Becoming Lumbardhi is the ongoing process of reviving Lumbardhi Cinema and its historic neighbourhood, through a gradual restoration, diverse community participation, bottom-up institution-building and interdisciplinary programs. By jointly creating a public space and a center for visual art, cinema, music, research and education, Lumbardhi inspires a sense of belonging, generates discussions and knowledge about the city, supports civil society and stimulates artistic and critical imagination.
Local
Kosovo
Prizren
Mainly urban
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
Yes
IPA : Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance
IPA 2020 program for the refurbishment of the cinema (works to begin in 2023)
Also IPA program for civil society development where we were in a four-year partnership in a project led by NGO Anibar from Peja.
No
Yes
As a representative of an organisation
Name of the organisation(s): Lumbardhi Foundation Type of organisation: Non-profit organisation First name of representative: Ares Last name of representative: Shporta Gender: Male Nationality: Kosovo Function: Director Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Kino Lumbardhi, Remzi Ademaj no 4 Town: Prizren Postal code: 20000 Country: Kosovo Direct Tel:+383 44 284 142 E-mail:info@lumbardhi.org Website:http://lumbardhi.org
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Yes
New European Bauhaus or European Commission websites
A symbol of the post-WWII era and modernity in Prizren, Lumbardhi Cinema had become the first heritage site designated with the citizens' demand for its importance to collective memory. This happened after 58 nonprofits and 8,000 citizens came together to save it from demolition and privatisation on two different occasions in 2007 and 2014, to be followed by Lumbardhi Foundation, following the seven demands of the civil society regarding the protection, revitalisation and reuse of the cinema.
A multi-layered and phased process included the emergency repair of the roof and cleaning of the space, as well as initiation of film and music programs took place, while the space was made available to organisations and individuals from marginalised groups and local artistic communities. A participatory planning took place, including neighbours, former workers, artists, people with disabilities, decision-makers, NGOs and other stakeholders, determining the spatial needs, management model, priorities and desires of future users and public, reflected in the Management Plan and Revitalisation project.
A space mostly unused for 15 years it merged with the building next door making two exhibition spaces, an urban garden and pocket forest for public gatherings, a cinema and a performance hall, hosting over 1,500 events and 140,000 visitors in a town of 120,000 inhabitants. Preserving modernist elements of the design and cinema experience itself, restoring film heritage and creating a digital archive, publishing multilingual books for children and public, comic books, artists books, as well as other publications, in addition to the knowledge for revitalising heritage sites and making a cultural institution, it generates new knowledge and imagination
for the city and connects it with itself, its surrounding regions and internationally.
Participatory governance
Collective memory
Bottom-up institution building
Interdisciplinarity
Sustainability
The initial goal was to create a sustainable and independent cultural center by saving and reviving Lumbardhi Cinema. Stopping the demolition and restoring the building was a key step towards physical and environmental sustainability, which was achieved through the process.
Changing the open-air cinema pavement through insertion of permeable concrete which naturally drains the rainwater and distributes it to the soil, was another step. Together with the planting of trees across the cinema's perimeter, it aims at creating a cooler microclimate. Another goal was to integrate the building next door and its garden, formerly used as a political party headquarters and an illegal cafe/tea garden. After an agreement with the city to turn the offices into (the first) a two-story public art gallery, the fences were removed and turned into a public seating area, the front garden was turned into an urban pocket forrest with a diverse set of plants and trees planted, while the back garden (former illegal cafe) became a new space for public events, socialising as well as lectures. A larger visioning of the integration between the two has been proposed (see amongst images), while its pending approval by the parties, while other stages have all been implemented. The full restoration of the building will have its insulation which reduces the energy loss, and making the building more sustainable.
The combination of expertise and community-engagement was the exemplary side of the initiative. The lead architectural designer and consultant had a LEED certificate and on-site experiences, introducing principles of sustainability into the masterplan, the designs and all stages of the process. The community participation and active programming gave public legitimacy to the goals and the advocacy secured the preservation and public use of the site, which was claimed and used by diverse and large groups of citizens, setting an example of long-term commitment to a common goal.
