52 Weekends - December
Tapestry manufacture institution “Atelier 61”
“Atelier 61”, founded in 1961 as an Institution for tapestry manufacture, is a unique cultural institution in relation to all museological and gallery institutions in the Western Balkans and the only of a complex type in Serbia with its own production (workshop, gallery, museological collection). It is one of only five similar cultural institutions in Europe.
The founders of “Atelier 61” are a textile designer Etelka Tobolka and a famous Serbian painter, tapestry maker and mosaicist Boško Petrović, with the support of the City of Novi Sad, which declared “Atelier 61” a cultural institution of special social significance.
During the 60-year history of “Atelier 61” around 900 tapestries were woven in co-operation with over 300 artists. “Atelier 61” thus has a National Collection of Tapestries, which is considered one of the most extensive collections in this area.
Visitors to the Petrovaradin Fortress can visit the “Atelier 61” institution, attend the process of tapestries creating, look at a part of the National Collection of Tapestries of Serbia every working day from 9 am to 2 pm. Announcement of group visits is mandatory. (www.atelje61.org.rs)
Teodora Ž. Janković
Winter fantasy in Novi Sad
Novi Sad is a city that during the December and January holidays reminds of a snow globe that evokes the memory of the winter joys of childhood. Like the festively decorated Christmas tree, Baroque and Secession buildings, the streets and squares of the city become the glittering scenery of a magnificent winter stage where New Year’s programmes, concerts, exhibitions, various artistic or fair events take place. The central city square then becomes a meeting place where festive music is listened to as part of the Novi Sad Winter Fest, New Year’s gifts are bought, joy is shared with friends, and where a New Year is greeted and toasted to with a handful of best wishes and with Vojvodina delicacies and Fruška Gora wines.
It is here, at the Liberty Square, that the carousel of music programmes and New Year’s festivals, begins with the traditional New Year’s concert, organized on the occasion of the New Year’s Eve. It is also known after Christmas and New Year’s concerts that gather performers and audiences from all over the world and the region.
At that time, artistic and spiritual music, French chansons, choirs, jazz and sevdah sounds are heard in the Synagogue, Matica Srpska Gallery and other institutions and extraordinary spaces. Novi Sad becomes music that is sung in the squares, listened to at concerts and unconventionally interpreted with voice and body in many cafes, restaurants, chardas, sometimes as a daily or pre-New Year’s Eve party, and sometimes as a post-New Year’s Eve relaxation and farewell session with food and tamburica players where promises are made to meet again at the same place next year.
Gordana Stojaković
Winter fantasy in Dunavski (Danube) Park
Novi Sad’s December and January celebrations, in addition to the Liberty Square, Zmaj Jovina and Dunavska Street, have another magical space known as the Ice Forest. The most romantic park in Novi Sad, the Danube Park, gets a new spirit and becomes an unexpectedly lively and cheerful place during the New Year’s and Christmas festivities and celebrations that offer children, young people and everyone who feels like it an abundance of winter content.
In the Ice Forest, next to the covered skating rink, there are also park trails turned into a skating rink that winds between festively decorated, glittering park vegetation. On the glades there are small houses with gastronomic delicacies and the Winter Bazaar where you can buy handicrafts for every season, while the park gazebo and the central stage are places where programmes for children and youth change one after another. This is where Children’s New Year’s Eve, classical music concerts, performances, exhibitions, concerts and performances of well-known bands and DJs are organised along with, workshops for children, performances by children’s choirs, ballet groups, animators, skating and hockey clubs.
This big Snow City in the city centre is one of the liveliest places during the New Year holidays, which can often be reached from the city centre by carriage. The pompously decorated carriage, which is pulled in turn by cormorants, sorrels, bay horses, or occasionally some grayings passes through Zmaj Jovina Street under the glamorous lanterns and while the snow is falling and the jingles are ringing, it introduces its passengers to the land of wonders – the Ice Forest.
Gordana Stojaković
“Raspustilište” – to children with love
For many years now, free programmes for children have been organised during the winter holidays. It is the matter of the contents that encourage creativity, favour knowledge and affirm useful skills. By participating in these programmes, children directly socialize, have fun, work, actively participate in games, in a word, do everything that belongs to children’s natural activity.
In Novi Sad, there is Raspustilište of the Novi Sad Children’s Cultural Centre, which fosters interesting topics and skills such as, for example, a workshop on speed reading and wise learning, workshops on circus skills, clay, Lego cubes … The programme titled Ulice pričaju (Streets are Talking) is prepared for the Day of the City. You should check the programme of Novosadske dečje zimzarije, organized by the Children’s Cultural Centre, where there are usually a handful of programmes for children and youth in various parts of the city. Whichever programme you opt for, it will be the support for those who dedicate their love to children, but most of all, a sign of love with which you nurture your own child.
You can find more details at the following links: http://nsdkc.rs/raspustiliste/; https://www.dkcns.rs/novosadske-decije-zimzarije-aktuelno-10/
Gordana Stojaković
Day parties in expectation of the New Year
In recent years, day parties before the New Year’s Eve have been very popular in Novi Sad. Almost all those involved in hospitality industry in the city centre offer interesting programmes to newly arrived guests with the inevitable food and drink.
Novi Sad residents, on the other hand, have their own places to visit before they sit down for family, holiday meals in time. One of them is Riblja pijaca (Fish Market) with several interesting spots. For many locals who embark to a supply chase on weekends, the Fish Market is the Bermuda Triangle, in the taverns of which they get lost with a friendly coffee and drinks. Day parties are organized by other entrepreneurs involved in hospitality industry in the city centre, but also on its outskirts. Since the end of December, the city of Novi Sad has been living a unique party whose hotspots are bars with various gigs.
It can happen to you that at one of those day parties, you will find a company that will take you to other interesting places, so that the New Year’s Eve celebration will be an uninterrupted line of day and evening parties.
Gordana Stojaković