HOUSE OF CULTURE

 

During the last century a number of monumental buildings have been constructed in Bitola, which widened the spatial standard of non-commercial activities. This was the case with culture as well. In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the first session of ASNOM, the Parliament of that time Socialist Republic of Macedonia, in order to stimulate further the cultural life of “working people and citizens”, in 1969, made a decision to build such memorial houses in bigger cities in Macedonia. Among the first ones, in 1980, the House of Culture in Bitola started functioning. It is a monumental construction with about 10.000 square meters of working area. The National theatre is housed within the complex. Thus, two big cultural institutions were put under the same roof. According to the project, the House of Culture occupies 5841 square meters, that is 58%, whereas the National Theatre-4122 square meters or 42%.

The overall space of the House of Culture is used for different purposes: restaurant, candy shop, flower shop, disco club, book shop, warehouse etc. Most of the space is used for cultural needs: big hall with 840 seats, small hall for chamber and other gathering with 112 seats; exhibition premises with 219 square meters; music salon with 130 square meters; two foyers for special exhibitions; five small special salons for cultural and other needs. This imposing building represents a modern construction equipped with the latest film, audio-visual light technical devices. It belongs to one of the rare cultural institutions in our country with high technical and spatial standard and immense cadre potential.

Even though the House of Culture is a relatively young institution, it functions as an irreplaceable place for Bitola’s cultural presentation. This Center where, among the traditional, new cultural values are created, houses other cultural programs of different institutions, as a qualitatively new expression of synthetic cultural presentation. In certain cultural segments, the House of Culture appears to be a unique cultural place, especially in the public spiritual life, enabling the citizens to be very close to topmost art achievements of cultural institutions in the country and abroad. At the same time, it is a place where authentic cultural works are produced, relevant for Bitola area and a possibility of their meritorious presentation outside Macedonia. The so far activity of this cultural institution has shown that it gives a significant contribution in enriching creation source on a wider basic, affirming the city as one of the most renown cultural centers in the country. It is as environment of presentation of numerous cultural-artistic productive and reproductive dignities of even more numerous music creators, painters, sculptors, theatre and film actors, directors, folklorists etc.

The list of cultural manifestations and basic activities that are held or are active in this environment, throughout the year, is very long. Thus, Bitola has always been a place of admirers of the newest, the seventh art-film. So, when it comes to festival manifestations we start with the International Festival of Film Camera “Manaki Brothers”. It is followed by: Children music festival “Si-Do”; International Festival of Classical Music “Interfest”; Poet Festival “Days of Children Poems Vanco Nikolevski”; National manifestation “Days of Goce Delchev” in Bitola, as well as other cultural-artistic manifestations; shows, gatherings, competitions etc. It is a place where festivals of folk and pop music are held: “Serenada-fest” and “Senator-fest” which resulted with a lot of songs which are sung successfully even today.

Music has always assumed one of the most prominent places in the annual program scheme of the House of Culture. Although none of the music genres has a prior determined larger space, classical music has always aroused greater interest and curiosity among the people from Bitola. In this context we would like to mention the Opera and Ballet of Macedonian National Theatre, Macedonian Philharmonic Orchestra, concerts of Bitola Chamber Orchestra, Annual  concerts of the Music School, participation of prominent national and foreign music reproductive artists, and ensembles from “Ohrid Summer Festival”, “Skopje Summer Festival”, solicits concert of young talented musicians, concerts of folk, pop, jazz music. Practically, the majority of music festival is held in the House of Culture. Painting has always had its admirers in the city under Pelister. Painters, sculptors, carvers, graphic designers and other representatives of these art disciplines, have always been appreciated. Actually this does not need elaboration. Throwing a glance at the interior of profane and votive cultural monuments in this region will be enough to see how much taste, knowledge and developed sense for beauty was involved in creating of this art. In the Art Salon and the few other premises of the House of Culture, works of a number of painters from Bitola national, and foreign also, have been exhibited. Some of the art manifestations held there have a traditional character: May exhibition of the participants of “Small Bitola Monmartre”; Annual exhibition of children drawings connected with folklore; Individual exhibitions of the DLUM members, as well as art presentations of prominent names from other countries.

Theatre and film art on the stage, that is the screen, has always been present. Especially numerous are the art supporters of the goddess Talia. They are mainly young people, both in the audience or performers. This audience, having a high sense of good choice, does not restrain itself to applaud at the creative work of people at the same age. Usually, they are undoubtedly creative potentials, who are about to come to Macedonian theatre. With their agility and ambitions, young, rich inner artistic impulse, they sometimes bring another perspective, a fresh breeze, into the traditional stage program and actor play, regardless to whether they “play” classical or contemporary texts.

As far as the film is concerned, the conditions for showing films are impeccable. The big hall and its technical equipment, provide conditions for showing the greatest film spectacles offered by the contemporary domestic and foreign film industry. It is not a coincidence that the most famous Macedonian film manifestation of international character-International Festival of Film Camera “Manaki Brothers” is held here. In presence of world famous names of the seventh art, people from Bitola have an opportunity to see the greatest film achievements for the nineteenth time. It is a special privilege that Bitola is a place where the best annual achievements of Macedonian film production are promoted. During the last years they were: “Before the rain” by Milcho Manchevski, “Angels at waste” by Dimitrie Osmanli, “Gypsy Magic” by Stole Popov and others. Despite the regular, other film manifestations are held here mostly organized with “Vardar-film”, Cinemateque of Macedonia, City Cinemas of Bitola, film presenters etc. Thus, the House of Culture as an important cultural center in the city provides the film art a significant place.

A very important place in the activity of this organization is entitled to the literary work. Over thirty new titles are promoted here every year. It hosts various literary manifestations, literary nights, poet gatherings, promotions of books by domestic and foreign authors, performances of members of the literary club “Stale Popov”, preparation and organization of literary contests for children and teenagers, or rhetoric gatherings, scientific sessions and round tables connected to the history of Macedonian and literatures of other people. Numerous recognized Macedonian writers made their first steps through these forms of work of the House of Culture. Practically, they successfully continued the nice tradition of the older circle of Bitola writers, who even in the 60s and 70s of this century established the beginnings of Bitola literary thought (Dusko Konstantinov, Filip Kavaev, Svetozar Tasevski, Dimitar Dimitrovski-Takec, Katerina Ilieva-Nikolvska, Bogoja Tanevski, Petar Bojagiev, Tode Georevski, Dimce Domazetovski, Branko Vrckovski etc.), as a continuity of the literary past of the city.

During the last two decades, that is the active period of this cultural institution, plenty of other program activities have been realized. Many of them are popular even today. Among them the Debate of social thought and practice should be mentioned. It comprised questions and issues from the field of culture, literature, music, philosophy, religion, politics, ecology etc. Here, these ideas have been discussed by eminent theoreticians, scientists, professors, affirmed experts in these fields from the country and the world.

Having in mind the mass attendance and interest by the people from Bitola, accent should be put on at least a few more cultural programmes that fulfill the stage and other spaces in the House of Culture throughout the year. This plentitude of forms and cultural activities makes it in many ways different from the others, but a significant cultural institution in Bitola. Except presentation of cultural content, there are certain basic activities included here. A lot of ensembles, groups, individuals, artists work here, namely: a few theatrical, ballet and musical groups, literary club, folklore ensemble in addition to all that we have already mentioned. So, this is a place where valuable art works are created. The number of a quarter of a million people that pass through the House of Culture annually either as visitors or as direct animators of cultural values, mostly young people, determines the meaning and the place of this institution in the Bitola cultural living.