Reset! network is heading to Skopje, North Macedonia for its first Reset! Forum on April 10th!
At a time of geopolitical turmoil, the Reset! Forum will serve as a meeting point to amplify the voices of independent culture and media scenes across Europe.
The network will address key challenges faced by the independent sector and invite to collectively explore how to become more visible and empowered to stand up for European independence.
Join us for a day of workshops, talks, networking gatherings, radio shows & musical performances at Laboratorium our Skopje-based member.
All formats are free.
Find below the programme of the day, as well as links to register.
Reset! Forum Editorial
Reclaiming Spaces
Belgrade, Berlin, Bratislava, Budapest, Tbilisi—over the past months, the streets of several European cities have become the stage for major citizen-led mobilisations. In Belgrade, for more than a hundred days, students and civil society actors have been protesting daily against government corruption. In Bratislava, the past years have seen a wave of demonstrations against political purges in the cultural sector. In Berlin, hundreds of thousands people have recently taken to the streets to denounce far-right discourse, budget cuts to culture, and the negation of Palestinians’ rights. In Budapest, journalists and civil society groups have repeatedly gathered to oppose government control over public media. Meanwhile, in Tbilisi, pro-European demonstrators continue to occupy the streets despite ongoing repression, contesting the results of October 2024 parliamentary elections and the grip of a pro-Russian government. A common thread runs through these movements: the voices of independent culture and media have been repeatedly and deeply intertwined with and active in these collective struggles.
These uprisings across Europe raise urgent questions about the role and positioning of the independent cultural and media sector. Grassroots concert venues and festivals, community cinemas and internet radios, emerging artist collectives, alternative music labels, cooperative theaters and media: these independent players are essential in shaping communities, a prerequisite for any form of mobilisation. They can therefore stand as a frontline resistance against today's authoritarian drift. In a time of widespread political mistrust, this sector remains a space for empowerment and civic participation—a relevant toolbox in today’s democratic struggle. Such a responsibility demands greater recognition and stronger commitments to sustaining these ecosystems from public institutions.
This is the perspective driving this first Reset! Forum. On April 10th, at the independent venue Laboratorium in Skopje, through panel discussions, capacity-building workshops, networking sessions and cultural activities, the Reset! network will highlight the crucial role that independent culture and media have played in recent months to mobilise communities amidst today’s political crises. More importantly, it will look ahead and set out the role they must play in the future against the rise of global reactionary movements. In a world in turmoil, Reset! and its community are determined to take part in shaping new cultural policy—one that aligns with our practices, reflects our realities, and acknowledges our structural fragility. Policy that equips us with the tools and resources to uphold our commitments to the public good and the democratic fight.
This battle must be fought collectively. One of Reset!’s key ambitions is to forge new alliances, working alongside local authorities at the forefront of safeguarding the public interest, as well as with cultural actors, and civic organisations eager to engage in these debates. Together, we intend to assert our role and make our voices heard in this defining political moment. To do so, we need to rethink and reset cultural policies that are relevant to our times and our realities. This is the necessary condition for us, a new-generation of independent cultural and media actors—to fully take part in today’s democratic struggle.
10:00 – 11:00: Welcome & Coffee
Come meet teams from Reset! network and Laboratorium around a coffee.
11:00 – 12:30: Workshop · Action Competence: Enhancing Participation Method
How can individuals and organisations move beyond passively witnessing societal, cultural, and political shifts to actively shaping them? This workshop will explore the concept of action competence - the ability, confidence, and motivation to take an active role in democratic processes, social initiatives, cultural production, media discourses or activism, etc.
Many organisations within the Reset! Network already instill action competence in people by engaging communities, promoting independent media, and advocating for cultural and social change. This session would examine pedagogical models that cultivate agency, critical thinking, and participatory skills, while also exploring existing good practices from network partners and how these approaches can be strengthened and scaled. Through interactive discussions and shared experiences, we would aim to identify strategies to embed action competence more deeply into the network’s work, ensuring that more people - whether cultural practitioners, journalists, activists or everyday citizens - are equipped to shape the future rather than merely observe it.
Facilitator: Lukács Hayes (Cooperative City | HU)
11:00 – 12:30: Workshop · Community Radio and Inclusive Practices in the Culture and Arts
Deepening into inclusive practices in culture and arts, what they are and how they function, and how those practices can be translated to working in Community Radio.
The workshop includes an introduction to the topics (what are inclusive practices, how do they work and how can you implement them into your organization) and it also has a practical part, where the attendees discuss these topics, reflect on what they do within their own organizations (both consciously and subconsciously) and what types of practices they would like to have and what practices could be implemented (and of course why inclusive practices are especially relevant to people working in arts, journalism and culture).
So to break it down it's a workshop in three parts:
1. Introduction
2. Workshop part (in groups)
3. Discussion part (everyone)
Facilitator: Hanne Rye Hanssen (ICRN | NO)
11:00 – 12:30: Workshop · Project Design: Unlocking Fundings for Independent Culture & Media
Is there a magic formula to write effective grant project applications? Unfortunately, not!
