Darko Polić

President of the Working Group for Capital infrastructure projects in the framework of the realization of the project ‘Novi Sad 2021 - European Capital of Culture’

The city of Novi Sad was elected to the European Capital of Culture in 2021, based on bid - book with a list of carefully selected projects for the development of cultural infrastructure. All the objects and proposed spaces cover one of the themes that are relevant to contemporary urban urban development, promoted by the European Commission as successful examples of cultural transformation.
The selected projects are based on promotion of creative industries, participation of
institutions, formal and informal associations of citizens and creative individuals, as well as promotion of good urban design. In this sense, the projects support activities in the field of development of creative and educational potentials (renovation of the Chinese district as a city creative district and Youth Creative Polisa and the construction of the Music and Ballet School with a concert hall), promotion of culture and contemporary civil creativity and activism (Cultural Center project) and arranging public spaces and communications (a pedestrian-biking bridge over the Danube and 46 urban pockets in each of the city's local communities).

The projects were carefully selected on the basis of previous research, but also on the basis of medium-term plans for the development of Novi Sad. In addition to the selected projects, it is necessary to start other, which will raise the quality of public spaces in all parts of the city, with special emphasis on reconstruction of architectural heritage and public green areas. In line with this strategy, but also the guidelines from the approved bid-noise, special efforts must be made to improve the existing tourist capacities of the city.

In this sense, besides increasing the number of bearings (different structures), all these projects are also directed towards improving the image of the city, ie its branding as a preferred tourist destination. For all these projects it is necessary to launch all available capacities in order to compensate for the previously missed opportunities for Novi Sad to become the prototype of the culture of the whole of Europe in 2021, ie present its traditional and contemporary cultural creativity
and preserved cultural heritage.

Key words: European capital of culture, cultural infrastructure, creative industries, civil participation, Novi Sad.

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