Cultural and artistic initiatives in the Balkans

Recent developments in the Balkan region highlight various efforts to support culture and local heritage through funding and creative projects.

In Croatia, the City of Velika Gorica has opened a public call for 2027 cultural programs, inviting associations and individuals to propose projects focused on preserving traditional culture and acquiring artistic productions. Meanwhile, Serbia has implemented a new funding mechanism for children’s programs. This system collects fees from intercity transport, domestic postal shipments, and tickets for cultural or sporting events, with the association ‘Prijatelji dece Srbije’ managing the distribution of funds.

Artistic initiatives have also emerged in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Young Researchers of Serbia launched an upcycling competition for the third year, encouraging artists to create works from discarded materials to address themes of identity and consumerism. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, designer Muhamed Smakić has introduced a postcard project titled ‘Novi Pazar za ponijeti’ (Novi Pazar to Take Away), which uses photography and graphic design to document the urban identity of Novi Pazar.