Sitemap

Adrien Feix, Director Of The Austrian Cultural Forum

Investment In The Future

Austrian artists often deftly manage to build upon our rich cultural history without rendering it sacred – in my view, this approach is an invaluable asset

The Austrian Cultural Forum’s presence in the life of Belgrade has become a daily and important element, particularly for the culture scene of the Serbian capital. For example, from the beginning of autumn – despite the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic – contemporary Austrian art has been present at many local festivals, included in projects and events, while many interesting projects will emerge thanks to an open invitation to everyone planning to cooperate with Austrian participants in the areas of culture and science. Apart from the topics noted, here we speak with Adrien Feix primarily about his working experiences in Serbia to date.

We spoke a year ago, immediately after your arrival to take on the position of director of the Austrian Cultural Forum in Belgrade. Given that you stated at the time that you had high expectations of your new environment, we must pose the question of whether those expectations have been met?

– Those expectations have not only been met, but far exceeded. I realised that although I travelled across Serbia as much as possible and met with hundreds of people active in culture, one year is only enough to scratch the surface of the diversity of cultural and scientific life in Serbia. One surprise for me was to discover the density of the Serbian cultural network throughout the country, with very dedicated culture centres, libraries and archives. Of course, the pandemic made things more difficult – and it is a challenge to catch up on the time lost.

October was a very active month for the ACF. You organised three events in the first week alone that had an impact on the life of Belgrade, including the Weekend of Street Art and the “Overview Effect” programme, which deals with environmental issues. I get the impression that the ACF sees its mission in Serbia as extending beyond cultural exchanges between our two countries. Could you please comment?

– Our primary mission is indeed to support cultural exchange between Austria and Serbia, and I was delighted to see that – despite the pandemic – we managed to be very active in September and October, with Beldocs, Danube Dialogues, digitally at the SAXperience festival, as well as with the street art programme and the first part of “Overview Effect” at the Belgrade Museum of Contemporary Art. But you are right that we have also been working during the pandemic to extend and deepen our partnerships by supporting projects that deal with current challenges – related to the pandemic, climate change, innovation and regional cooperation. We are convinced that broadening the scope of our activities is an investment in the future.

One surprise for me was to discover the density of the Serbian cultural network throughout the country, with very dedicated culture centres, libraries and archives

Austria has a rich tradition in all areas of culture. You have noticed that in Serbia there is a prevailing opinion among part of the public that the legacies of the past hinder contemporary creativity. What is the stance of Austrian artists regarding this issue?

– We try to square the circle between valuing tradition and fostering innovation, as expressed in our motto IZvan tradicije. On our social media channels, through which we have expanded our activity dramatically during past months, you will see this blend of old and new, of excellence and provocation, of traditional beauty and irreverence. Austrian artists often deftly manage to build upon our rich cultural history without rendering it sacred – in my view, this approach is an invaluable asset.

According to the ACF website, Serbia is among the geographical priorities in the scope of your foreign cultural policy. How precisely is this position reflected?

– Besides the Austrian Cultural Forum, we have Austrian libraries and Austrian lecturers in Belgrade and Novi Sad. There are a great number of scholarship recipients and artist-in-residence programmes for artists from the Balkans, not only through the Foreign Ministry, but also through Austrian provinces such as Styria, Lower Austria and Vienna.

Adrien Feix

Additionally, our universities cooperate on dozens of research projects through the CEEPUS network and Austrian partners are deeply involved in developing dual education programmes with Serbia. Clearly, not all of these programmes are suitable for front page news, but they make a real difference and are effective at establishing lasting connections.

The ACF has invited all those planning to cooperate with Austrian participants in culture and science to apply for your support. What kind of response have you received; what are the most common projects in which cooperation takes place?

– After the first phase of shock in spring, we are receiving ever more proposals for excellent, innovative and ambitious projects. We have created very good experiences with professional digital or hybrid formats, such as the AloneTogether series with KC Grad, the opening concert of SAXperience or the four Austrian documentaries shown at Beldocs, as well as a screening at this year’s Festival of Children’s Theatre in Subotica.

We try to square the circle between valuing tradition and fostering innovation, as expressed in our motto Izvan tradicije

German language courses represent an important part of the ACF’s mission. How did you implement those courses under the conditions of the pandemic?

– We have excellent cooperation with the Austrian Institute, which proposes language courses and which has made a very smooth and successful transition to online courses – so if you’re interested in learning German, the pandemic is no excuse not to enrol! Our Austrian lecturers at the universities of Belgrade and Novi Sad continue to do an excellent job of teaching German and Austrian culture and engaging with their students despite the difficult situation. And the Cultural Forum is working increasingly with schools through travelling exhibitions, film programmes and teaching materials – one of my priorities is to initiate a dialogue between our cultures and people at the earliest age.

Related

Adrien Feix, Director of the Austrian Cultural Forum

Broad & Open Dialogue

“The most effective way to accompany Serbia on its way to the EU is through the cultural exchange at eye level – no amount...

