Projet MOSAIC

Introduction
MOSAIC project discussed in this dossier was given a title "Establishing and managing independent cultural centers". However, the endeavour and the tasks point to a process rather then to a single project. We aim at creation of solidarity and support coalition on both GO and NGO, bilateral and multilateral levels, to stand by side of those local, in most cases grassroots initiatives that struggle for opening spaces where creativity, entertainment, social action and last but not least political expressions could be expressed and meet. Our endeavour is therefore to encourage,inspire, facilitate and enhance partnership between local initiatives and public authorities, putting cultural, artistic and socio-cultural activities in a center of a creative process for broader social and political changes.

The MOSAIC process discussed here is based on the following pre-ceding
processes :

1. Experience of 12 years struggle for re-conversion of former military headquarters in Ljubljana at Metelkova street into an urban multicultural center. This process, originating from social and non-institutional cultural movements in Slovenia in late 80ies, present a complex and consistent record of active participation of socio-cultural sector in the context of transition.
   
   Experience and analysis of situation of MOSAIC partners in the region, both, propulsive representatives of local authorities and the carriers of local initiatives on non-governmental level. In this respect we witness rich record of good practices, positive developments as well as gaps, traps and obstacles.
   
   
2. Conviction that the Culture Counts, that Creativity in Arts, Science and other communication means with wider public, represent a most potent tool for social change. Such conviction was clearly articulated (amongstother) through Trans Europe Halles network process Phoenix (1998-2001: Work and Time, Culture arts and conflicts, In and out of Europe) and by European Forum of Cultural Networks process of debate on the issues of Cultures and Conflicts, Ethics in Cultural Coooperation and Culture and Globalisation (1998-2001)
   
   
3. Determination of the Council of Europe to promote Cultural Diversity & Cultural Rights and to support a wide debate on the questions of ethics, responsibility and global implications of culture particularly ~ however not solely ñ in terms of opening new approaches towards human rights, conflict prevention, trust building and in this respect foster cultural democratisation.
   
   
4. The Ministry of Culture within the Government of Slovenia has been proving commitment to two important program axis. First, to development and promotion of pluricultural urban cultural venue at Metelkova street and second to active involvement of Slovenia within the region.
   
   
5. Priorities of both, the Council of Europe and the European Commission to develop programs for social integration, development of local partnership, participatory democracy and regional co-operation. European Commission co- funded a development program for Metelkova Urban Cultural Center region in Partnership with Parc La Villette in Paris within the PHARE PARTNERSHIP program (2000-2001) on the issue of Urban Security and Prevention. This program provides terms of reference and a valuable resource of experience deriving from a communication of professionals from diverse fields: cultural operators, researchers, public authority personnel, social and health professionals, prevention oriented NGOs and security agencies (police, private agencies). This resource might be contributing to future development plans to deal with questions and pressing issues of urban security and public spaces in the region. There is no democracy without security and there is no security without social integration and active participation of diversities.

All above mentioned process contribute towards synergy resulting in asupport of pluri-cultural spaces that exercise clear policies of:

• enabling and promoting cultural diversities and accessibility of culture for all citizens
• social integration
• transversal and interdisciplinary approach towards the urban development
• active participation and citizenship.

Such public spaces represent a valuable resource for the development of genuine (basic) democracy, a most subtle and potent communication tool and as such an in-dispensable vehicle for co-operation, trust building and
peaceful coexistence.

The (hi)story of Metelkova cultural center and of many alike-spaces in Europe (to mention Bonlieus de líeurope and Trans Europe Halles mebers
only) prove that all major cities should develop sensitivity to this issue and dedicate sufficient attention to the development of such spaces.The dossier includes the documents witnessing the development of the process, beginning with the introductory workshop held in Ljubljana in September 2000. This workshop was held prior to European Forum of Cultural Networks general assembly on the issue of Ethics in cultural co-operation and two parallel workshops that were held in Ljubljana at the same time; 1.

