Venac Vojvode Radomira Putnika 2, Sombor (headquarters of the institution)
Laze Kostića 5, Sombor (gallery of the cultural center „Laza Kostić“ Sombor)
Cultural center “Laza Kostić” Sombor was founded on November 28, 1995, by decision of the Local Government Sombor. The seat of the institution is at street Venac Radomir Putnik no. 2, and of the art Gallery at Laze Kostić street no. 5. The Cultural center was founded in the place where the famous “Art Autumn” Gallery used to exist and bears the name of one of the most important writers who lived and worked in Sombor. From the very beginning, the institution was directed to act in more than one field of art. The most recognizable activity of the Cultural center is the exhibition activity in one of the best small galleries in the country, however its work is not reflected only in the gallery activity – there are film, music, drama, literary programs, publishing, support for youth activities as well as cultural and artistic amateurism, which together gives a complete illustration of to the work of this institution.
The Seventh art was specially supported during the last few years, primarily with the launch of the “Sombor Film Festival”, which was held for the first time in September 2018. With its involvement, the Cultural center completes the idea of Sombor as a city of culture and art.
Although the state of emergency made it impossible and difficult to implement all of the planned programs and the realization of projects in 2020, the citizens of Sombor, after two decades of waiting, received a reconstructed Great Hall at the address Venac Radomir Putnik no. 2. The hall was officially opened on June 16, 2020. The importance of the Great Hall reconstruction project became visible already a few months after the official opening, when the competition commission of the Film Center Serbia awarded funds for the project of creating documentation for the digital cinema of the Cultural center “Laza Kostić” Sombor. The Great hall in a new look is equipped with modern stands with 160 comfortable seats. The cooperation with the Film Center ofSerbia and the beginning of the implementation of the digital cinema equipment project was also marked by the local self-government, which handed the Cultural center equipment for multimedia content, procured through the competition of the Ministry of Culture, “Cities in Focus”. The projection of the famousJugoslav movie “I Even Met Happy Gypsies” by Serbian director Aleksandar Petrović, which was held in the Great Hall of the Cultural center on February 19, 2021, is the first film program shown in this space. The programming scheme of the new digital cinema will include all age groups of lovers of the Seventh art, and the citizens of Sombor will have the opportunity to watch films that are eternal, but also contemporary works with artistic value – which are not easily available.
In addition to film programs, in 2020, a Stage for children and young people named “Dream Factory” was established in the Great Hall of the Cultural center. In 2021, a regular monthly repertoire was established, which includes performances every other Friday from October to following June. During the exhibition year, the Cultural center organizes exhibitions in the Small and Large Gallery. The Large Gallery hosts exhibitions of established fine artists, while the Small Gallery is reserved for students and professionals who offer smaller-format exhibitions. There are numerous manifestations of the Cultural center, and from the existing ones we are looking at:
1. Festival of Multiculturalism
2. Sombor Film Festival
3. Street Musicians
4. Sombor Salon
5. Sombor Musical Festivities – SOMUS
6. Art Autumn
7. Colorful City
8. Tree of Generation
9. New Year’s show – Colorful World
