The First Young Artists Forum Held

One of the “Best Concerts” of this Year’s KotorArt

For the first time, the KotorArt International Festival organized the Young Artists Forum, which took place at the Creative Hub in Kotor on August 7.

Young artists, including pianists Andrija Jovović and Miljana Nikolić, soprano Petra Radulović, cellists Sari Shaqiri, Eden Sekulović, and Kosta Popović, violinists Jelena Jovović, Viktor Huter, Vukica Rašović, and Dušan Obrenović, as well as composer Marko Kovač, analyzed and contemplated the current state of art music in Montenegro, with a focus on the position of young artists. They also discussed and proposed measures that could contribute to its future improvement and development. Most of these young artists have been engaged in the multi-year KotorArt Talents series and now had the opportunity to exchange experiences from different European countries where they study, live, and in some cases, already work. They provided comparative examples and ideas that could impact the enhancement of Montenegro’s cultural life quality and topics related to the youth.

As part of the full-day program, the youth participated in two closed-door focus groups on the institutional and artistic aspects of the theme. Throughout the program, they were guided by moderators Marija Ružić Stojanović, the Director of the Capacity Building Program for NGO Institutions and Media, and Sara Mandić, a pianist and cultural and media manager.

“It is good that we had the opportunity to have this kind of conversation last night, in a format completely different from public performances. We talked about important topics such as mobility and networking for young artists, performance opportunities, funding for art music, talent support, audience building, as well as our diverse artistic experiences, needs, and the position of young artists in the 21st century, from which we will draw concrete conclusions. I would emphasize the need to establish communication between young people and state institutions responsible for culture and education. They should recognize our good intentions and show interest in these topics, participating in a dialogue with us,” highlighted Andrija Jovović, a pianist and political science student in Vienna, one of the participants of the Forum.

The youth answered questions and collectively pondered topics within the domains of art and education. They delved into subjects like music education in primary schools, methods of attracting and creating an audience, opportunities for young artists to perform, competitions, ways to engage the youngest in Montenegro with classical music, and many other crucial aspects of the theme. Additionally, in the realm of institutional aspects of the theme, the youth discussed inter-institutional collaboration, funding sources, as well as creating a database and systematizing the scene to compile and connect, thereby preserving Montenegro’s musical heritage.

Last night’s panel discussion by the youth will remain a wonderful memory for all attendees, as we had the opportunity to hear eloquent, educated, well-intentioned young artists who aspire to actively contribute to the betterment of the artistic scene in Montenegro. They shared their experiences and insights from their educational journeys and artistic paths, providing numerous ideas and concrete suggestions for improvement. This is the first Forum of Young Artists, conceived as a pilot project this year with the hope of finding its place in the festival and beyond. Last night’s discussion demonstrated that it will undoubtedly do so. – as emphasized by the Festival’s PR department.