The Trans Europe Halles forum on Cultures,
Arts and Conflicts and the Phare

Partnership workshop on Security and Prevention of open urban cultural spaces.
The second chapter includes the reports and the results from four partnership cases that the MOSAIC program has exercised during the year 2001 in Belgrade, Podgorica, Sarajevo and Zagreb.

The process during the 2001 follow-up program reflect a typical transitionalñprojects reality: in times of rapid changes the projects have to be flexible enough to adapt almost on-line to circumstances, local environment for the project and mid-term-achievements. The project found itself in a delay with project activities as planned in original time-table. The local expertise (situation analysis) for all four cases were not completed as until late fall; but we believe that the material compiled through Mosaic 2001 provides promising frame of reference. Being in delay with compilation of situation analysis the approach towards local authorities was weakened. Therefore more emphasis was given to bilateral and on-line consultation and the project had to abstain from organisation of large exchange visits except for the conclusive workshop in Ljubljana, following the decision that only well prepared exchange visits should beactually performed, which in other words mean that the resource material as well as the participation of public authorities should be guaranteed.

However, the project experts from Ljubljana did visit each partner except for Sarajevo once during the project time. Large workshops were held in
Belgrade, Serbia (november 2.-3rd). and in Podgorica, Montenegro between (21. And 23. November).

The four cases that we dealt with have but little in common; the developments with each case were specific. This is clearly reflected in the material as produced by four partners.

In Belgrade and Podgorica MOSAIC has established a firm partnership with the local initiative. While the initiative is clearly articulated, the dialogue with public authorities has begun recently. The participants at the conclusive MOSAIC workshops recommend that the follow-up should involve:

First phase (2002) the compilation of feasibility study, the development plan for concrete urban spaces as proposed by local initiatives (and involving clear determination of public authorities to guarantee the spaces). The development plan should follow the methodology of community architecture, placing the targeted area in an urban context in terms of accessibility for all, active participation of stack-holders during the planning phase, integrating diverse means and methods for active, broad and cost-effective employment schemes. Local architects and experts that already co-operated during the activities of current MOSAIC program, should be engaged and involved to undertake this tasks in co-operation with their colleagues in Ljubljana and in other partner Eruopean cities. Particular and special emphasis will be given to the issue of prevention, security and complex approach to development of urban territories involving public programs, being particularly aware, that the post-war trauma syndrom and post-crisis social problems including urban pathologies in relation to public spaces are far under-estimated phenomena in the region that has yet to be approached. Resources from the EU Phare partnership program between Metelkova/ Ljubljana and La Villette/ Paris will be invited to co-operate.

The co-operation of diverse agencies dealing with the issues of culture, urban development, security, labour, health and prevention on GO and NGO level will be contacted and invited to co-operate as early as in a planning phase.

This endeavour should be accompanied by extensive campaign to disseminate the program to wider public.

Second phase (2003) the compilation of a dossier for urbanistic and architectural planning; an international competition for architectural solutions by 2003 could be a final exercise of the urban planning involvement of all partners involved.

Step by step approach should be followed, involving the continuous animation of local stack holders in a form of un-formal project steering groups, open to a wide range of interested public.

For Belgrade, the Ministry of Culture, represent between existing organisations and initiatives themselves. The effect of this investigation was a joint proposal elaborated in Croatia, to support a new initiative for a new multi-use space in former military barracks in the island Vis; this initiative is named OTOKULTIVATOR as proposed by a network of independent venues in Croatia CLUBTURE. Croatian partners also propose
additional activities in the lines of this Mosaic program for 2002 on a national level in Croatia; a transfer of 2001 funds made available for a workshop in Croatia in first half of 2002 is proposed in order to match the
funds that will be guaranteed by the city of Zagreb. A concrete proposal was presented by both, the MOSAIC resources and the Zagreb public authority representative, mr. Dragutin Palaöek, to hold a national inter-municipal workshop in Zagreb early spring 2002, in order to present the local good practice in terms of improvement of relationship in Zagreb and in Ljubljana. Such workshop would also involve a larger scale presentation of Metelkova cultural center and additional European Trans Europe Halles
centers in Zagreb; in addition the OTOKULTIVATOR initiative will be presented and promoted. Good practices should also be shared and promoted on bilateral levels, between municipalities and governments involved.

