WEBINAR
Presented by Jelena Božić, Programme Coordinator at Association Kulturanova
Tuesday 16 December
13 – 14.00 GMT / 14 – 15.00 CET
On 1 November 2024, the collapse of a station canopy in Novi Sad claimed the lives of fifteen people. What followed were daily protests in Belgrade and beyond, exposing deep-rooted frustrations with corruption, accountability, and democratic backsliding in Serbia. One year later, on 1 November 2025, these protests have continued without interruption, making visible the resilience of civil society under pressure.
Culture as civic space
In moments where democratic institutions are under strain, culture often becomes a safe haven for free expression, dialogue, and resistance. Theatres, cultural centres, and artistic initiatives in Serbia have openly supported the protests, showing how cultural actors provide not only artistic value but also civic spaces for debate, solidarity, and community action. Cultural participation allows citizens to imagine alternatives, voice dissent, and create shared meaning; all fundamental to democratic life.
Evidence from research
European studies show a strong link between cultural participation and democratic engagement; active participants are more likely to vote, volunteer, and trust institutions. The Council of Europe highlights that access to culture builds resilience against populism by fostering empathy and critical thinking, while UNESCO underlines its role in generating social capital and civic responsibility.
Democracy under pressure
In recent years, Freedom House and other monitors have documented democratic regression across Europe. Not only in the Western Balkans but also within the EU. In such contexts, cultural participation is not a luxury but a necessity; it empowers citizens, strengthens solidarity across divides, and sustains democratic practices when political institutions falter.
Amateo’s perspective
As a European network dedicated to active participation in culture, Amateo sees it as a responsibility to address the role of cultural practice in defending democracy. By bringing together our members, we reflect on how grassroots cultural initiatives can keep civic space open, mobilise communities, and connect personal expression to collective action. The contribution by Jelena Božić (Kulturanova) will ground this discussion in the Serbian experience, linking local struggles to the broader European debate on democracy, resilience, and cultural rights.
Looking forward
The upcoming online meeting, marking one year since the beginning of the protests in Belgrade, will not only commemorate the tragic events that sparked them, but also ask how cultural participation can help citizens across Europe to ‘fight for democracy’. It is a call to recognise culture as more than entertainment; it is a civic force, a democratic right and a means of building resilient communities in times of crisis.
AGENDA
* Welcome
* Key points of Rebellion in Novi Sad, from 1st November up until now /photo presentation/
* What culture has done and what has been done to culture? /examples/
* United in region and Europe: how we mobilised our cultural diversity in the fight for democracy
* Q&A
Jelena Božić is the Program coordinator in Amateo member organisation – Association Kulturanova, NGO from Novi Sad, Serbia. Kulturanova initiates intercultural and intersectoral dialogue in society, fostering youth creativity through art education, production of cultural content and promotion of public policies in the field of culture and youth. Its main values are: interculturalism, intersectoral, peace-building, equality and participation.
Jelena Božić
Jelena is an award-winning journalist specializing in ethical reporting on poverty, mental health, and dignified living. She is also the recipient of the award for Best Young Journalist in Serbia, the European “Reflection” Award, and the Hilda Dajč Recognition. At Kulturanova she works as the program coordinator for media and music programs. She is a trainer in media and information literacy. Within the activist group SviĆe, she engages in organizing nonviolent protest actions, advocating for political accountability and civil disobedience. She is the author of two documentary films, Stenica and Proces.
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