GRAD, the European center for culture and debate has emerged on the initiative of the Cultural Front Belgrade and Felix Meritis Foundation in Amsterdam. Thanks to support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands through the MATRA program and Belgrade community Savski Venac for the first time with us one of the industrial facility becomes a cultural place.

The old warehouse was built in 1884. Re-designed multifunctional space with possibilities to organize programs such as exhibitions, concerts, debates, performances, conferences and workshops. The idea was that it was possible to keep the atmosphere of the old warehouse on the bank of the river Sava by introducing one new place which is necessary for the functioning of one cultural center in Belgrade.

As new cultural center in Belgrade, we would like to work on the constant promotion of design in the local environment in order to have a chance to become one of the leading art scenes in the region. Our international art council has chosen 12 projects that will be presented in following year. Members of Council are successful artists: Imelda Ramovic (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Davor Bruketa (Croatia), Nebojsa Cvetkovic (Serbia), Igor Orsolic (Serbia), Richard Lindkvist (Sweden), Martin Kolar (Slovakia) and Ljudmila Stratimirovis (Serbia). Center has two gallery spaces, sizes:150 square meters and 30 square meters.

Exhibition season begins in February with two exhibitions.

The first exhibition will present artist Bojana Rajicic who graduated from the Artistic Philological Faculty in Kragujevac in 2008. The idea of her project is based on the design and rationalization of the unique place that has a function for the revival of illustration, where illustrations have their own “life” in the world of ideas. The exhibition opens on 5th of February and will last until 11th of February.

Second exhibition will be by the designer duo “Od Do arhitekti”. The founders of this architecture – design studio are Natalija Ilincic and Jugoslava Kljakic. In their work they are dealing with architecture, furniture design, interior design and light design. Their innovative approach and a fun design solutions meet the needs of modern life. Exhibition opens on 17th of February and will last until 24th of February.

During the 2009, Cultural Front organized a public competition on which interested artists had the opportunity to submit their project proposals. Seventy-six candidates applied. After a comprehensive evaluation, the council choose twelve projects. These artists, who’s work focus primarily on applied art and design, will have the opportunity to present their projects to wider Belgrade audience.

Using positive experiences and following good examples, we think it is possible to raise the quality of the local design art scene.

Welcome to GRAD!
Brace Krsmanovic 4
Belgrade
Serbia

www.culturalfront.net / www.gradbeograd.eu