Budva's cultural scene today consists of city cultural institutions financed by taxpayers, an independent cultural scene that is mostly self-financed, and a very fertile ex-Soviet emigration cultural scene that is also self-financed. There is also an entertainment scene that consists of programs organized by the Budva Tourism Organization, and festivals of private individuals or companies hidden behind cultural institutions - which is completely financed by taxpayers' money.
The City Theater, a city cultural institution that lives in its fourth decade, positioned Budva, more than all others, on the cultural map of the region and Europe - and today it continues to maintain that position with a profiled programming concept.
The ex-Soviet cultural scene with a large production of quality programs, completely unrecognized by the city structures, satisfies the cultural needs of ex-Soviet emigrants - but also contributes to the mapping of the Budva cultural scene in the cultural orbit of the post-Soviet cultural vanguard.
The pop scene, as a natural continuation of the kitsch/shund tradition, for which Budva has been recognized for the last three decades, produces pop programs of questionable artistic quality, with sporadic positive developments - but one gets the impression that this scene was created because of itself and the financial constructions and manipulations that follow - and does not contribute to the international positioning of the city.
The independent cultural scene, unrecognized by the city structures, was finally well mapped in the process of Budva's candidacy for the European Capital of Culture in 2028 and became locally visible - although some of its programs have been internationally recognized and recognized for years. Casper Cultural Center, NGO Bauo, NGO Feral, NGO Agora, etc. make a big regional and international contribution.
The fight for culture
Three of the four elements of Budva's cultural and entertainment scene operate unhindered today, while pressure is exerted on the independent cultural scene, and especially on the scene of the Old Town, whose ultimate goal, at least it seems, is to shut it down. This is also supported by the city's decision on the communal order, which prohibits outdoor programs that use any kind of sound system.
According to that law, you cannot hold a poetry evening, open an exhibition or hold a concert if it includes the installation of at least one speaker - and this applies only to the independent cultural scene and not to the institutional, entertainment or ex-Soviet ones, nor to various product promotions, political marketing , fireworks and the like.
Against such a decision, the independent cultural scene is fighting through legal means to protect rights guaranteed by the constitution, but much more with its programs and support of both local and world-famous artists. So recently the famous Italian jazz musician Nicola Conte gave public support to the independent cultural scene of Buidva and asked the city structures where they are leading this city?
In the coming period, the support of a large number of cultural workers, media and institutions is expected to preserve the independent cultural scene of Budva and its production.
As the city of Budva does not have a culture development strategy, it is up to the producers of cultural programs to create it through their actions and thereby try to improve the reputation of the devastated city of Budva. The city's decision on the communal order, the consequence of which is the shutdown of the independent cultural scene in the Old Town, is another glaring example of the absence and misunderstanding of cultural policy and the cultural industry.
The only thing that can overcome this misunderstanding of culture is cultural production itself.
