Exit leads winning Novi Sad city of culture bid

Exit Festival hometown Novi Sad has won its bid, led by the festival’s Exit Foundation, to be European Capital of Culture in 2021.

Novi Sad (pictured) – the second-largest city in Serbia, and the first Capital of Culture in a country yet to join the European Union – has been home to Exit since 2000. Its winning bid was based around the concept of ‘four new bridges’: ‘Freedom’ (the creative industries and youth); ‘hope’ (cultural facilities and public spaces); ‘rainbow’ (conflicts and migrations); and ‘new bridge’ (cultural heritage and hospitality).

“I am confident that Novi Sad will give visitors from Europe and all over the world the opportunity to discover the city and its cultural assets, but also to appreciate the diversity of cultures in Europe, as well as our shared values,” says Tibor Navracsics, European commissioner for education, culture, youth and sport. “I am confident that the title will bring Novi Sad significant long-term cultural, as well as economic and social benefits, as we have seen with many previous European Capitals of Culture.”

Exit, held in the Petrovaradin fortress on the Danube river, will have a ‘Summer of Love 2017’ theme next year.

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