Interview: Jan Kerekeš on the future Cultural Center in Varaždin  

Future Cultural Center in Varaždin – Crowdfunding campaign Be With Us, We Build For You (Photo: Supplied)

Interview by: Zoran Rajn

Below, we bring you an interview with Jan Kerekeš, a prominent Croatian actor, cultural manager, and visionary behind the most successful Croatian crowdfunding campaign, “Be With Us, We Build For You“, presented through the global crowdfunding platform Bona Fides Invest.

To begin with, please share with the readers more information about yourself from your rich biography.

It’s not good to brag, so I will simply introduce myself and say that after 15 years of work, many shows, many awards, many charity shows and actions, many filmed series, many dubbed animated films, several feature films, successful productions, and 20 years of singing in a metal band, I am most proud of my family. That is me. A family man who enjoys his work and likes to change things for the better.

Jan Kerekeš, artistic director of Kerekesh Theater (Photo: Supplied)

Growing up as the son of actor Ljubomir Kerekeš, how did your father’s career influence your own journey into acting?

Dad used to come home from work full of anecdotes, and I loved to see him enjoy recounting events from rehearsals, performances, or filming. I admired his success and still do today. I believe that through his love for work, I fell in love with the same calling.

Ljubomir and Jan Kerekeš invite people to support the campaign (Photo: Supplied)

Beyond your professional life, can you share a bit about your personal interests or hobbies that contribute to your overall well-being?

In addition to spending my free time with my three-year-old daughter Una and my husband Vika, I like singing at rehearsals or concerts with my metal band, Cold Snap. I also like fishing, badminton, tennis, basketball, and relaxing with board games until we all fight.

Jan Kerekeš – Cold Snap (Photo: Supplied)

Are there specific genres or types of productions that you find particularly enjoyable or challenging? When transitioning between theater, television, and film, how do you adapt your acting style to suit each medium? Can you share any specific memories or experiences that fueled your passion for film? 

At the beginning of my career, I realized that I equally enjoy comedy and tragedy, so in fact, for the first 10 years of my career, I had the same number of comedic and more difficult dramatic roles, but in the end, I fell in love with comedy dell’arte and character creation. It changed my view of acting and playing on stage or in front of the camera. I try to create a completely new character with each new job.

Another human being who walks differently, talks differently, and does everything differently than the characters before him. It amuses me and forces me to develop as an actor, not to stand still and enjoy myself. As for film, I fell in love with it while shooting the war action film “Number 55”, where I first encountered all segments of the film industry and enjoyed every moment, no matter how demanding the subject of the film and the shooting itself were.

Ljubomir and Jan Kerekeš (Photo: Supplied)

How does Kerekesh Theater, which you lead as artistic director, approach comedy creation and interaction with the audience?

Kerekesh Theater has always listened and will always listen to the audience and only the audience. We are not interested in the brevity or opinion of highly educated individuals who walk half a meter above the ground. We are from Varaždin, and we started in Varaždin by hanging out with real people and listening to their problems in order to later turn them into a comedy with which we would make those same people laugh.

Some theaters are interested in contemporary theater, some in strong dramatic theater, and we are only interested in full theater. This does not mean that we will rise above the audience, but we will certainly enjoy and laugh out loud with them.

Future Cultural Center in Varaždin (Photo: Supplied)

From your perspective, how would you describe the current cultural scene in Croatia, especially in the realm of theater and the performing arts? What challenges do cultural institutions and artists face in Croatia, and how can these challenges be addressed?

In Croatia, the theater is extremely popular and, I would say, very well attended. The interest in theater is really great all over Croatia, and we are happy that the audience especially loves comedy. Of course, national and city theaters enjoy many privileges in contrast to independent traveling theaters, regardless of the fact that the independent scene is just as strong and has an audience as large, if not larger, than the big theater houses. However, this is a problem that is clearly insoluble.

Unfortunately, public funding, patronage, and sponsorships in Croatia are usually awarded on the political line or on the line of acquaintances. The Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia will have no problem allocating the same money to the festival that has been in existence for three years and includes five plays and to the largest and most visited theater festival in Croatia, Week of Laughter, organized by Kerekesh Teatr, where full audiences enjoy 65 plays. That is our reality. Unfortunately.

The main hall of the Cultural Center in Varaždin (Photo: Supplied)

What changes would you like to see in terms of public policies towards the performing arts?

Changes are always good and necessary, because, whether we want to admit it or not, we are not all equal. We’re just not. We don’t all work the same amount, we don’t all sell the same amount of tickets, we don’t all pay the same amount of taxes, we don’t all drive the same amount of kilometers, and we are not all separated from our families by the same amount. Only if those who distribute public money see things in this way will things start to change for the better. Now only those who work worse and less are helped, and those who work the most are not encouraged. That is, an independent scene depends on itself.

Do you notice significant differences in the cultural scenes between various regions in Croatia, and if so, what factors contribute to these variations? Are there any regions that you believe are particularly vibrant or promising in terms of cultural activities?

We Croats are extremely sociable people, and I really cannot single out any part of Croatia and say that their people smile less or go to the theater less. Friendship, laughter, and joy are in our blood, and that’s why it’s easy to be a local patriot. We have audiences in all parts of Croatia, and we love them equally.