Ironically the cinema which was saved for its uniqueness and importance for collective memory, was demonised by some citizens and authorities alike due to its 'ugly look', all the more encouraging its demolition. The key objectives in this regard were to a) make the spaces usable and a space for positive experiences and b) to learn about its history and values to communicate them and preserve in the restoration. The cinema was saved from privatisation through positive engagement of citizens and organisations, thus the continued activation and use of the space became a symbol of citizens resistance, preservation of local memory and the idea of a culturally-active, liveable city. The design foresaw a minimum of intervention, just to make the use more convenient and responsive to multi-purposeness, while preserving the modernist identity and qualities of the original building, which were also identified in the heritage valorisation, evaluating the tangible and non-tangible values and qualities of the place and creating guidelines for their restoration in the process. The restoration, alongside the improving the structural and mechanical infrastructure, insulation and other practical aspects of the building is set to increase the quality of experience of history as well as events taking place in the site. Making more green and public space, as well as more purposes (like exhibitions and events for children) were made possible by expanding to the building next door and creating a new 'cultural island' which is still under development. Enmeshing the qualities of being in a neighbourhood, being a Yugoslav modernist cinema, being one with the old poplar trees and green areas, while experiencing the world today through contemporary programs, it already offers visitors a unique experience through time and space. Its design respects and maintains history, while also integrating in the urban context by responding to the demand for a 'brighter facade' and a maintained building.
Citizens saved the cinema against the exclusive policy-making practices of local and central authorities. As a bottom-up organisation, it created a dialogue and joint decision-making bodies which included civil society, municipality and the Ministry of Culture, responding with a joint-success to the chronic inability of coordination and collaboration between these actors. The management plan of the cinema and the design process were developed through an extensive space use, individual conversations and interviews, as well as focus groups, workshops and public discussions, which ensured the inclusion of all key stakeholders and key vulnerable groups. The plans thus included wheel-chair accessible spaces, free to-low-cost programming, free use of spaces for rehearsal, work or socialising, all of which were implemented until now.
The team of Lumbardhi itself comprised of individuals of various ethnic, gender, religious and geographic backgrounds, and diverse age-groups, thus creating a more intersectional understanding of the context, audience and relevant local problems. The board and management of the organisation have also been led by principles of good-governance, while the process itself has promoted and made into a standard the consultative and participative approach to cultural policy, heritage process and planning of cultural buildings revitalisation. In a culture of segregation of communities (i.e. making Turkish cultural center, Bosnian cultural center), Lumbardhi became a site for the Theater and performance groups of the Albanian, Turkish, Roma and Bosnians, gatherings of retired citizens, emergence of new media organisations and a rare safe space for the LGBT community in Prizren.
The initiative can be exemplary in the inclusion of many diverse groups at all stages of the development, planning and decision-making, creating a shared-space and a sense of ownership and belonging in its users.
Main stakeholders such as former workers, neighbourhood and artistic community have been part of the process from the early informal consultations. An initiative led by civil society, it has constantly kept in touch and informed the local community, while advocating on its behalf to the local and central institutions to solve ownership, repair the infrastructure and secure financial means to maintain and advance the space and organise programs.
Up until now they were users, renovation committee members, workshop participants, supporters and beneficiaries of the initiative. The impact of their involvement was in main decisions and revisions in the renovation project, in the development of programs, in having a space for their own events, in having less noise or other negative impacts in their homes, or in being more informed about a public process. As such, there was an educational layer to the experience which created a readiness and capacity to address and negotiate differences between local community stakeholders and cultural/heritage professionals in other processes like the Management Plan of the Historic Center of Prizren (40 ha territory including the cinema). It also created a model of CSO-run cultural spaces and heritage sites, which has multiplied in the past years and created a new range of public infrastructures, changing the experience and attitude of the public.
Lumbardhi Foundation built an alliance with many cultural organisations in Prizren, Kosovo, the region and beyond while leading the process of revitalisation. The local 58 nonprofits were the founding community, which supported the development of the organisation (i.e. DokuFest, EC Ma Ndryshe, Kosovo Civil Society Foundation) or partnered in the revitalisation process (CHwB Kosova). In partnership with CHwB Kosova we secured the Prince Claus Fund emergency intervention program support, as well as implemented a Heritage Lab of learning and practice throughout the garden renovation led by Aslihan Demirtas, the lead architect of Khora Office.
Partnerships with institutions like Kadist (FR), Kunstverein Hamburg (DE), Kunsthalle Lissabon and Hangar (PT) and Netwerk (BE) strengthened the european cooperation capacity of Lumbardhi and created artistic exchanges and new networking opportunities. The knowledge sharing with Platforma Kooperativa (regional network of culture), Network of Independent Scene of Serbia and KC Magazin, Pogon in Zagreb and Jadro in Skopje, helped to shape the model for the management and development of the site, as well as advocacy for cultural policies, due to the similar systems and problems. The initiative was presented internationally in Vienna, Prague, Paris, Istanbul, Belgrade and Rijeka, amongst others, in academic and cultural institutions, through lectures and presentations. The knowledge exchange with curators and artists from these places and other contexts have shaped the programming, development and outreach of the initiative.
