North Macedonia 4.2.4

In the last decade the visual arts have been characterised by artistic diversity, ranging from “traditional” painting and sculpture to contemporary works using video, installations, performances, computer art and alternative forms of expression.

There is a relatively well-developed network of museums and galleries that, in one way or another, deal with visual arts. However, only 3 institutions are entirely and professionally dedicated to studying and representing the visual arts: the National Gallery of Macedonia,  the Museum of Contemporary Arts in Skopje and National Gallery Tetovo. The work of other institutions is important, too. Although not entirely dedicated to visual arts, it is part of the overall programme of activities of e.g. the Museum of the City of Skopje, the Cultural Information Centre in Skopje, the Art Gallery in Bitola, and the Art Gallery in Strumica etc.

Fine art gatherings are organised once a year (approximately for 15 or 20 days) in artist colonies. Invited artists (local and foreign) attend and create works that afterwards belong to the colony. They are significant actors in the production and especially popularisation of the visual arts. It should be pointed out that some of these colonies and especially the older ones (Prilep, Strumica and Resen) possess great and important collections of local and international art.     

Table 5:     Art exhibitions in Macedonia, by type, 2017

	Art   exhibition organisers	Type   of exhibition				Visitors
		Total	One-man	Group	Retro-spective
Museums	15	145	65	63	17	55 039
Art galleries	1	34	24	8	2	17 000
Community   Centres	16	120	59	57	4	31 280
MASA*	1	4	3	1	–	–
Cultural centres	20	213	117	88	18	107 309
Artists’   associations	2	15	3	11	1	3 700
Others	14	44	10	32	2	15 420

Source:  State Statistics Office, News Release No. 2.1.18.16 / 2017
*             Macedonian Academy of Science and Arts

In 2017 there were 20 fine art colonies organised (23 in 2014) with 986 participants.

There are no special regulations for visual arts.