Syndicate: what happened with Cinema Rex (Belgrade)

[katarina zivanovic <shile@infosky.net>]

SHORTER:
Cinema REX = B92 cultural center has been working since summer 1994 in
Jevrejska street number 16 in Belgrade as an independent,
non-governmental, nonprofit organization. On April 2, 1999, a new
management, headed by the self-appointed manager Aleksandar Nikacevic,
took over B92 (radio station with the adjacent TV and video production,
publishing and an Internet department), with no legal grounds to do so.
As a B92 family member, Cinema REX has since then left its original
premises at Jevrejska 16 and refrained from using the name of CINEMA REX
in its public actions and appearance, while continuing to promote
BELGRADE URBAN CULTURE by all means available.

LONGER ONE:
Cinema REX - the B92 cultural centre - has acted as the House for urban
culture, contemporary art and civic initiatives, serving also as a lab
for a research into new realms of artistic and broader cultural scene.

Cinema REX has been situated in Jevrejska 16, the Dorcol borough, in the
1927 building of sometime Jewish philanthropic organizations "Oneg
Sabat" and "Gemilut Hasadim". After World War II, the building was
nationalized and used for various purposes. At the beginning of 90s, it
acquired the name REX during the shooting of an urban movie. In the
summer of 1994, Radio B92 rented a part of the building, kept the name
inscribed on the facade and began turning the space into what will
eventually become a new cultural centre. From that moment onwards, REX
grew into the most dynamic cultural centre with most intensely packed
program in Yugoslavia. During 1998 more than 300 different programs have
been run there (we had less than 25 days free), with some 20 different
programs organized in bigger towns of Serbia. Generally, the working
hours have been from 9:00 till 23:00 every day. During such a working
week, the main hall has been left unoccupied for merely 2 to 4 hours at
the most.

Arguing that Belgrade needs many places where artistic potential could
be unleashed, Cinema REX has been providing conditions for the 
realization of the new and the presentation of the existing home
production works in theatre, fine arts, music, film, video and new
media; likewise, it has organized promotions and discussions. Actively
involved in the current social and political developments, REX has been
offering possibilities there where official institutions stop short of
providing it or could not afford to. Being aware of an urgent need to
combat cultural elitism, we have developed the network of intensive
collaboration with colleagues throughout Yugoslavia: from Kraljevo,
Kragujevac, Subotica, Uzice, Cacak, Nis, Pristina, Budva, Vrsac, Novi
Sad. We have realized projects with colleagues from ex-YU as well: those
from Ljubljana, Maribor, Zagreb, Labin, Skoplje, Prilep, Sarajevo and
Mostar.

Positioned as the European House of Art and Culture, Cinema REX took
part in the initiation and realization of international projects, it
cooperated with and was involved in the exchange programs with kindred
cultural centres from abroad; it has presented the most representative
artists and artistic troupes within certain fields. 

Cinema REX has been intensively engaged in various networking
activities: it was a part of the TEH network of independent European
cultural centres and one of the founders of the European Cultural
Backbone.

REX has advanced and nourished the vital spirit of action and enabled
artistic expression to cross the barrier dividing the existing and the
new.

Cinema REX = B92 cultural center has been working as an independent,
non-governmental, nonprofit organization. On April 2, 1999, a new
management, headed by the self-appointed manager Aleksandar Nikacevic,
took over B92 (radio station with the adjacent TV and video production,
publishing and an Internet department), with no legal grounds to do so.
As a B92 family member, Cinema REX has since then left its original
premises at Jevrejska 16 and refrained from using the name of CINEMA REX
in its public actions and appearance, while continuing to promote
BELGRADE URBAN CULTURE by all means available.
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