On Local Matters this week, we explore the European capital of culture Novi Sad in Serbia.

In recent years, quite some places, cultural centres and creative districts in Novi Sad that had become a home for the alternative creative community were closed. Artists, youth, students, and craftsmen/women used to squat in abandoned factories or military buildings across town. Now, many buildings are renovated by the municipality and get a new purpose. At the same time, one new cultural centre in Novi Sad has opened. Five years ago, Stanislav Drča founded the “Lab” together with a friend after they had graduated the Novi Sad art academy.

The cultural centre is a former residential building in a suburb of Novi Sad. In the small garden, they plant tomatoes and other vegetables, in summer, concerts take place there occasionally. The house welcomes guests every night and offers a variety of concerts, exhibitions, performance arts and other events. For the artists, it shall be a place to experiment.

A music studio is in the basement, a small apartment for artists in residence in the upper floor, on the ground floor, Lab has a bar and a stage. In our interview, Stanislav explains the concept behind this cultural centre and, sitting in the conservatory behind the bar, we also talked about Stanislav’s role in the European capital of culture Novi Sad.