Kontekst in the local assembly space

educational programs / debates / exhibitions (2011-2012)

“Kontest in the local assembly space” project represents the continuation of our struggle for autonomous space, which we started after the cessation of work in the area of ​​the “Stari Grad” Cultural Center in October 2010. This struggle represents a self-organized pressure on the network of exploitation of contemporary art and culture, as well as the creation of different production relations in which art would be a repoliticized place of social dialogues or conflicts as a driver or consequence of contemporary political processes. Previous research and communication with various management structures in the field of ​​local cultural policies resulted in the signing of a contract with the Municipality of New Belgrade, which opens the possibility for the continuation of our work in the space of ​​the “Studentski grad” local assembly in New Belgrade. We will use the period of work in the local assembly space to create a platform of autonomous education as an opportunity for co-production of new knowledge and political action related to such knowledge.

Local assembly is the lowest instance of the state organization. The establishment of local assemblies in the SFRY began in the mid-1960s, while in 1974 they were defined by the Constitution as the basic form of self-governing organization of citizens at the local level. Local assemblies became centers for organizing citizens to meet needs such as building infrastructure, kindergartens and schools, sports fields, and organizing cultural and educational programs. These activities were the result of united citizens who, through self-contribution and personal work, improved living conditions in their local communities. In addition to the obvious successes, these places of local self-government over time become usurped by local parties and thus increasingly distant from the residents and their initiatives. In addition to that, at least declaratively, in the current laws there are opportunities for organizing people and their participation in decision-making through the instance of the local community. Forms of direct participation of citizens in the realization of local self-government – citizens’ initiative, assembly of citizens and referendum – are rarely achievable in the practice of the modern political system, and work should be done to strengthen them. We remind you that we started the fight for autonomous space with the decision to close Kontekst Gallery in November 2010.