Led by Expertise France and funded by the European Union, this ambitious project supported the creation of a unique cultural venue in Belgrade.
Housed in a landmark former railway hall, Ložionica opened its doors in September 2025 and has since established itself as a leading centre for contemporary creation, artistic innovation and the creative industries in Serbia.
As part of this twinning programme, Centquatre-Paris deployed its full range of expertise through its 104ingénierie department.
Thanks to several expert missions carried out in Belgrade, a strong methodological framework, and close collaboration between the project team, CENTQUATRE-PARIS and the local teams, all components of the project were developed and consolidated over time: cultural and creative programming (video games, digital culture, music), governance, partnerships, and economic model.
The study visit to Paris in March 2026 marked the final stage of this European partnership, strengthening the exchange of know-how and anchoring the hub within international networks.
One of the distinctive features of this partnership was the collaboration between the teams both before and after the opening of Ložionica. This continuity allowed the cooperation to extend beyond the planning and development phase and continue through the venue’s first period of public operation.
The exchange involved all key departments, including artistic programming, production, communications and public relations, MICE and commercial activities, as well as audience development teams.
This cross-sectoral approach enabled the partners to address the venue’s artistic, operational and strategic development in an integrated and practical way.
As a project partner, Relais Culture Europe supported Ložionica’s integration into European cultural cooperation networks.
Expertise France, the cooperation agency responsible for coordinating the european twinning project and overseeing all its operational aspects, welcomes the strengthening of collaboration between Centquatre-Paris and Lozionica and the joint results that have ensued.
Ložionica is now a vibrant hub, rooted in its local territory and fully connected to European standards – a concrete illustration of a European culture in dialogue with its territories.
A European Twinning Project to support Ložionica
The project aimed to support Ložionica in developing a sustainable programming and management model aligned with its mission and vision, while optimizing its revenue streams to ensure its long-term sustainability.
To achieve this, the intervention was structured around four main areas:
- Supporting the deployment of a multidisciplinary artistic programme
- Supporting the operational implementation of the institutional project
- Supporting the development of partnerships at different levels
- Supporting the development of a hybrid and resilient economic model
Prospects for cooperation between Ložionica and Centquatre-Paris
This cooperation helped lay the foundations for a lasting dialogue between the teams of Ložionica and Centquatre-Paris, built around a shared vision: fostering the emergence of cultural venues that are open, innovative, and deeply rooted in both European and local dynamics.
Building on the successful completion of the twinning project, Ložionica and Centquatre-Paris have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding, creating a formal framework for continued cooperation on joint artistic, professional and institutional projects.
The agreement confirms the intention of both organisations to further develop exchanges of knowledge, expertise, creative practices and programmes between Belgrade and Paris.
About joint cooperation, they said:
The experience and working model of Centquatre-Paris were an important source of inspiration during the development of Ložionica. Our cooperation gave us valuable insight into how a former industrial site can become an open, dynamic and sustainable centre for contemporary creation and creative industries. Our partnership will continue through the Memorandum of Understanding and the joint development of new creative projects. This represents an important opportunity to further connect artists, professionals and audiences from Serbia and France.
Ana Ilić, Director of Ložionica and the Serbia Creates platform
Working alongside Ložionica, in a new environment and on such an ambitious project, was a particularly enriching experience for our teams. A heritage building, a neighbourhood in the making, an ambition fully turned toward the cultural and creative industries and Serbia’s international influence: this project resonated strongly with challenges that are also our own at Centquatre-Paris
Martin Colomer-Diez, Director of Cultural Engineering at Centquatre-Paris
Programme Partners
Relais Culture Europe
Relais Culture Europe supports cultural practices in Europe through the development of projects, networks, cooperation, and research. In France, it coordinates the European Commission’s Creative Europe programme, which aims to support the cultural and audiovisual sectors.
Centquatre-Paris
Located in Paris’s 19th arrondissement, Centquatre-Paris is a space for artistic residencies, production, and dissemination of the arts for audiences and artists from around the world. Directed by Valérie Senghor, it provides access to all forms of contemporary art across every discipline through a programme that is deliberately popular, contemporary, and demanding.
An atypical living space punctuated by shops and restaurants, it also offers open spaces for artistic practices and early childhood activities. For start-ups joining its incubator, it serves as a field of experimentation at the crossroads of art and innovation. Through an urban planning approach, its cultural engineering team delivers unique expertise for projects around the world.
Expertise France
A public agency, Expertise France is the interministerial actor for international technical cooperation and a subsidiary of the Agence française de développement Group (AFD Group).
The second largest agency of its kind in Europe, it designs and implements projects that sustainably strengthen public policies in developing and emerging countries. Governance, security, climate, health, education… it works across key areas of development and contributes alongside its partners to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Shared expertise.