Global Recession and the Arts Collide

By Li Novak
Belgrade, Dec.5th, 2009 (Serbia Today) - One of the strongest influences on current cultural events in 2009 was the influence of the global recession as a theme, and also as a force which drained money away from cultural activities and the arts in general.
Difficult times have always been the source of inspiration for the themes selected by artists, and masterpieces have often been created during wars and amidst poverty. But, in the modern world, the impact of scarcity seems to be having a different effect. Art, in some measure, depends on funding from somewhere, especially the visual arts. Also, the state funds for culture are the first to disappear in a time of crises.
The latest Bitef Festival, which normally presents progressive new theatrical tends, was held in September. Its theme was, ‘The Crisis of Capital’, and ‘The Art of Crisis’. It is only natural that Bitef would have such a current topic as the subject of its festival, as the theater is one form of artistic expression which reacts most quickly to social changes.
All plays offered a different interpretation of the economic situation. Many artists asked themselves the same question: will the crisis of capital also be a crisis of art?
Bitef selectors attempted to highlight productions that dealt with the subject directly or reflected it in the subject matter. Bitef was also affected by these complicated financial times and produced a much smaller festival.
The global recession also had influence on the funding of entertainment events. One example of this impact is that the city of Belgrade almost always organizes a New Year’s celebration. It is usually comprised of concerts with various performers, and concessions for food and drink. This year the celebration will be much more modest with a reduced number of performers.
Serbian Minister of Culture, Nebojsa Bradic, announced that “the effects of the global recession are present in culture. The lack of money is just the beginning. But, people in the arts are already used to disadvantageous circumstances and there are many strategies for survival. We are satisfied with passing the year’s budget, but we should find different sources of financing from international organizations to make up for missing funds. Even in conditions of economic crises, the best institutions and projects must be supported.”
The effects of the global recession can be seen in literature as well. The editor of publishing house Geopoetika, Jasna Novakov Sibinovic, told Serbia Today about the condition of her business, “the global recession is affecting book sales, but not the amount of readers. Sales are down in all sectors and naturally in ours, as well. In our type of business, it was obvious at the Belgrade Book Fair.”
Srdjan Stojanovic, director of Multimedia Concerts, is also feeling the effects of the recession in his sector - the music business. Stojanovic said, that “the entertainment industry is very sensitive to economic trends. When the consumer is under pressure, only the primary expenses are covered. Every serious producer had to revise the calculations and lower the expectations by at least 30% to 40% this year.”
According to some artists, the effects of the global recession could be positive. One example of this is that many art galleries are following buyers move away from the more expenses artists to lesser known more affordable artists that the collector personally enjoys. This will give formerly unknown artists with promise a chance to shine.