Therefore, we suggest the representatives of public authorities to put the issue on agenda of their bilateral talks. The proposed workshop in Zagreb
should therefor involve the presence of the representatives of PA from those cities that will contribute the presentations.

For Sarajevo, the achievements are bellow most modest expectations. There was much communication trouble with the partner in Sarajevo; the results of cooperation will not be available but after the conclusive Ljubljana workshop. The situation analysis was not made available until the conclusive workshop and therefore the contacts with public authorities could not bear significant fruit as to this point. Besides, the partners in Sarajevo cancelled the participation at Ljubljana workshop last minute. We
are therfore not able to propose concrete follow-up on this case. The failure in this case will be further investigated and the additional report accompanied with the recommendations made available as soon as possible.

However all participants agreed that the direction of this Mosaic endeavour should continue and in this respect agreed to propose a step-by-step structuring of an entity that should continuously undertake the task in the region in future and therefore serve as a support for current and future potential initiatives in the region:

• maintain communication between resource persons and resource structures from the region concerned, facilitate the exchange between experts and maintain the pool of experts for the broad issues of urban development
• further develop the support coalition to assist and facilitate the development of PARTNERSHIP between public authorities and the urban cultural initiatives
• develop regional partnership through fostering concrete artistic exchange programs
• organise financial and political support for the concrete actions and implementations
• promote good practices and facilitate concrete exchange programs
• broaden the partnership on inter-disciplinary and transversal levels with existing networks in diverse fields (i.e. Interreg, involving urban planning professionals, UNESCO, social and urban development oriented organisationsÖ) in order to develop synergy and interdisciplinary approach to revitalisation and reconstruction of week, devastated or abandoned urban territories as well as of urban territories in difficult social conditions..

Such entity could ~ during first stage ~ operate informally, the co-ordination could be undertaken by one of the existing structures that could offer domicile to such initiatives, but in a medium term it could develop as a forum or foundation, independent or hosted by one of the existent structures in the region. Such entity would operate in close co-operation with existing European resources and networks in order to contribute to synergy of existing efforts. Trans Europe Halles and the vital node of Mains díOeuvre in Paris would continue to develop co-operation.

As for the budget, the 2001 activities were less-costly then planned due to the fact that we only funded and manifested justifiable activities. We propose the remaining budget would be shifted for activities in the period
between december 2001 and first-half of 2002 for:

• additional visit to public authorities and the partner in Belgrade and
  Sarajevo
• large and representative workshop in Croatia
• reviewing of additional initiatives in the region.

Metelkova cultural center provides a unique reality amongst others because of its many-fold nature: national cultural institutions meet well established Non governmental organisations in diverse fields (arts, peace, gender, environment, socialÖ), individual artists, improvised social clubs and squatters. On the top of that, the public authorities involved are
both, the municipality and the government due to the mixed ownership of the sit. Such reality call for cooperation cross-sectors, cross-generations and in terms of hierarchies between local-regional-national authority. On the other hand such co-existence open variety of possibilities for creative production and inter-action.

Exploring the effective ways for cooperation between public authorities and the socio-cultural operators remain a continuous task for Metelkova as well as for Mosaic partners. To a certain degree we could conclude that the process is yet at the beginning.

For Ljubljana, the Mosaic process plays important role because the public authorities are urged to self-evaluate their attitudes, policies and structures for co-operation in order to be able to interpret their experience to others.

We would certainly want to continue the work along the axis of this promising process and recommend the Council of Europe to follow thedevelopments and maintain the above activities on the agenda.

This report, including the proposals for follow-up 2002-2003 was adopted by all participants during the MOSAIC conclusive workshop in Ljubljana, november 24.-27. 2001.