However, Ludovica Michelin, director of Flumi and specialist in EU funding programs and project design, brings concrete solutions and guidelines to go over this “unpleasant” but necessary phase before making your dream project come true! Leading the workshop “Get your Money!” Ludovica will guide us through the insights and strategies to build a project design under the methodology of Theory of Change, from assisting in the analysis of needs, the definition of objectives, and the outlining of required actions to achieve these concrete goals.
Facilitator: Ludovica Michelin (FLUMI | ES)
14:00 – 14:50: Talk · Independence as a Pillar of EU Cultural Policy and the 'Culture Compass'
How can independent voices shape EU cultural policy? What role can they play in influencing its direction?
In a mission letter to the new EU Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture, and Sport, the President of the European Union stressed the need for a "Cultural Compass—an overarching strategic framework to guide and harness the multiple dimensions of culture." But what exactly does this mean? Since the announcement, consultations have been gathering insights from different European cultural ecosystems. In Skopje, the Reset! Forum will serve as a platform to reflect on a relevant cultural and media strategy at European level for independent players—in times of great political and economic threats. This discussion will also ensure that the perspectives of cultural organisations outside the EU are taken into account. This bottom-up approach will identify key challenges and needs within the independent cultural and media sector. The results will then be presented to the European Commission as part of the ongoing consultations for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF)—the EU's long-term budget starting in 2028.
Moderation: Théo Majcher (ALTER EGO (X) | FR)
& more to come.
14:30 – 17:30: Reset! Radio Takeover
14:30-15:20 · Women in Culture
With Billie Dibb (Fondazione Studio Rizoma | IT)
15:30-16:20 · Public Spaces
With Daniel Ongjerth (11_11 | HU) & Hilary Cox (90mil | DE)
16:30-17:30 · Policies of Care for Displaced Artists
With: Andrii Kostiukov (Motsion | UA)
15:00 – 15:50: Talk · Forging New Alliances
What role do new political alliances play in safeguarding the independent cultural and media sector? How can they be implemented in a meaningful way?
In times of escalating crises—marked by authoritarianism, economic concentration in cultural and media sectors, and growing threats to democratic structures—collaboration is not just strategic, it is imperative. To counter these forces, we must cultivate large-scale cooperation, fostering shared resources, collective intelligence, and governance models that empower independent voices.
The cultural and media sectors cannot stand alone. It is time to forge bold alliances, not only among cultural operators and independent media but also with those working in the public interest: public broadcasters, universities, local governments, and key actors in education, youth, and health. Moreover, in the face of geopolitical instability, strengthening international partnerships is essential to ensuring a resilient and diverse cultural and media landscape. This is the mission of the Reset! network: to unite cultural and media organisations across Europe and beyond, bridging sectors and mobilising resources hubs, public institutions, and local authorities.
Katerina Lipovka (De Structura | UA)
Moderation: Damir Ivic (Soundwall | IT)
& more to come.
16:00 – 16:50: Talk · Beyond our Bubbles: Connecting with Underrepresented Communities
Speakers will be announced soon.
17:00 – 18:00: Talk · Reclaiming Spaces
A closing discussion dedicated to showcasing the role of the independent cultural and media sector in the current European protests
Belgrade, Berlin, Bratislava, Budapest, Tbilisi—over the past months, the streets of several European cities have become the stage for major citizen-led mobilisations. In Belgrade, for more than a hundred days, students and civil society actors have been protesting daily against government corruption. In Bratislava, the past years have seen a wave of demonstrations against political purges in the cultural sector. In Berlin, hundreds of thousands people have recently taken to the streets to denounce far-right discourse, budget cuts to culture, and the negation of Palestinians’ rights. In Budapest, journalists and civil society groups have repeatedly gathered to oppose government control over public media. Meanwhile, in Tbilisi, pro-European demonstrators continue to occupy the streets despite ongoing repression, contesting the results of October 2024 parliamentary elections and the grip of a pro-Russian government. A common thread runs through these movements: the voices of independent culture and media have been repeatedly and deeply intertwined with and active in these collective struggles.
These uprisings across Europe raise urgent questions about the role and positioning of the independent cultural and media sector. Grassroots concert venues and festivals, community cinemas and internet radios, emerging artist collectives, alternative music labels, cooperative theaters and media: these independent players are essential in shaping communities, a prerequisite for any form of mobilisation. They can therefore stand as a frontline resistance against today's authoritarian drift. In a time of widespread political mistrust, this sector remains a space for empowerment and civic participation—a relevant toolbox in today’s democratic struggle.
Nadica Banishka (MK)
Ľudovít Nápoký (Anténa Network | SK)
Makuna Berkatsashvili (Left Bank | GE)
Moderation: Manon Moulin (Reset! network | FR)
18:00 – 20:00: Closing session & networking
20:00 – 00:00: Cultural Event
End the day with a musical session.
With:
I am Dive (live)
Motsion (DJ set)