State of Culture in Albania 2025 · Municipal profiles · Artivista Center (Qendra Artivista)
This profile is based on information provided by the Municipality of Lushnje in reply to Artivista's request for information on culture (2026) and INSTAT's 2023 Population and Housing Census. Amounts are in Albanian lek.
At a glance
| Region (qark) | Fier |
| Administrative units | 11: Lushnjë, Allkaj, Ballagat, Bubullimë, Dushk, Fier Shegan, Golem, Hysgjokaj, Karbunarë, Kolonjë, Krutje |
| Area | 380 km² |
| Population, 2023 Census | 63,135 (about 166 residents per km²); 24.5% fewer than in 2011 |
| Residents aged 65 and over | 23.9% (national average 19.7%) |
| Culture budget (reply) | 10.7 million lek planned and 9.9 million spent in 2020; 28.5 million planned and 14.0 million spent in 2025 |
| Cultural institution | Cultural Centre and Sports Club |
| Staff | 52 in 2020 and 63 in 2025; 24 to 21 in culture |
| Beneficiaries | From 58 in 2020 to 119 in 2025 |
| Strategy | Tourism Action Plan 2023 - 2028 |
Summary
Lushnje, the town of the 1920 Congress of Lushnje, runs culture through the Cultural Centre and Sports Club, which also covers sport. Its staff grew from 52 to 63, while the number working in culture fell from 24 to 21.
The approved culture budget nearly tripled, from 10.7 million lek in 2020 to 28.5 million lek in 2025, but spending grew much less, from 9.9 to 14.0 million lek. In 2025 less than half of the budget was spent. The number of beneficiaries rose every year, from 58 to 119.
Most activities took place at the Art Centre “Vaçe” until 2024, when its reconstruction began; since then they have moved to the Citizens' Square and the squares of the administrative units. No heritage works were funded. The municipality follows a Tourism Action Plan 2023 - 2028 and held 3 public consultations on culture.
1. Governance and institutions
The Cultural Centre and Sports Club, in the “Kongresi i Lushnjes” neighbourhood, combines cultural and sports activities under one management.
2. Staff and funding
The approved budget and actual spending were 10,719,000 and 9,910,000 lek in 2020, 13,119,000 and 9,139,260 lek in 2021, 12,383,000 and 11,307,105 lek in 2022, 13,530,000 and 12,966,700 lek in 2023, 16,570,000 and 12,959,124 lek in 2024, and 28,460,000 and 14,049,584 lek in 2025. The share spent fell from over 90% in 2020, 2022 and 2023 to 78.2% in 2024 and 49.4% in 2025.
The institution had 52 staff in 2020 and 2021, 53 in 2022 - 2024 and 63 in 2025. Staff in the structures responsible for culture numbered 24 in 2020 - 2022, 23 in 2023 and 2024 and 21 in 2025. The institutions generated small amounts of income each year, between 5,600 and 51,700 lek.
3. Cultural programme
The municipality organised or supported 14 activities in 2021, 22 in 2022, 16 in 2023, 20 in 2024 and 17 in 2025; the reply gives no number for 2020. Beneficiaries of public funds rose from 58 in 2020 to 75, 80, 90, 102 and 119 in 2025. The programme includes local and national festivals, concerts and shows in the squares, fairs, events for the Congress of Lushnje and local feasts in the administrative units.
4. Heritage
No funds were used for restoration or other work on heritage sites in 2020 - 2025. The Art Centre “Vaçe”, the main venue, has been under reconstruction since 2024.
5. Planning and public participation
Lushnje follows the Tourism Action Plan 2023 - 2028, its main strategic document for tourism, which also aims to promote cultural and natural heritage and support cultural activities. It has no strategy for culture alone. Three public consultations on culture, heritage and cultural activities were held in 2020 - 2025.
6. Culture across the municipality
Since 2024 activities have moved to open spaces, the Citizens' Square in Lushnjë and the central squares of the administrative units, where local feasts are also held. The reply gives no figures by unit.
Conclusions
- The approved culture budget nearly tripled, but spending grew much less.
- In 2025 less than half of the approved budget was spent.
- Beneficiaries of culture funds rose every year, from 58 to 119.
- Staff working in culture fell from 24 to 21 while total staff grew.
- The main venue, the Art Centre “Vaçe”, is under reconstruction, and activities have moved outdoors.
Recommendations
Explain the 2025 budget
The approved budget almost doubled in 2025 while spending stayed close to earlier years. Explaining what the increase was meant for, for example the “Vaçe” reconstruction, would help readers understand it.
Report culture and sport separately
One institution covers both. Separating staff and spending for culture would show the real effort in each field.
Plan the reopening of “Vaçe”
A programme for the renewed Art Centre, prepared with artists and residents, would make the most of the investment once the works end.
Add a culture chapter to the tourism plan
The Tourism Action Plan already mentions heritage. A short culture chapter, with the Congress of Lushnje events at its heart, would give culture its own goals.
About the data
Population figures come from the INSTAT 2023 Census. Budget, activities, beneficiaries, staff, income, consultations and plans are as reported by the Cultural Centre and Sports Club in its reply of 2 July 2026.
Every effort has been made to base this analysis on the data provided by the municipality, complemented with data from its Medium Term Budget Programmes (PBA) published online. For comments or questions, please contact artivista@arti-vista.org.
This article was prepared within the CulturAL project, with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the National Centre for Community Services and Artivista Center and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.
