North Macedonia

Last update: September, 2021

There are approximately 11 200 buildings registered as part of the immovable cultural heritage (4 260 archaeological sites; 1 726 churches and monasteries with over 150 000 square metres of mural fresco paintings; etc.) and 500 000 museum pieces. Institutional responsibility for cultural heritage (by types) rests with the institutes for the protection of cultural monuments (immovable cultural heritage) and museums, libraries and the national cinématheque (moveable cultural heritage). The process of revalorisation of the cultural heritage is in process for several years.

The first institution for protection of cultural heritage was founded in 1949 in Skopje as a central institute for protection of cultural monuments and natural rarities (today known as the National Conservation Centre).

Until 2004 there were 7 institutes (together with public museums, as one legal entity) responsible for the protection of immovable cultural heritage (1 national and 6 with regional scope), including conservation and restoration. These institutes were legally obliged to register the monuments designated as cultural heritage. As a result of their work, 11 200 immovable objects from different periods have been recorded. The period of time required to complete the validation process is quite slow in comparison to the speed at which objects are recorded (proportion 10:1). In the period 1991-1997 the share of the protection of the immovable cultural heritage in the total budget for culture ranged from 8 to 13%. In contrast to this, in the period until 1991, the percentage of protection funds used to be as much as 35%. However, as the Minister of Culture recently has stated, only 17.5% of the immovable heritage have been revalorised.  

There are 3 national parks: Galichica (since 1958), Mavrovo (1949) and Pelister (1948).

In 2004, the Ministry of Culture established a Directorate for Protection of Cultural Heritage Office (DPCH) as a constituent part of the Ministry (with 66 employees), operating as a legal entity.

Organisational structure DPCH:

Table 3: DPCH – 2016 - 2018 budget

Source: Ministry of Finance, Budget 2016/17/18

Cultural heritage protection and archaeological excavations have been the government's top priority from 2006 onwards. The budget for archaeological excavations, especially in 2006-2009, tripled compared to the years before, but is declining since then.

There is special legislation on the protection of archival material and its handling, librarianship, and the preservation of films and film material of historic, artistic and other cultural significance.

In July 2013, the director of the DPCH and the chief inspector for protection of cultural heritage were arrested as part of the so called "Falanga 2" process for issuing permits for illegal archaeological excavations and facilitating illicit trafficking. In June 2014 the director was sentenced to three years in prison, and the chief inspector to five years.

In 2013, the DPCH established a National Information System for Cultural Heritage. This portal provided an overview of the North Macedonian immovable, movable and intangible cultural heritage. Its purpose was to present data on heritage to the general public.

In 2017, the National Council for Cultural Heritage was constituted within the Ministry of Culture. It consists of 11 members and the president of the Council is the Minister of Culture.

Several burning major issues for cultural heritage policies have been present for years:

• new strategy for protection of cultural heritage and a new law on protection of the cultural heritage;
• new law on protection of cultural heritage;
• revision of the National Registry of Cultural Heritage (especially for the illegal entries made during the notorious project “Skopje 2014”);
• revalorisation of the cultural heritage;
• addressing illegal archaeological excavations and illicit trafficking of cultural heritage, etc.

These issues, and many more, were also underlined in the Analysis prepared by the Working group for the protection of cultural heritage in 2017/2018 but none of it has been put into practice.

A draft of a new National Strategy for Protection of Cultural Heritage (2021-2025) is under public debate.

For the first time, in the 2021 budget for protection of cultural heritage there is a fund for protection of cultural heritage in danger.

Museums

Museums are mainly responsible for the protection of moveable cultural heritage. To a certain extent, the National and University Library (for medieval manuscripts) and the National Cinématheque (for films) also play a role.

Table 4: Museums in Macedonia, 2018

Source: Ministry of Culture

There is no official museum policy document yet, but the key issues and priorities have been stated in the National Strategy for Cultural Development 2018-2022:

• necessary changes to the Law on Museums,
• review of the status (national and local) of museums and decentralisation of the museum network,
• analysis of the space conditions in the major museums,
• analysis of the permanent displays, etc.

However, so far nothing has been put into practice.

There is no national museum association or formal network, but some of the museums are members of ICOM.

It is important to underline that in the period 2008-2014 several new museums have been opened: Museum on Water in Ohrid, Memorial House of Mother Theresa, Museum of Macedonian Struggle (both in Skopje) and the Memorial House of Tose Proevski in Krusevo, etc. However, there had been a lot of public argument surrounding the work of these museums. Contrary to the Law on Museums, all the work, even on the permanent displays in the museums, had been carried out by the Ministry of Culture, without appointing any managing or professional staff in the museums. On the other hand, some of the museums are controversial in form, especially the Memorial House of Tose Proeski (pop star recently deceased), or the Memorial House of Mother Theresa.

Last update: September, 2021

Until 1992, the municipalities (the local government) acted as founders of the public libraries (32). The government established the National Library as a public institution in 1945 and financed it completely. In the period of transition all public libraries were completely financed from the Budget of the Ministry of Culture.

In order to successfully cover the city area, the Skopje City Library "Miladinovci Brothers" still uses the so called "library-bus" - a specialised van that brings books to most distant villages in the area. This "library-bus" now has 1 500 registered users (mostly children) who pay a symbolic membership fee of 50 MKD (0.90 cents) per year.  

