува да развива нови модели на управување и соработка во областа на современата уметност и култура и да влијае на реформата на културните политики и условите за работа во полето за танцот, како и на пошироката социо-културна сфера, преку теоретска рефлексија, градење капацитети на културниот сектор (јавен и граѓански), активности за продукција и застапување.
The Conference Modelling Public Spaces in Culture is one of the activities of The Dissonant (Co)Spaces project, aiming to offer diverse thematic overview on “the public space” as a physical location that creates social ties and “the public sphere” as the collection of attributes contributing to the formation of public discourse.
At the conference, public spaces will be reviewed and discussed through two different aspects:
Revisionism and production of the history of culture and institution. In this thematic focus we will mostly engage in the modernist heritage from former Yugoslavia, critically examining the term “dissonant heritage”, and its usage in the contemporary context of culture. Another focal point is the development history of the institution in former Yugoslavia.
Organizational and institutional innovative approaches in governing and modelling institutions, or proposing new models of public spaces as new models of institutions. We will try to examine diverse approaches such as commons, participation and usership in modelling the new public spaces.
These thematic focuses will be developed in thematic modes of presentation, interviews, lectures, discussions etc.
42 edition of International Theatre Festival – MOT
produced by BADco, Zagreb, Croatia
Sunday 01.10.2017 , 20:00
@ Kino Kultura
Directors of the performance are Tomislav Medak and Goran Sergej Pristas, and performers: Pravdan Devlahović, Ivana Ivković, Ana Kreitmeyer, Tomislav Medak, Goran Sergej Pristaš, Nikolina Pristaš, Zrinka Užbinec.
1 poor and one 0 is a twofold performance: while the performers develop the manifold forms of dissolution of the working subject before the audience, the audience is slowly drawn into a process of transformation: from the popular medium of cinema to the political theater of populism.
Aiming to approach the question of public within cultural spaces by involving artists’ perspective based on their research of the contexts and spaces related to the project, we created possibility for three artistic residencies, one in Macedonia and two in Croatia.
Macedonian, Skopje based artists Natasha Nedelkova was invited as artists in residency taking place in Croatia as part of the residency programme MOTEL TROGIR, hosted by the project partner Slobodne Veze form Zagreb, Croatia.
Aiming to approach the question of public within cultural spaces by involving artists’ perspective based on their research of the contexts and spaces related to the project, we created possibility for three artistic residencies, one in Macedonia and two in Croatia.
Danilo Prnjat – artist from Belgrade, Serbia – was invited as artists in residency taking place in Skopje – Kino Kultura, hosted by Lokomotiva – Skopje.
Danilo Prnjat is an artist who bases his artistic and critical work on criticality of the institution of culture. During his ten-day residency in Skopje, he was invited to explore the institutional structure of the city. His focus will be on the process of transformation of cultural institutions, relations between state/city cultural institutions and institutions of “independent” scene, the overlaps that with the current political changes in Macedonia become more apparent and proposing the draft of one potential critical reflection of these processes.
The jury for the NDA residency program in Workshop Foundation, Budapest in the framework of Life Long Burning (LLB) have announced the results
Besides the criteria of a quality of an artistic proposal, the jury followed the guidelines of the open call prioritizing proposals from Balkans and NDA countries, projects that enhance regional and international collaboration, sharing the knowledge and artistic resources with the NDA network and those projects that give support to NDA’s initiatives for development
of local dance scenes based on collaboration, sharing and openness.
