The Cultural Center “Nikola Đurković” Kotor was established by the Municipality of Kotor in 1968. It emerged from the long-standing theatrical tradition in the Bay of Kotor, which dates back to antiquity and was particularly associated with Risan.
Kotor has a rich tradition of staging various performances, mostly of a religious character, which were held in many squares of the Old Town. The city also has a turbulent history, during which, with the exception of a period of about thirty years (at the end of the 14th and the very beginning of the 15th century), different administrations alternated. After several centuries of Venetian rule (from 1420 to 1797), the area of the Bay of Kotor and Kotor itself first came under Austrian control, then briefly under Russian rule, and finally under French rule, which lasted from 1807 to 1813.
Amateur theatre was very active for a long time, so during the French occupation the idea matured about the need to establish an official theatre. The municipal authorities requested from the French administration the construction of a theatre in Kotor, which was approved in 1808.
For this purpose, in 1810, the French occupation authorities completely renovated and reconstructed the old Town Hall building and established a permanent theatre, which, in terms of chronology of cultural development, represents the oldest theatre institution in Montenegro and one of the oldest in the region.
The Cultural Center is primarily focused on the local population and the organization and enhancement of cultural life in the city. With the development of tourism in the Municipality of Kotor, the Cultural Center has also opened up to the international scene, as evidenced by numerous international collaborations and guest performances.
Our most recognizable events include Boka Night, the Traditional Kotor Winter Carnival, the Festival of Light, December Rocks, and the Kotor Festival of Theatre for Children. Boka Night is a unique event organized by the Cultural Center and has been declared an intangible cultural heritage manifestation.
The strategic goal includes the development and promotion of culture in the Municipality of Kotor, the organization and enhancement of international cooperation, as well as numerous events throughout the year.