State of Culture in Albania 2025 · Municipal profiles · Artivista Center (Qendra Artivista)
This profile is based on information provided by the Municipality of Pogradec 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) | Korçë |
| Administrative units | 8: Pogradec, Buçimas, Çërravë, Dardhas, Proptisht, Trebinjë, Udënisht, Velçan |
| Area | 584.77 km² |
| Population, 2023 Census | 46,070 (about 79 residents per km²); 25.1% fewer than in 2011 |
| Residents aged 65 and over | 20.4% (national average 19.7%) |
| Culture budget | 13.54 million lek in 2023, 8.72 million in 2024, 13.47 million in 2025 |
| Cultural institutions | Puppet Theatre “Piro Xëci”, Sports Palace “Arefi Berberi”, Library “Mitrush Kuteli”, City Cinema (Multifunctional Centre) |
| Activities | 75 in 2023, 84 in 2024, 196 in 2025 |
| Funds distributed | 1 million lek in 2023, 7 million in 2024, 13 million in 2025 |
| Public consultations | 1 during the period 2023 - 2025 |
Summary
Pogradec, the lakeside town on Lake Ohrid, had 46,070 residents in 2023, a quarter fewer than in 2011. Its cultural institutions, the Puppet Theatre, the Library, the Cinema and the Sports Palace, form a Multifunctional Centre with 49 staff.
The reply covers only 2023 - 2025. It gives a culture budget of 13.54 million lek in 2023, 8.72 million lek in 2024 and 13.47 million lek in 2025, and separately wages of 41.29 million lek in 2024 and 66.81 million lek in 2025. Activities rose from 75 in 2023 to 196 in 2025, and the funds distributed to others from 1 to 13 million lek.
The Puppet Theatre building was rehabilitated in 2023 for 2.05 million lek. There is no culture strategy, and one public consultation on culture was held during the three years.
1. Governance and institutions
The Multifunctional Centre runs the Puppet Theatre “Piro Xëci” on 1 Qershori Street, the Sports Palace “Arefi Berberi” on Stadium Street, and the City Library “Mitrush Kuteli” and City Cinema on Naim Frashëri Boulevard. It has 7 staff in administration, 12 in culture, 15 in support services, 4 in the library, 8 in sport and 3 in the Puppet Theatre, 49 in all. In a separate answer the reply gives 10 staff in the structures responsible for culture each year.
2. Staff and funding
In 2023 the culture budget was 13,540,000 lek, including 1,885,980 lek for running costs, 1,491,200 lek for sport, 240,000 lek for the library and 150,000 lek for the cinema. In 2024 it was 8,715,000 lek, including 1,644,240 lek for running costs, 4,222,500 lek for sport, 230,000 lek for the library, 800,000 lek for the cinema and 100,000 lek for the gallery, with wages of 41,288,260 lek reported separately. In 2025 it was 13,470,000 lek, including 1,500,000 lek for running costs and 7,169,000 lek for sport, with wages of 66,813,600 lek. The listed items add up to much less than the totals, and the reply does not explain the difference. The cultural institutions earn income from tickets, art courses and rentals, but the reply gives no amount.
3. Cultural programme
The municipality held 75 activities in 2023, 84 in 2024 and 196 in 2025. Funds distributed for sport and culture activities rose from 1,000,000 lek to 10 beneficiaries in 2023, to 7,000,000 lek to 11 beneficiaries in 2024 and 13,000,000 lek to 13 beneficiaries in 2025. The programme includes the puppet festival “Xinxifilo”, the promotion of puppet theatre as a local tradition, exhibitions, concerts, youth and educational activities, and painters' colonies to strengthen the Art Gallery.
4. Heritage
The Puppet Theatre “Piro Xëci” building was rehabilitated in 2023, at a cost of 2,050,000 lek.
5. Planning and public participation
The municipality has no strategy, action plan or project in progress for culture, creative industries or heritage. One public consultation on culture was held during the period 2023 - 2025.
6. Culture across the municipality
Events take place in the City Odeon, the square in front of the Palace of Culture and the Sports Palace. The reply reports no cultural investment by administrative unit.
Conclusions
- The reply covers only the years 2023 - 2025.
- The listed budget items, totals and wages do not add up to one clear figure.
- Activities rose from 75 to 196 a year, and funds for others from 1 to 13 million lek.
- The Puppet Theatre building was rehabilitated in 2023.
- There is no culture strategy, and one consultation was held in three years.
Recommendations
One clear budget
Reporting the culture budget for each year since 2020, with wages, sport and culture shown separately, would make it easy to follow.
Explain the growth
Saying what drove the rise to 196 activities and 13 million lek in grants would show whether it will last.
A strategy around the puppet theatre
The puppet tradition, the festival “Xinxifilo” and the lake are strong assets for a short culture strategy discussed with residents.
Culture in the villages
Planning some events in the seven rural units would reach residents outside the town.
About the data
Population figures come from the INSTAT 2023 Census. Budget, activities, funds, institutions, staff, heritage and consultations are as reported by the municipality in its reply (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.
