From November 14 to 16, the First Forum of Independent Socio-Cultural Centers of Serbia was held at AKC Gnezdo in Kruševac.
Twenty representatives of various initiatives met to discuss the importance of independent spaces, the challenges and specificities of organizations that run them, different aspects of sustainability (organizational, generational, and financial), as well as potential models of networking.
The significance of this forum lies primarily in the fact that many participants met in person for the first time, even though they were already familiar with each other’s work. Representatives of initiatives planning to establish new spaces in their local communities also attended. Unfortunately, due to financial limitations, not all applicants could participate, and some representatives were unable to attend, which further highlights the strong interest and potential among people to engage with the challenges of running independent spaces.
Models of managing and sustaining these spaces vary—from renting private or public venues, to using self-owned spaces, project-based funding, and different forms of self-financing. All of these aim to create free spaces, both physical and political, accessible to the community.
Today, the conversation goes beyond filling gaps left by institutions. There is a growing need for self-organization and collective action outside institutional frameworks. In the context of increasing political pressure, economic exhaustion, and the exploitation of public resources, the idea of spaces of freedom becomes ever more important. This need is clearly visible in student self-organization, occupations of universities and cultural institutions, citizens’ assemblies, street and institutional blockades, and other forms of civic resistance and disobedience. Independent socio-cultural centers represent a vital resource for understanding alternative ways of acting and living within conditions of systemic injustice.
The forum resulted in several key agreements and conclusions:
exchange of program content
mutual support in founding and securing new spaces
joint advocacy actions and campaigns for sustainability
Participating initiatives included: BamBam Collective (Belgrade), Magnet House (Veliki Gaj), Cultural Center Čvor (Sremska Mitrovica), Proleterska (Zrenjanin), Soba 24 (Kikinda), Dvorište 29 (Požega), Sinhro Hub (Pančevo), Barn (Temerin), KC Grad (Belgrade), Youth Center Denon (Kučevo), Crna kuća (Novi Sad), KC Svitac (Jagodina), Underground Initiative (Niš), AKC Gnezdo (Kruševac), Creative Center Livrit (Preševo), Activist Center GRAD (Smederevo), Cultural Center Magacin (Belgrade), Youth and Cultural Center Zaječar (Zaječar), and Center for Creative Gathering (Temerin).
The forum is part of the project Spaces of Freedom, supported by the European Union. The project is implemented by Zaječarska inicijativa in partnership with Omladinski centar CK13 (Novi Sad), Fakiri s juga (Kruševac), and K-Town Group (Kosjerić).
The forum took place during the celebration of eight years of existence of AKC Gnezdo.
