MAPS 5 – Art Institutions in Albania: Three Perspectives
By Mikaela Minga · 2024
An extensive research article exploring art institutions across Albania through three lenses: an urban ethnographic journey through cultural centres in Korçë, Elbasan, Durrës, Vlorë, Kukës, Fier, Shkodër, and Tirana; an analysis of the “vibrant times” of festival culture; and a reflection on the need for transformative power in Albanian art institutions.
1. An Urban Ethnographic Journey
Artistic institutions are an integral part of any society. In Albania, their development was shaped through a centralized state cultural program that bore a totalitarian character. Today, Albania has inherited an extensive network of artistic institutions which have undergone various reforms and transformations. The article surveys institutions across seven cities, documenting conditions, staffing, infrastructure, and the tension between buildings as spaces and as institutions.
2. Vibrant Times
The article argues that while the scene can be called “vibrant” with festivals and events, an artistic institution should not be viewed merely as an organizer but as a process, a dynamic organism. The extreme festivalization shows why it is difficult for institutions to establish sustainable activities not influenced by political agendas.
3. The Need for Transformative Power
Drawing on Laurent Fleury’s concept, the article calls for refocusing on institutions and dismantling the centralized, politically-oriented status of institutional directors. It argues for artistic boards as mediators between artistic needs and external forces.
Full text with footnotes available in the PDF download.
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