How has the industry evolved since the beginning of your career? Are there particular trends or changes you’ve observed in recent years within the Croatian cultural landscape? What opportunities do you see for the growth and development of the cultural sector in the country? Are there specific projects or initiatives you would like to see realized to enhance the cultural landscape?

A lot has changed since 2008. The number of theaters and art organizations is literally twice as large, the number of plays is larger, and the number of actors is increasing, yet many do not get opportunities, neither in the theater nor in the filming of films and series. The promotion of plays and films has completely changed, and the audience demands more and more.

The main hall of the Cultural Center in Varaždin (Photo: Supplied)

Everything has to be better than it was on the last project, and it is not easy to keep up with all the trends. Everything was slowed down a bit by the coronavirus, but after that, everything literally exploded. There are even more shows, even more audiences, and even higher expectations. I see an opportunity for progress precisely in the construction of the Cultural Center in Varaždin.

On the global crowdfunding platform Bona Fides Invest, you started a crowdfunding campaign Be With Us, We Build For You for the construction of a Cultural Center in Varaždin. Could you share more details about the goals and objectives of the crowdfunding campaign? How do you see the impact of the Cultural Center on the community? In what ways can it foster creativity and cultural expression?

The Cultural Center in Varaždin will bring many young creatives under the same roof who will fall in love with us in all segments of theater, music, dance, and fine arts. Without adequate spaces, unfortunately, people give up their activities, give up on themselves, or enjoy themselves less, and in the end, they are not completely happy or satisfied with their results. Considering that the Kerekesh Theater is not a political theater and does not stand up to anyone because it belongs to everyone and is accessible to everyone, it is really difficult to start from scratch without support and embark on such a big project.

The main hall of the Cultural Center in Varaždin (Photo: Supplied)

The welfare that the Cultural Center will bring to children, young people, and adults in Varaždin is truly enormous, and I never once doubted my intention or wondered if what I was doing was right. I know that it is right, I know that it is necessary, and I know that it will change the cultural image of the city of Varaždin for the better. What I did not know was that the local self-government, the City of Varaždin, and the Varaždin County will so easily pass over our project and over thousands of people who will be future users of the Cultural Center or visitors to numerous programs.

Can you share any milestones or achievements reached so far in the campaign? What are some instances of successful partnerships and cooperation that have benefited the campaign?

So far, more than 1.100.000,00 euros in money, material, services, and promotional activities have been invested in the campaign, and I was surprised that many companies and people I didn’t know joined the campaign. More than 1600 investors from Croatia and abroad decided to help us realize the largest project in the culture of the Republic of Croatia that came from the private sector.

The main performers also decided to join the campaign to leave an eternal mark on that Cultural Center. So far, we have not been able to reach large companies that could literally build the Cultural Center by themselves and would still get a tax deduction for the entire donation, given their large annual income, but there is always hope that someone who believes in building the largest Cultural Center in Croatia, where hundreds of children will work every day to become happier and better people, will read this. 

The main hall of the Cultural Center in Varaždin (Photo: Supplied)

What message would you like to convey to potential donors considering supporting the campaign?

We are not building a shopping center. We don’t build an apartment building to sell apartments and get rich. We are building a cultural center because we are rich in spirit and we believe in people. We believe that music, dance, acting, and other talents make us rich and help us leave the best of us to our children. We will raise the largest loan in the history of the theater and turn the world upside down to build this Cultural Center and make it self-sustaining. Help us in this way and get involved in the campaign if you believe in people. It is possible to support the campaign through the following link.

How can people get involved beyond financial contributions?

You can help us with a specific service, building material, or piece of equipment; suggest who to contact; send us a few words of support; or make a video inviting everyone to join the campaign. There are many ways in which you can help; you just need to dare and decide to do it. The worst thing is to watch from the sidelines and hope for someone else’s failure. Unfortunately, there are such examples.

Are there any upcoming projects or roles that you’re particularly excited about, and can you share some details about them?

I am very much looking forward to shooting the third film produced by Kerekesh Theater. Given that our last film, “The Outsiders,” became the most watched film in cinemas in 2022 and ended up among the most watched films on Netflix, we are determined and ready for a new project. In the next film, I play a failed hip-hopper who became a gravedigger and enjoys his job. I believe that people in cinemas will laugh like never before.

Are there specific goals or milestones you aim to achieve in your career moving forward? What kind of legacy do you hope to leave as an actor and artistic director?

Honestly, if I were to end my career as an actor and director today, I could easily say that I worked honestly and that I did a lot. However, as a producer, there is still a lot of work waiting for me, and my life project is definitely the Cultural Center in Varaždin.

Jan Kerekeš with his family (Photo: Supplied)

What advice would you give to aspiring actors? Are there lessons from your own journey that you think would be valuable for newcomers in the industry?

Breathe deeply, be loud, be yourself, and enjoy every moment on stage or in front of the camera. Don’t hold back, and don’t let the fact that others see you enjoying yourself hold you back. Dare to make mistakes, dare to work without compensation, do humanitarian work, and help others, and you will have the most peaceful sleep that will give you the strength to be even better the next day.

Link to the crowdfunding campaign:

https://bonafidesinvest.eu/campaign/doniraj-za-kulturni-centar/