- We really do have a very special scene here in Zagreb, made up of both artists and cultural initiatives. This scene emerged out of individual projects at first, and the need to find a solution to problems of space and how to utilize disused spaces. Over time though, the second important task and characteristic developed – the need for networking. These groups then became visible and recognizable as a network on the level of cultural policy in the city, and this is when they were able to start changing the city’s appearance.

- A lot has happened over the last five years, on the level of the cultural policy implemented and in the city administration, where changes are long term and not subject to the expediencies of everyday needs or the consequences of election results. After the change of government in 2000, guidelines for national cultural policy were revised, and as a result the independent cultural scene was given recognition as a special field. Attempts were also made to change the financing of cultural policy, as the existing regulations and instruments ruled out supporting independent initiatives. Unfortunately, this problem remains unsolved, and it will remain so as long as state-supported institutions and independent culture initiatives continue to apply for financial support from the same source.

- For me, the turning-point came when the independent scene realized that it had to position itself as a partner. And although not involved directly in decision-making processes, it must represent its standpoint and ensure that its situation and problems are brought to the public’s attention.

- I can only answer this for myself and a couple of others who have dealt with officials in the department for culture over the last few years. The project itself is projective, that is, it projects a vision, and I have to say that it is far too complicated to explain to your average politician sitting in the city council or local authority. Still, the project draws its power precisely from its projective impetus, its reference to the future, and refusal to see things within the existing framework, and instead envisions different models. Intensive lobbying and positioning the issues in the public sphere are absolutely crucial for mediating these models.

- There is evidence of real collaboration. The strategic planning seminar for cultural institutions, organized by the authorities responsible for cultural affairs in the city, was carried out in cooperation – and I’d like to stress, active cooperation – with people involved in ZCK 3000. In praxis, this means that people from different cultural institutions and city authority employees attend lectures held by members of the independent scene or the ZCK 3000. This would have been unimaginable four years ago.

- They can – but first they have to get rid of their aversion to change and fear of anything that is new. It is indisputable that the project has a lot to offer that is valuable, you only have to think about the model for networking. Let me give you an example: the cultural centers have finally begun to exchange and coordinate their programs. This, too, was inconceivable three years ago! The city administration needs to become flexible, not mobile in the sense that it is transferable, but sensitive and responsive to what is taking place.

- The scene definitely displayed a sense of having matured; just the simple fact that it managed to bring together the incumbent authorities and their rival candidates and have them discuss their views in public for the first time was remarkable. In a way, it is irrelevant as to how the discussions went, whether they were demagogical or entangled in silly party politics. What’s important is that these people were present and stated their commitments. Naturally these commitments are not legally binding, but they are at least policy related and have the character of a political promise given in a pre-election period. And there is a clear indication that the politicians took these commitments seriously; for Milan Bandić, our mayor, mentioned in his inauguration speech that the independent scene should be allowed to utilize disused factory buildings for their activities.

- For the upper-echelon politicians it was just part of their election campaign. That’s why it’s absolutely necessary to keep going, to further develop this type of networked public event. It’s also necessary to lobby members of the city assembly directly and utilize every available instrument for this purpose – discussion forums, both for the broad public and smaller circles, with the city council’s cultural authorities, and meetings with assembly members, etc. After all, politicians usually reject the things they know little or nothing about.