THE DOOR OF VILLA STANKOVIĆ HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR THE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL

Left without a venue or support, faced with a constant atmosphere of tension, distrust, intrigue, and obstruction, we believe it is impossible to organise the Shakespeare Festival in the way our audience deserves and has come to expect.

The message is clear: Shakespeare is no longer welcome in Čortanovci.

******

Dear audience, dear friends of the Shakespeare Festival,

After 12 years, more than 60 productions from 24 countries, numerous concerts, exhibitions and films, over 25,000 visitors, and many awards and recognitions, the Shakespeare Festival will not be held at Villa Stanković this year - for the first time in its history. The Provincial Government has informed us that:

"Due to planned construction works, we are unable to make Villa Stanković available for your use."

Does this sound familiar?

The message is clear: Shakespeare is no longer welcome in Čortanovci.

Bearing in mind the obstacles and obstructions we faced last year, such a response did not come as a surprise. But let us make one thing clear: we will not allow the Festival to come to an end. We will do our best to organise it in another venue during the autumn. Shakespeare has survived many "bans" and will survive this one as well.

Let us recall what happened last year. We were denied all funding for the Festival, but thanks to the support and donations of our friends, we managed to organise it nonetheless. For the past two years, representatives of the Municipality of Inđija have completely ignored our existence. Once again this year, we were denied funding from the City of Novi Sad. The results of the Ministry of Culture and the Provincial Secretariat for Culture grant competitions have still not been announced.

Left without a venue or support, and faced with a constant atmosphere of tension, distrust, intrigue, and obstruction, we believe it is impossible to organise the Shakespeare Festival in the way our audience deserves and has come to expect.

Last year, we closed the Festival with words of support for the students of the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade after their performance had been cancelled:

"We hope that your play A Midsummer Night's Dream will be performed at the next Shakespeare Festival, in a different, better reality from the one we are living in today."

Unfortunately, things have not turned out as we had hoped. Yet we still believe. For, as so many times before, everything else will pass — Shakespeare will remain.

Until then: to be, or not to be?

Without question: to be!