Anja Suša, a former selector of the Bitef festival, has declared the ne:Bitef initiative as her most significant artistic and life project. The event is taking place in Belgrade on September 20, 2026, coinciding with the conclusion of the 59th Bitef festival. This initiative involves more than 100 artists and cultural workers performing across 60 micro-stages throughout the city. Suša, who now resides in Sweden and teaches theater directing at the University of Arts in Stockholm, emphasized the importance of this project in light of the current state of cultural institutions in Serbia.
Suša expressed her deep commitment to ne:Bitef, stating, “There is no more important artistic and life project at this moment than ne:Bitef.” She criticized the condition of cultural institutions in Serbia, describing them as “occupied and devastated,” and lamented the near-zero budget allocated for culture. According to Suša, these institutions have become platforms for political appointees who lack the necessary expertise and interest in their roles. She highlighted the ongoing political retribution against artists who oppose the current government and engage in activism.
The ne:Bitef initiative is seen as a response to these challenges, aiming to preserve the spirit of Bitef outside of its official institutional framework. Suša noted the rapid and high-quality organization of the event, which she believes reflects the original spirit of Bitef. “There is no doubt that ne is ‘the Bitef’,” she stated, emphasizing the initiative’s wide-ranging and anti-hierarchical nature. The event’s organization, featuring numerous international artists and creative curators, underscores Bitef’s significance beyond its traditional venue and office.
Suša also pointed out the unique nature of the ne:Bitef festival, highlighting its decentralized curation and the impressive range of themes and locations chosen for the micro-stages. She expressed her desire to witness all the performances, acknowledging the initiative’s potential to become part of Bitef’s official narrative. Suša believes that the current official Bitef is an anomaly within the festival’s programmatic and ethical continuity.
In addition to the performances, Suša will present a program platform dedicated to the post-Yugoslav region, a component of Bitef during her tenure as a selector from 2006 to 2016. She plans to discuss this with Borut Šeparović, Oliver Frljić, and Ivana Sajko, reflecting on the long-term importance of opening the festival to regional artistic practices. Suša argues against the notion that true art exists elsewhere, asserting the value of local artistic contributions.
The ne:Bitef initiative also includes a dialogue with students from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts, exploring how new generations perceive the past of the region from which Bitef originated. Suša is interested in understanding how these future artists and audiences view the festival’s history, particularly in light of recent student protests.
When asked about the ongoing struggle between those resisting the misuse of culture for political purposes and those in institutional power, Suša expressed optimism. “Good will prevail as always—we just don’t know when yet,” she remarked, highlighting the strength of a community that has lost patience after losing everything else, especially human dignity. Suša is more concerned with what will happen after this victory and how they will rebuild together, not just Bitef but the broader cultural landscape.
