The Centre for the Empirical Cultural Studies of South-East Europe (CECS) is an independent research institution based in Niš, Serbia, dedicated to exploring the impact of global trends (globalisation, digitalisation, migrations, religious revival and increasing social inequalities) on the culture and societies of South-East Europe.

CECS collaborates closely with a wide network of researchers across Southeast Europe. Its core team consists of seven members, including five university lecturers and associates from the Universities of Niš and Belgrade. Among the active members are five PhDs and two MAs in the fields of sociology and cultural management.

Since its founding in 2010, CECS has implemented more than 20 large-scale research projects.

Between 2020 and 2023, the Centre was part of the Horizon 2020 consortium for the project “European Inventory of Societal Values of Culture as a Basis for Inclusive Cultural Policies in the Globalizing World”, coordinated by Erasmus University Rotterdam.

Project partners included:

More about the project: https://inventculture.eu/

From 2016 to 2019, CESK participated in the Horizon 2020 project “Closing the Gap between Formal and Informal Institutions in the Balkans”, as part of a consortium of nine organizations led by University College London (ucl.ac.uk/ssees).

Other project partners included:

  • Riga Stradiņš University (rsu.lv)
  • University of Maribor (um.si)
  • Institute for Democracy Societas Civilis Skopje (idscs.org.mk)
  • Social Research Kosova (srk-ks.com)
  • Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Research – Zagreb (ief.hr)
  • Center for Interdisciplinary Applied Social Research – Sarajevo (CISAR) (cisar.ba)
  • Center for Historical and Anthropological Research – Tirana (QKHA)

More about the project: https://wbc-rti.info/object/project/14694.html

In 2015–2016, CESK conducted several notable research projects, including:

  • “Socio-economic status, working conditions and lifestyles of employees in the civil sector in culture in Southeast Europe”, funded by the Kooperativa – Regional Platform for Culture in cooperation with the Association Independent Cultural Scene of Serbia (2016);
  • “Culture, Art, Children – Possibilities for Participation of Children in Contemporary Cultural and Artistic Creation”, in cooperation with POINT Foundation (2016);
  • “Exit from the Margins – Researching Independent Cultural Scenes in SEE and Proposing Measures for Improving Their Position” (2015), supported by Balkan Arts and Culture Fund, European Cultural Foundation, and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

From 2014 to 2016, CESK implemented the project “Life Strategies and Survival Strategies of Households and Individuals in South-East European Societies in the Period of Economic Crisis” (SCOPES), in cooperation with:

The project was financially supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (https://www.snf.ch/en).

Between 2011 and 2013, CESK was involved in the regional project “Resistance to Socio-Economic Changes in Western Balkan Societies” (2012–2013) with partners from Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and Kosovo. In 2012, CESK conducted the study “Fields of Symbolic Struggles in Serbia”, and in 2011, the study “Social and Cultural Capital in Serbia”. These projects were supported by the Research Promotion Programme in the Western Balkans (RRPP), coordinated by the University of Fribourg (Switzerland).

Currently, CESK is implementing the project “Diversity as Resilience: Creative Pathways and Collective Foresights” (IPA III/2024/180894-5/15) in cooperation with the Centre for Cultural Decontamination.

CECS members have also been engaged in numerous smaller studies and strategic consultancy assignments, including:

  • Drafting local cultural development strategies for cities in Serbia and Montenegro (e.g., Niš, Novi Sad, Vranje, Novi Pazar, Kotor, Tivat, Herceg Novi);
  • Facilitating strategic planning for cultural institutions in Southeastern Serbia (e.g., Niš Contemporary Art Gallery, Leskovac Cultural Centre, Pirot Cultural Centre, Vranje and Zaječar National Museums);
  • Supporting strategic planning for civil society organisations (e.g., CK13 Youth Center – Novi Sad, Jadro – Skopje, Tiiiii! Ink – Skopje);
  • Conducting research and preparing recommendations for improving the status of social sciences in Serbia;
  • Analysing the financial sustainability of civil society organisations in culture and providing development plans;
  • Evaluating domestic and international cultural projects.

CECS is one of the founding members of the Association Independent Cultural Scene of Serbia (link), a member of the Regional Platform for Culture Kooperativa (link), the European Center for the Study of Culture & Inequality (link), and the World Elite Database research consortium (link).