Formal stakeholders like the city of Prizren, Ministry of Culture, key cultural organisations and other stakeholders were involved in the drafting of the renvoation project and the management plan through participation in the Revitalisation Committee, or taking part in workshops and sessions. The European Union was a key supporter and stakeholder with the principle renovation support pledged since 2017.
Being a multi-faceted 'problem' and process, Lumbardhi required the coming together of young professionals and experienced actors from various disciplines to gather the knowledge, capacity and energy to run each of its stages. While the visioning of the institution was being led by young cultural policy & management professional, an art historian, a psychologist, a film critic, an architect and a designer were shaping its main features. The process required sociologists and historians work on the archives and history of the cinema, for the designers and architects to create new interpretations or preserve the old. Conservation specialists were evaluating the site and its features, while heritage managers were developing the Management Plan. Music, art and film curators where putting together programs and reaching out to various artistic communities as well as audiences. These people came together in many meetings, informal gatherings, discussions and formal workshops. Taking place across years, they created a pool of collective knowledge and experience, as well as a truly contemporary and interdisciplinary institution at the Lumbardhi Foundation, which brought the architectural process, with programming and visioning a future institution that is fully integrated and consistent with its proclaimed identity.
Citizens stopping a privatisation and demolition and nominating the site for heritage protection was a first in the brief history of Kosovo. Having a designated non-profit take shape to revitalise, activate and manage a heritage site was also an innovation, in particular with its participatory approach which included both community and all stakeholders from the bottom-up. It responded to the lack of a state policy for cinemas, the lack of local cultural policies, the lack of knowledge about handing/planning/management of cultural centers, as well as lack of dedicated support structures for independent cultural spaces. Combining cultural heritage with contemporary cultural expressions, phasing the process to both serve the short-term need for 'space' and 'activity' while also envisaging a long-term plan which includes a capital fundraising and project development. The process kept a balance under constant change of governments and lack of resources, between the short-term needs and long-term goals, demonstrating good governance, learning by doing (in absence of prior experiences) and persisting over the same goals for long enough, to earn also the patience and support of the public.
Doing the process slowly and having time to consider various historical, social, functional and policy aspects, it was shaped with the intention of a 'model process', being responsible in circumstances of creating precedents and being in pioneering role within a new state. Also combining self-funding, crowdfunding, a solidarity network and non-project-driven mentality, allowed a looser space and parameters in the process, making conditions for experimentation, building and re-building the institution (also in part due to the prolonged delay of the EU and the Ministry in starting with the revitalisation).
Building a multi-purpose space in a small community is not only about 'designing' the right center and having a 'good management'. It also relies on a sense of ownership and commitment/belonging to the project, a space for inclusion and feedback as well as diverse programming, which all ensure participation and its long-term success. Beyond the wide and diverse participation, a key aspect is 'critical participation', which are more often informal feedback mechanisms and opportunities, to get the opinion of those who are not lost inside the project, but rather see it from outside. Seeking such well-meaning criticism is key to constant improvement and touch with reality. The participatory approach to the Management Plan and the Renovation can be applied in any other similar context, with the right identification of the stakeholders and the correct approach (timing, form of communication) and dynamic process (reporting, feedbacks, discussions, conclusion), which give legitimacy and multi-perspectiveness to the project/process. Responding to the needs of communities and sharing space is also an important aspect of building a sense of trust and solidarity. Having clear short-term goals or 'rewards' within a long-term process is also key for all stakeholders to have the stamina and belief in the success. Especially combining artistic programming with the discussion, informal gatherings with formal meetings and having an integrated and consistent process is key and imperative to a successful end-result. This process is currently being put together and shall become a booklet that will be distributed for free and serve as a tool or reference for similar cases in the region and underdeveloped cultural centers.
The methodology / approach of the initiative entailed being ready to stand behind the founding goals (making Lumbardhi Cinema a public property, completing emergency restoration, securing full restoration, establishing management unit, making a multi-purpose space, etc.) for a long time. From the beginning, it was clear that this would be a long-process, so we broke it down into various phases, to make it more impactful and responsive to the context.
