Public financial assistance measure - The Program of Development of Culture in the north of Montenegro
In order to contribute to balanced development of culture on the territory of Montenegro, Ministry of Culture has continued in this reporting period the realization of special program - The development of culture in the north, the implemetation of which started in 2009. The intention of the program is to provide qualitative lifting of general level of cultural life and its continuous improvement through different forms of cultural activity in less developed northern region.
Public call from Program for Development of culture in the north, Ministry of Culture announces at the end of the current year for the next year. This open competition provides support to the projects in all fields of cultural and artistic creativity, through two segments: Co-financing of the projects in thirteen municipalities in the north and co-financing of projects of cooperation and exchange from other regions of Montenegro and which will be realized in the north. The projects, according to legal criteria, are evaluated and chosen by expert committee which members are referential experts and authors from the subject fields. The decision about the chosen projects is announced publicly by the end of the first quarter. Summing up the open competition in terms of the overall production of culture it represents a form of public financial aid for significant part of cultural projects in the north.
The measure does not refer to directly to the individuals or groups from Article 7 of Convention, but according to public call criteria, the contribution to the creative work of specific groups (the disabled persons, national minorities) or to the gender equality, is significantly valued.
Higher level of production in quantitative and qualitative sense, balanced territorial development of culture, a wide range of diverse cultural expressions and their adequate presentation, innovative projects, mobility of artists and ideas, professional development of artists, complementarity of certain cultural projects to touristic offerings of Montenegro and the needs of visitors and thus the economic contribution to the development of cultural and social life in the north, growing number of consumers of cultural content and audience development.
Finances for implementation of this measure of financial aid, are provided continually in state budget in a special program position. By program of development of culture in the north, by this public call in the period 2013-2016, the realization of 211 programs and projects for cultural and artistic creativity has been supported in total amount of about 640.000 euros.
The main conclusions are derived from the reports on realization which are submitted by realizers. The Ministry notes that almost all the projects on an annual basis are implemented, while expert commissions mark the realization quality level as well as the need for innovation and perseverance of continuity of certain projects before and after the next open competition.