State of Culture in Albania 2025 · Municipal profiles · Artivista Center (Qendra Artivista)
This profile is based on information provided by the Municipality of Kolonjë in reply to Artivista's request for information on culture (2026), the municipality's medium term budget plans (PBA), and INSTAT's 2023 Population and Housing Census. Amounts are in Albanian lek.
At a glance
| Region (qark) | Korçë |
| Administrative units | 8: Ersekë, Barmash, Çlirim, Leskovik, Mollas, Novoselë, Qendër Ersekë, Qendër Leskovik |
| Area | 864.74 km² |
| Population, 2023 Census | 7,519 (about 9 residents per km²); 32.1% fewer than in 2011 |
| Residents aged 65 and over | 29.4% (national average 19.7%) |
| Culture budget (PBA) | 7,864,000 lek in 2022 and 17,534,000 lek in 2023 (actual); 18,409,000 lek planned for 2025 |
| Cultural institution | Cultural Centre “Fan Noli”, Ersekë |
| Staff | From 14 in 2020 to 18 in 2025 |
| Activities | From 4 in 2020 to 18 in 2024 and 11 in 2025 |
Summary
Kolonjë, a mountain municipality on the border with Greece, has the lowest population density in this series so far, with about 9 residents per km², and one of the oldest populations: 29.4% of residents are aged 65 or over. Its population fell by almost a third between the two censuses.
Despite this, Kolonjë's cultural programme grew strongly: from 4 activities in 2020 to 18 in 2024 and 11 in 2025, run by the Cultural Centre “Fan Noli” with a staff that rose from 14 to 18. The municipality's medium term budget plan shows spending on culture rising from 7.9 million lek in 2022 to 17.5 million lek in 2023, with about 18.4 million lek planned for 2025 and a new capital investment of 10 million lek a year planned for 2026 and 2027.
For several questions, including the culture budget and income, the reply only sent links to the municipality's website. The budget plan also lists culture projects the municipality is seeking funds for, such as the Theatre and Cinema “Fan Noli” under an EU call.
1. Governance and institutions
Culture is run by the Directorate of Art, Culture and Sport through the Cultural Centre “Fan Noli”, on Rilindja Square in Ersekë. Its mission covers performances of all genres, a folk ensemble, theatre and shows, and the promotion of tangible and intangible heritage through fairs and permanent and travelling museum exhibitions, following an annual plan tied to the budget.
2. Staff and funding
The reply refers to the municipality's website for the culture budget. The medium term budget plan (PBA) 2025 - 2027 gives actual spending on the cultural heritage programme of 7,864,000 lek in 2022 and 17,534,000 lek in 2023, a budget of 17,150,000 lek for 2024 and plans of 18,409,000 lek for 2025, 26,110,000 lek for 2026 and 27,110,000 lek for 2027. The increase from 2026 comes from a new capital line of 10,000,000 lek a year. Staff in the structures responsible for culture numbered 14 in 2020 - 2022, 17 in 2023 and 2024 and 18 in 2025. The budget plan records income from museums, theatre and cultural events of 50,000 lek a year in 2020 and 2021 and 23,000 lek a year in 2022 - 2024.
3. Cultural programme
The municipality organised 4 activities in 2020, 5 in 2021, 10 in 2022, 14 in 2023, 18 in 2024 and 11 in 2025, with between 20 and 54 beneficiaries of public funds a year. According to the budget plan, visitors to heritage sites rose from 1,450 in 2020 to 3,300 in 2024, while tickets sold and library readers fell from 500 and 300 to 200 each. Activities take place in the Palace of Culture, with its performance hall, puppet theatre and lobby, and in the public library “Skënder Luarasi”, with its conference hall and reading room, and serve Ersekë, Leskovik and the other administrative units.
4. Heritage
The reply gives no spending on heritage restoration. The budget plan lists applications for national and EU funds for the reconstruction of the library “Skënder Luarasi”, the photography museum “Dhimitër Vangjeli” in Ersekë, the ethnographic museum of Leskovik, the restoration of the theatre “Fan Noli” and busts of Fan Noli and Faik Konica. An earlier plan listed the Theatre and Cinema “Fan Noli” under the EU call “EU4Municipalities” and an Artistic Calendar with the Ministry of Culture.
5. Planning and public participation
The reply points to the strategic assessment of historical and cultural heritage in the General Local Plan, published on the municipality's website. It does not mention public consultations on culture.
6. Culture across the municipality
The two main venues are in Ersekë. The reply says that the activities served the communities of Ersekë and Leskovik as well as the other administrative units, but gives no figures by unit.
Conclusions
- Activities grew from 4 in 2020 to 18 in 2024, and staff from 14 to 18.
- Spending on culture more than doubled between 2022 and 2023, according to the budget plan.
- A new capital investment of 10 million lek a year is planned for 2026 and 2027.
- The reply sent links instead of figures for the budget, funds distributed and income.
- Kolonjë is very sparsely populated and among the oldest municipalities in this series.
Recommendations
Report the figures directly
Writing the culture budget, the funds distributed and income in the reply itself, not only as links, would make Kolonjë's data comparable with other municipalities.
Say what the new investment is for
The plan foresees 10 million lek a year for capital works in culture from 2026. Naming the project, for example the library or the theatre, and consulting residents on it, would increase transparency.
Explain the visitor and ticket figures
Visitors to heritage sites rose while tickets and library readers fell. A short explanation, and figures by site, would help understand how culture is used.
Keep culture alive in Leskovik and the villages
With a small and ageing population, a yearly programme that travels to Leskovik and the villages, and events for the diaspora in summer, would keep communities connected.
About the data
Population figures come from the INSTAT 2023 Census. Activities, beneficiaries and staff are as reported by the municipality in its reply, two scanned pages. Budget, income and visitor figures and the list of projects come from the municipality's medium term budget plans (PBA) 2022 - 2024 and 2025 - 2027.
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.
