For over 15 years, the former national printing and publishing house has been home for hundreds of artists. The BIGZ building in Belgrade also homes various sports, cultural and artistic hubs, art collectives, as well as educational centers. The building networks the entire content under its roof into a one-of-a-kind artistic community.
In domestic and international art circles, BIGZ enjoys a cult status, as a unique center for alternative culture in this part of Europe.
On sixth and seventh floor, the building houses a large number of music performers and artists in a wide range of genres, while some artistic contents can also be found in other parts of the building.
The BIGZ building is especially important for the emergence of the new Serbian music scene, which gave birth to hundreds of bands and music releases, recorded right under its roof.
Throughout the decades, the BIGZ building was a symbol of the city and an inspiration for hundreds of films, TV series, commercials as well as music videos, and thus, left an indelible mark on the Serbian cultural heritage and contemporary art.
The 25,000 square meters of usable space (35,000 square meters in total) are occupied by the printing facilities, warehouses, offices, music studios, art studios, craft and art workshops, music schools, but also sport associations, such as the Capoeira school and the climbing club "Zemun", including various other contents, as well.
The BIGZ building was built between 1934 and 1941 according to the project of the architect Dragiša Brašovan and represents one of the most famous architectural landmarks of Yugoslav modernism. The building was declared a cultural asset in 1992 and is under the protection of the city's Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments.
After being neglected during the 1990s, the independent artists breathed new life into the building. A vast array of storage space and former offices were rented by the artists, who adjusted the vacant space into music studios and art communities, all in accordance with the terms of use set by the management of the building, while respecting and preserving the building’s cultural and historical value.
Since 2007, the BIGZ building is privately held by one major and three minority owners. Thanks to the enthusiasm and initiative of the artists, in cooperation with the management of the building, what used to be the biggest printing and publishing house in the Balkans, evolved into an informal cultural center, continuing to serve its original purpose – nurturing cultural and artistic values.
In 2014, all bars and other commercial content were evicted from the building, including the cult jazz club "Čekaonica", while the in-house radio was shut down. Artists, however, remained to the present day, in a closed art community.
This initiative aims to preserve one of Belgrade’s last authentic alternative cultural centers. Due to its importance for Serbian cultural heritage and contemporary art, the BIGZ building (or part thereof) should formally be recognized as a cultural center by the authorities, and thus, provide the artists who have invested in this building and its contents throughout the years, an opportunity to continue using this space for their creative work.