In 2008, the Ministry of Culture announced a new measure to improve the book funds for libraries: every publisher is obliged to give (without any compensation) to the National and University Library 110 copies of the books that were supported by the Ministry of Culture. Most of the publishers were surprised by this measure, saying that it will decrease the financial help that they get from the state. It is estimated that this new measure will provide around 30 000 new books per year for the libraries.

In 2009, a new wing, measuring 15 000 sqm, was opened at the National and University Library at a cost of 86 million MKD (1.5 million EUR).

As a result of good co-operation between the Macedonian National Library in Skopje and the "Yunuz Emre" Institute from Ankara (Turkey) in the project "Reconstruction of the Balkan cultural heritage", 3 544 manuscripts and 1 000 fragmented pages (in total of 900 000 pages) in Arabic, Turkish and Persian language were digitalised in 2013. In the second phase of the project an electronic and a printed catalogue will be published.

Table 5: Basic data on libraries by type, 2019

Source: State Statistic Office: News Release No. 2.1.20.31 / 2020

Last update: September, 2021

According to the State Statistical Office data, in the 2016/2017 season, compared to 2015/2016, the number of performances at professional theatres increased by 10.3%, while attendance increased by  2.1%. The average attendance per performance was 185.

In the period 2016/2017, compared to 2015/2016, the number of performances at professional youth and children's theatres decreased by 4.8%, while attendance decreased by 7.1%.

In amateur theatres, for the same period, the number of performances decreased by 16.1%, and the number of visitors decreased by 23.2%.

In 2016/2017, in comparison with 2015/2016, the number of concerts and attendance at the Philharmonic Orchestra decreased.

Table 6: Theatres in Macedonia, by type, 2019/2020

    Source: State Statistical Office, News Release No. 2.1.20.35 / 2020
    * Active members

The two leading musical institutions are the Philharmonic Orchestra and the Macedonian Opera and Ballet (both in Skopje). Their main objective is to present works from world music literature from various stylistic periods and promotion of works by local composers. Apart from these, several chamber ensembles are active, as well as many individual musicians.

The concert life is mainly concentrated in Skopje (as the capital city), whereas in the other towns it is occasional, depending on the conditions and possibilities to stage concerts, the interest and the tradition of the performing arts practice. Concerts in smaller towns are chamber concerts almost without exception.

The Ministry of Culture also supports the programme activities of the professional folk dance groups that foster vocal, dance and vocal-instrumental folklore tradition.

In 2017, the new building for the Macedonian Philharmonic was finally opened.

Table 7: Macedonian Philharmonic, 2016 - 2020

     Source: State Statistical Office, News Release No. 2.1.20.35/2020

There are no specific regulations for the performing arts as a separate field. But during the debates on the new National Strategy for Cultural Development 2018-2022, the Syndicate of the Cultural Workers (SKW) initiated a proposal to the Ministry of Culture to evaluate the need for a separate law on the performing arts. A working group was established and the proposal is now in a process of evaluation.

In 2013 the Ministry of Culture prepared and the Parliament adopted the Law on the Support of the Domestic Music Production which was strongly opposed by experts and the opposition. The Law aimed to support and promote domestic music production – mainly pop and folk music – for a period of ten years, to a total value of 5 million EUR. By means of yearly competition the creation of 200 new compositions (150 in the area of pop music and 50 in folk music and children's songs) were supposed to be financed. Compositions were selected in several categories: "talent", "renowned singer" "outstanding performer", "top performer", "songs that promote family values in society and families with many children" and "compositions that promote the history of Macedonia", and were financed with 3 000 EUR (1 500 EUR for the composition and production, and 1 500 EUR for a video clip). The "Children's song" were financed with 400 EUR (for the composition and production). The "Stars" category was financed with 4 500 EUR (3 000 EUR for composition and production, and 1 500 EUR for a video clip). Macedonian Radio and Television as a Public Broadcaster was authorised to carry out all of the work (announce a public call, choose members of the Commission, recordings etc.).

Due to a new cultural policy in this sector the Ministry of Culture annulled this Law in 2018.

Last update: September, 2021

One of the main characteristics in the visual arts in North Macedonia in the last years is artistic diversity, ranging from "traditional" painting and sculpture to contemporary works using video, installations, performances, computer art and alternative forms of expression.

There is a relatively well-developed network of museums and galleries that, in one way or another, deal with visual arts. However, only 3 institutions are entirely and professionally dedicated to studying and representing the visual arts: the National Gallery of Macedonia, the Museum of Contemporary Arts (both in Skopje) and the National Gallery in Tetovo. The work of other institutions is important too but the visual arts are not their only field of interest. Although not entirely dedicated to visual arts, it is part of the overall programme of activities of e.g. the Museum of the City of Skopje, the Cultural Information Centre in Skopje, the Art Gallery in Bitola (as part of the Bitola Museum), the Art Gallery in Strumica (as part of the Cultural Center) etc.

Fine art gatherings are organised once a year (approximately for 15 or 20 days) in artist colonies, too. Invited artists (local and foreign) attend and create works that afterwards become part of the colony collection. They are significant actors in the production and, especially, the popularisation of the visual arts. It should be pointed out that some of these colonies and especially the older ones (Prilep, Strumica and Resen) possess great and important collections of local and international art.

According to the data of the State Statistical Office (No. 2.1.21.14), there were 314 organised fine art exhibitions in 2020, which represents a decrease of 41.7% compared with 2019. The number of artists-participants at the exhibitions in the same period declined by 44.1%, while attendance fell by 76.3%. In 2020, there were 18 organised fine art colonies, and the number of participants decreased by 32.3% compared with 2019

There are no special regulations for visual arts.