In the first stage our goals were to immediately make the space usable and show its variety of uses (exhibition, concerts, screenings, theater, education) and creating a perception of a new public space. While gathering the initial impressions and needs of the community, we formulated a long-term vision and disseminated it through a public campaign and outreach to main donors and stakeholders. In the meantime, we identified the short-term needs and addressed them by restoring the roof of the cinema and making its indoor hall usable after a long time. This showed the potential of the space and the need for its revitalisation. Together with the Management Plan and the Revitalisation Plan (initially architectural visioning), it served as a strong enough reason to secure the capital funding for the renovation. The capital funding was a drive to generate the institutional funding, while programs continued to serve as a 'rehearsal' for the space in full-capacity after the renovation. During this time, we built alliances locally and nationally, to join forces with other spaces, to secure long-term and stable funding and new mechanisms for reusing public cultural sites, eventually securing a 'Reform in Culture and Arts" which started in 2022. Shifting between the individual and systemic, the short term with long-term, the professional and the amateur, the process was one of learning and exchange across problems, disciplines, cities and continents.
Within the local means and scales, Lumbardhi responded to a number of global challenges and professional discussions in regard with what is the mission of cultural and heritage institutions, as well as citizens spaces. In a city of multiple languages and ethnic groups, Lumbardhi promoted diversity and multi-linguality. community inclusion and free speech, while offering a space of gathering, performing and organising. Lumbardhi became a first recognized safe space for the LGBTQI community in Prizren, while presenting a number of queer artists and performers as part of the public program. As opposed to the rising nationalism and tensions in the region, Lumbardhi actively collaborated with peers in Serbia, Croatia, Turkey, Northern Macedonia and other neighbours, to create alliances of civil society, critical memory culture and reconciliation. Promoting participative and inclusive models of governance and policy-making, the organisation applied and introduced EU-based values and approaches to build a democratic culture. Through its resilient approach, it stood against endemic migration, practicing and promoting the possibility of making our cities and environments more liveable. Through protection of Yugoslav modernist heritage, we stood against the associated historical revisionisms and ethno-nationalisms, and used the context of a contested heritage to challenge the microcosmos of global inequalities and colonial legacies, while building alternative local narratives and realities.
Moreover, the systemic/long-termist thinking applied in the case of Lumbardhi, is required to be applied at a greater scale in the face of climate change and the chain of changes it requires in our attitudes and behavior, policy system and legislation, as well as development models. So Lumbardhi could be taken for a small case of a sustainable alternative to the usual trend of top-down destruction and rebuilding who asks nobody for their opinion.
In 8 years of engagement, Lumbardhi Cinema has been saved from demolition and made usable, becoming a site for over 200 different users from all communities of Prizren and showing it is possible for a community to save and make reusable a public site for common use. It created a sense of belonging to hundreds of individuals who were closely associated with the cinema and took part in the process, while a new 'cultural island' emerged in a previously closed and fenced up space, and a poor cultural life across the year. This also created a strong precedent that affected the positive developments with old cinemas and cultural spaces in Prishtina, Peja and Mitrovica in the last few years, such as KIno Armata, Kino Jusuf Gervalla, etc. After 140,000 visitors and 1,500 events, the cinema is to start its full restoration in Q3 2023, which is the largest renovation since its founding, securing a long-term future for the cinema through the IPA-supported action. The work done in the digitisation of the local community archives will make its way to an online archive, three publications and a traveling program of films and music for the renovation period. Coordinating the renovation process between the contractors and the University of Prishtina, this stage too will be turned into a learning process before the cinema reopens in 2025 in its full capacity. Lumbardhi will focus its activities in research and training, knowledge sharing and activating other spaces in the transition period, while reaching out to the participants to evaluate and complete the documentation of Phase I of the initiative. The rest of it will focus on preparing the programs and commissions for the reopening and presenting the process in a book that will offer a breakdown of all the stages of the initiative and the institution-building.
While Lumbardhi hasn't developed specific programs according to the European competence framework on sustainability, it has contributed to developing a strategic yet flexible mindset which is resilient towards changes and challenges and responds to long-term goals. The staff, board and main collaborators of Lumbardhi have been trained on climate change issues and possible ways in which Lumbardhi can inform its future strategies. Notions like systems thinking, collective action, exploratory thinking or problem framing have been known to the leading team of Lumbardhi and guiding its new mission following the changes and effects of the pandemic. While building a bottom-up approach and an entrepreneurial attitude that is responsive and agile, Lumbardhi has been developing the necessary survival skills needed for the critical understanding of climate change, sustainability and needs for the future.