Director: Amadeus Faltheiner

Austrian Cultural Forum

Address: Kneza Sime Markovića 2, BelgradeTel: +381 11 3336 500E-mail: belgrad-kf@bmeia.gv.at Website: www.bmeia.gv.at/kf-belgradSocial: Austrian Cultural Forum - Kulturforum is promoting Austrian culture and art in...

It is highly likely that this year’s International Book Fair in Belgrade, which is as important as, for example, the Leipzig Book Fair, won’t even be held in December. How would you evaluate the translating of literary works between our two countries?

– The cancellation of major book fairs throughout Europe and the world is a huge blow to the book industry and to literature. We are very lucky to be able to rely on the Traduki-network, supporting translations from German to the languages of Southeast Europe, and on our strong ties with Serbian publishers, a number of which publish Austrian literature. Nevertheless, we are working on strengthening these ties with specific programmes and events for literary translators.

With the end of the year fast approaching, which programmes of the Austrian Cultural Forum would you recommend to our readers?

– With the project “Ode to Beethoven”, commemorating the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, we joined forces with the Laboratory for Interactive Arts of the Belgrade Faculty of Dramatic Arts to invite students from all over Serbia to work in teams and develop their ideas related to Beethoven, Europe and Austria during a hackathon. With over 60 participants and a lot of excellent ideas, it was a great success. We rewarded the two best projects and they will be presented as an audio-visual 3D show on our embassy building. I think this is a great way to combine music, art and diplomacy, and to involve the vast creative potential available in Serbia. Furthermore, we are planning a number of exciting hybrid formats in theatre, dance, science and literature (with an exceptional culinary aspect!), as well as a digital platform for exhibitions and exchanges of artists between Austria and Serbia. Due to the current situation, the precise dates are still not set in stone, so be sure to follow us on social media to get the latest updates! 

Related Articles

Erika Teoman-Brenner, Commercial Counsellor Of The Austrian Embassy

Supporting Business, Promoting Growth

After a very successful 2019, the Austrian-Serbian trade exchange fell by roughly 17% in the first six months of 2020. However, with the support...

NOVOMATIC

Corporate Social Responsibility As An Imperative

Company Novomatic is commemorating 40 years of successful operations Novomatic, a world leader in the field of gambling technology that operates in our country under...

Mihailo Vesović, The Chamber Of Commerce & Industry Of Serbia

Strong Ties Weren’t Threatened By The Pandemic

Considering that the strong growth of economic activities is predicted in Austria for 2021, as well as a recovery of the consumer trend, we...

Dr Erhard Busek, Coordinator Of The SECI

New Formula For New Ties

The challenge of “deepening and widening in Europe” has not yet been answered, either from the side of the Western Balkans or that of...

Johannes Irschik, Director of the Austrian Cultural Forum and President of EUNIC

We Support Serbia’s European Dimension

Our main mission is to promote contemporary Austrian art and culture, as well as to foster cultural and scientific exchange Almost 20 years after its...

Adrien Feix, Director Of The Austrian Cultural Forum (ACF) In Belgrade

We Need Tradition And Innovation

The fact that the European capital of culture is a non-EU city is quite unique. As such, this is a great opportunityfor Novi Sad,...

WATERFALLS

The Most Beautiful Austrian Waterfalls

Cool in summer, sculptural in winter, wreathed in myths and fringed with plants, there’s something truly magical about waterfalls. Tumbling over cliffs and down...

Nikolaos Sliousaregko, President of the Management Board of the HBA

New Investment Opportunities

The fact that Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić were present at the Greek-Serbian Business Forum marks a major shift...

Fanina Kovačević-Popaz, Executive Director of the HBA

Consistency & Innovation

The Hellenic Economic Association of Serbia’s 20 years of successful operations represent a source of inspiration and good practices that the HBA will continue...

Slavica Đukić Dejanović, Serbian Minister of Education

We Understand Digitalisation’s Challenges And Opportunities

Serbia is striding towards confronting all the changes dictated by contemporary global trends and is ready to respond to all the challenges in the...

Miloš Đuričanin, Director of Strategy and Development at the Nordeus Foundation

The School of the Future is a School of Opportunities

Our vision is to provide children and young adults with a platform to create and learn through experience, via which they can connect, jointly...

Kushner Eyes Balkan Luxury Developments in Serbia and Albania

Jared Kushner, closely related to former U.S. President Donald Trump as his son-in-law, is turning his attention to the...

New ENEF II Fund to Propel Growth in Western Balkans

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has announced the introduction of the Enterprise Expansion Fund II (ENEF...

European Parliament Passes Groundbreaking AI Law

The European Parliament has adopted the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act, aiming to safeguard fundamental rights, democracy, the rule of...

European Parliament Members Endorse Western Balkan Reform and Growth Instrument

Members of the European Parliament's committees on foreign affairs and budget have officially adopted a stance on the Western...

US Leads Global Oil Production for the Sixth Consecutive Year

The United States has maintained its position as the world's leading oil producer for the sixth year in a...