CULTTERRA in Kotor, Montenegro

CULTTERRA in Kotor, Montenegro
for Against The Tide: Empowering Marginalised Voices through Socio-Culture of the European Network of Cultural Centers.
If we had to choose one phrase for the whole conference, it would be: “Everything is political.”
The cultural sector is always affected by what is happening in the world — or it reproduces and reacts based on those very stimuli. That’s why, in times like these, a conference dedicated to marginalized voices could only be political.
Voices were heard from the LGBTQ+ community in Montenegro, affirming that such a community is active even in a Balkan country, proudly advocating for their “Pride.” There were also discussions about youth movements in Georgia and Serbia, about how government collaborations can affect the cultural field, and how organisations are sometimes forced to pause their own programs in order to support the initiatives of protesters. The most chilling moment of all was the live connection with the Freedom Theater in Palestine. Mustafa Sheta, a colleague, is not only unable to practice his profession freely, but his very life — like that of his entire people — is in danger. When asked what we, far away and powerless, can do, his answer was simple yet profound: to keep memory alive through art, to never forget the traditions, customs, and heritage of a people who are, at this very moment, facing genocide.
There were also workshops and discussions about youth. Here, we can proudly say that CULTTERRA was the only youth-led organisation among the participants. We took the floor to talk about ageism and how youth represent a powerful and engaged audience in cultural programming.
We were deeply inspired by the work of Medeber Teatro, a multidisciplinary project focused on artistic research and creation, founded by Serenella Martufi and Francesco Moarca. It explores various artistic languages, using poetry to create spaces for dialogue and shared authorship with all audiences, both on stage and in public spaces. Serenella Martufi also spoke about #artwashing, raising the question: what is truly happening with grants? Governments may fund inclusive projects, yet their bureaucratic systems remain far from inclusive. Her words gave us much to reflect on: what would happen if artists could set the “rules” and start asking — not only doing?
We also had the chance to meet the board members of Reset! network, a network that unites independent cultural and media organisations across the continent - a network we are planning to join.
We would like to express our deep gratitude to the entire hardworking ENCC team for the excellent program and their inspiring kindness.
All the best,
Fjorida Cenaj