Debate in Split: Independent Culture and Youth Centre

19 December 2005

Last Thursday, December 15, the Coalition of Youth Association (KUM) organized a debate �Independent Culture and the Youth Centre�, aiming to discuss the current status of independent culture in Split, the problem with space and the use of space resources of the Youth Centre.

Emina Visnic (Clubture), Dinko Peracic and Miranda Veljacic (Platforma 9,81, Maja Munivrana, City commissioner for Culture, and representatives of the independent youth culture scene from Split � users of the facilities of the Split Youth Centre.

Youth Centre - Split

The Youth Centre in Split was built in 1979, during the Mediterranean Games held that year. At first, it was envisioned as Centre of the Socialist Youth, a multi-purpose cultural complex with office space and facilities for public cultural manifestations. However, soon after the initial works were completed in 1979, the construction was interrupted and the building, with the exception of a smaller part that was open for use, became a huge financial, political and security problem for the city over the next 20 years.

After a six-month media campaign in 2001, the City Council allowed the members of KUM to move into the cellar of the Centre. The coalition of six organizations then finished the facilities on its own and opened the KOCKA club, intended for concerts, performance arts, workshops and other similar events. Later, the facilities got a skate-park, and in addition to KUM, several other youth initiatives moved in, including HRAM � Youth Cultural Alternative, and Cinematic Club Split.

As a result, the decrepit and unfinished Youth Centre slowly started to fulfil its originally intended function � it became a Centre for Independent Culture and Youth.

In 2005, the city administration decided to allocate the funds for complete refurbishing of the Centre, and the management was given to the Multimedia Cultural Centre (MKC), a public cultural institution. A total of nine million Kuna will be invested in whole project, three million Kuna in the first year of implementation.

First of all, the work has to be finished on the elimination of all problems and security issues, repair the roofing structure and emergency exits. Another two million Kuna will be invested in the reconstruction of the amphitheatre. The works continue as planned in the proposal provided by Platform 9.81. The task of the MKC is to produce contents in this space, but also to cooperate with the independent cultural and youth initiatives as producers and users of the resources.

In order the secure quality production, MKC established a Programming Council which, among other tasks, should prepare a model for spatial utilisation of the Centre. Therefore, it is necessary to explore all the capacities of the facility and determine the ways in which programmes could overlap. It is also necessary to recognize all potential users and establish modes of cooperation that will provide opportunities for the associations to implement their programmes. Nonetheless, there is the key issue of securing the institutional instrument that will provide for continuous operation and production of programmes in cases of political changes or if MKC gets a new director.

According to KUM representatives, the greatest problems is their unclear status in the facility. The contract they signed with the City is now invalid, and the new agreement with MKC has not been signed yet. Still, according to Maja Munivrana, KUM will remain in the Centre and the signing of the agreement with the MKC is only a matter of time.

The debate also discussed the cultural councils. There are four Councils in Split, and the Council of Youth and Urban Culture was not one of them. The inexistence of such a Council slows down the development of the independent cultural scene and the emergence of new initiatives. In addition, having in mind that each individual council should work on the creation of development strategy for the corresponding field, Split lacks a well-contemplated development strategy in the area of urban culture.

Therefore, it is necessary to bring up the issue of establishment of Urban Culture and Youth Council. According to the Cultural Commissioner, the City Council is open for initiatives regarding the establishment of such a council. One thing is clear � such an initiative should come from the ranks of independent cultural organizations that should accept a more active role in presentation and advocating their own interests.