Our history

The Institute for Cultural Development Research is a unique institution of culture in Serbia, created out of the need for statistical data, sociological researches, guidelines, and expert knowledge to help write down moments in culture, for creating a better and more visionary time in the future. Founded with the noble task of creating an intellectual environment where culture represents the starting point for building and developing all social and humanistic sciences, as well as the whole society since its very beginning the Center was conceived as an institution of thorough activity in culture. This was the visionary belief that led to its founding in April 1967.

Miloš Nemanjić, sociologist of culture and director of the Institute for Cultural Development Research (1984-1991)

The Institute for Cultural Development Research was founded out of the need to approach cultural policy in a planned fashion, based on expert research in culture. Since its first day, the role of the Institute has been the exploration of changes in society and finding ways and forms to apply contemporary work methods and improve cultural activities, which is why it is can be regarded as interdisciplinary.

The need for an interdisciplinary approach also stems from the various forms of manifestations of culture: rural culture, urban culture, the culture of workers, children and youth, the culture of the elderly, encouragement of artistic creation, amateurism in culture, organization of activities of cultural institution, cultural pluralism and identity. Also, the Institute’s researchers and associates were involved in the creation of developmental plans at the local and state level.

The “Kultura” magazine further enabled the participation of a great number of cultural researchers from the country and abroad in debates significant for cultural development.

In this way, during the first 50 years of its existence, the Institute for Cultural Development Research continuously contributed to national culture by conducting scientific, developmental, applied and action researches, by creating studies and analyses related to the theory and sociology of culture and cultural policy, by gathering information and documents on culture, art, and the media, connecting culture with other sectors, as well as establishing cooperation with the civil sector and encouraging an even cultural development by starting initiatives for defining developmental plans in culture.

The importance of the Institute for our country was emphasized by the famous architect Predrag Ristić with his building project in Rige od Fere Street, with an emphasis on continuity. While reconstructing the residential building from the beginning of the 1920s, he attempted to merge the material with the spirit of the institution. Inspired by medieval monastery architecture, Ristić came up with a project for the reconstruction of the Inatitute in his own, recognizable style. Small offices were conceived as research “cells”, suitable for individual work, while the Gallery space was conceived as an “assembly” room, where public events and work meetings would be held.

Besides the building and emblem—the image of a griffon taken from Serbian medieval art—the trademark of the Institute is the grapevine, beneath which generations of researchers found their peace and inspiration.