State of Culture in Albania 2025 · Municipal profiles · Artivista Center (Qendra Artivista)
This profile is based on information provided by the Municipality of Skrapar 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) | Berat |
| Administrative units | 9: Çorovodë, Bogovë, Çepan, Gjerbës, Leshnjë, Potom, Qendër Skrapar, Vendreshë, Zhepë |
| Area | 832.04 km² |
| Population, 2023 Census | 10,750 (about 13 residents per km²); 13.3% fewer than in 2011 |
| Residents aged 65 and over | 24.0% (national average 19.7%) |
| Culture budget, spent | 5.0 million lek in 2020, 10.0 million lek in 2025 |
| Share of plan spent, 2020 - 2025 | 91.7% |
| Cultural institutions | Cultural Centre “Riza Cerova” and Children's Cultural Centre, in Çorovodë |
| Activities | 22 to 23 a year, against a target of 25 |
| Heritage works | None during the period 2020 - 2025 |
Summary
Skrapar, in the mountains around the Osum canyons, is one of the most sparsely populated municipalities in this series, with about 13 residents per km². Its population fell by 13% between the 2011 and 2023 censuses, less than in many rural municipalities.
The reply gives one of the most detailed budget tables in the series. Spending on culture doubled, from 5.0 million lek in 2020 to 10.0 million lek in 2025, and 91.7% of the planned funds were spent over the six years. The municipality held 22 or 23 activities every year, close to its target of 25.
Culture is delivered by the Cultural Centre “Riza Cerova” and the Children's Cultural Centre in Çorovodë. No heritage site was restored during the period, and the reply leaves the questions on strategy, consultations and public spaces unanswered.
1. Governance and institutions
The Cultural Centre “Riza Cerova”, on Pasho Hysi street in the Çlirimi neighbourhood, organises events and celebrations; the Children's Cultural Centre, in the Estref Caka neighbourhood, organises celebrations for children. The data table gives 8 staff for the culture programme, including a museum guide, a librarian and a sound technician; the written reply gives 7 staff at each centre and 1 person in the municipality's own culture structure.
2. Funding
Planned and actual spending were 5,234,600 and 5,043,881 lek in 2020, 5,660,478 and 5,306,936 lek in 2021, 6,113,432 and 5,223,720 lek in 2022, 6,446,000 and 5,778,600 lek in 2023, 9,036,503 and 8,667,660 lek in 2024, and 11,170,452 and 10,012,929 lek in 2025. Over six years 43.7 million lek was planned and 40.0 million lek spent. Most of the money goes on wages; operating costs were well below plan in 2023 and 2025, and investments of 279,103 lek in 2024 and 1,525,289 lek in 2025 were added. The reply says no other public funds were distributed in culture, and the institutions earn no income.
3. Cultural programme
The municipality planned 25 activities a year and held 22 in 2020, 23 in 2021, 22 in 2022, 23 in 2023, 23 in 2024 and 22 in 2025, 135 in total.
4. Heritage
No funds were spent on restoring heritage sites during the period 2020 - 2025. The reply notes that the Palace of Culture and the city cinema in Çorovodë were rehabilitated earlier with funds from the Italian-Albanian Debt Swap Agreement (IADSA).
5. Planning and public participation
The reply does not answer the questions on culture strategies, public consultations or public spaces, and says the municipality has no action plans or development projects for culture.
6. Culture across the municipality
The cultural infrastructure is in the town of Çorovodë. The reply gives no information on activities in the eight other administrative units.
Conclusions
- Spending on culture doubled between 2020 and 2025, with 91.7% of the plan spent.
- The municipality holds 22 to 23 activities a year, close to its target.
- Two cultural centres work in Çorovodë; the staff figures differ between the two parts of the reply.
- No heritage site was restored during the period 2020 - 2025.
- Questions on strategy, consultations and public spaces were left unanswered.
Recommendations
Reach the villages
Taking some activities to the eight administrative units outside Çorovodë would reach more residents.
Care for heritage
A small yearly fund for heritage sites would help protect them.
Consult residents
Holding and reporting public consultations on culture would involve residents in its planning.
One staff figure
Giving a single staff count for each centre would make the reply easier to follow.
About the data
Population figures come from the INSTAT 2023 Census. Budget, activities, institutions, staff, heritage and plans are as reported by the municipality in its data table and written 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.
