Before she began shaping the communication of one of Montenegro’s most important cultural institutions from inside the theatre, Tajana Nedić learned how audience attention is built through festivals, events, social media and work with different brands. She collaborated with the EXIT Festival, the Zabjelo Culture Festival and Rockstrikcija, was among the founders of Platform081, managed social media for Red Bull Montenegro for five years and worked as an associate of the Smart Point agency for the Montenegrin market.
Today, she is a public relations advisor at the Montenegrin National Theatre, where communication does not end with announcing the repertoire and selling tickets. It involves bringing audiences closer to the processes that take place before the curtain rises, balancing the institutional voice with the speed of digital platforms, responding to cancellations and public controversies, and continuously building trust that becomes most important precisely when a crisis occurs.
In the interview, she explains why the number of views cannot be the only measure of success for a cultural institution, where artificial intelligence can make work easier and where its power ends, and why young audiences should not be attracted by simplifying art. We also discussed the rules of behaviour in the theatre, respect for artists and the idea that communication only has value when it encourages someone to enter the auditorium, watch a performance and leave with a question that will not immediately let them go.
How important are digital channels today for the communication of a national theatre?
Digital channels are no longer merely an addition to communication. They are one of the most important spaces in which the theatre and its audience meet. However, I believe it is important to emphasise that they can never replace the experience of being inside a theatre auditorium. Their role is to spark interest, bring artists and the process of creating a performance closer to the audience, open a dialogue and remind people that the theatre is a living place that speaks about contemporary human beings.
For a national theatre, it is particularly important to find a balance between tradition and contemporary communication tools. Social media allows us to reach audiences who may never have set foot in a theatre, but also to nurture our relationship with our regular, loyal audience. Through photographs, short-form videos, interviews with artists or glimpses into the working process, we can show that a performance begins long before the curtain rises.
At the same time, digital communication carries great responsibility. At a time when information is consumed quickly, a national theatre must remain a credible, measured and high-quality voice of culture. The number of views or likes is an important indicator of reach, but it is not the only measure of success. If we have managed to interest someone enough to buy a ticket, visit the theatre for the first time or want to discuss what they have seen after a performance, then the communication has fulfilled its purpose.
What types of crisis communication do you encounter most often, and which moment has been the most challenging in your career?
In culture, crisis situations are often different from those in other fields. They most commonly involve the cancellation or postponement of performances due to an actor’s illness, technical circumstances or other unforeseen situations. The audience rightly expects timely and clear information, which makes the speed of the response extremely important.
Public controversies surrounding certain performances or artistic decisions can also be particularly sensitive. By its very nature, theatre asks questions, provokes thought and often produces different reactions. In such situations, the role of public relations is not to participate in debates, but to provide accurate information, protect the integrity of the institution and create space for reasoned dialogue.
The most difficult moments, however, are not those that are most visible to the public. Far more demanding are the situations in which a large number of people must be coordinated within a short period of time, including management, artists, the technical department, the media and the audience, while maintaining composure and the trust of everyone involved. It is precisely then that you realise crisis communication is not about a perfectly worded statement, but about the trust built every day before a crisis even occurs.
Do you believe artificial intelligence will play a significant role in theatre and that it could, to a certain extent, change or replace some processes?
Artificial intelligence will certainly play an increasingly important role in work organisation, production and communication. It can already assist with analysing audience data, preparing content, translation, administrative tasks or campaign planning, leaving more space for creative work.
However, artificial intelligence will never be able to replace the essence of theatre. Theatre exists because of the live encounter between the actor and the audience. It is a space of an unrepeatable moment, of an exchange that takes place between people.
That is why I see artificial intelligence as a valuable tool, but not as a replacement for artistic creation. It can improve processes, but it cannot replace human intuition, experience and creativity, which remain at the heart of every artistic act.
Generations, habits and the culture of going to the theatre are changing. Should certain rules of dress and behaviour be preserved or brought back, and how do you assess young people’s relationship with the theatre?
I believe that going to the theatre still deserves a certain degree of ceremony. I do not think strict dress codes should be brought back or that anyone should be made to feel they need extremely elegant or expensive clothing to be welcome. However, I believe the way we dress reflects our respect for the artists, the institution and the people with whom we share that space.
Just as we naturally dress differently for certain occasions than we would for going to the beach or working out, I believe the theatre also deserves a certain level of neatness and appropriateness. It is not a question of formality or status, but of culture and an awareness that we are attending an event of particular value.
When it comes to behaviour, switching off phones, arriving on time, avoiding conversations during the performance and respecting the performers are fundamental elements of theatre culture. These are not outdated rules, but an expression of basic respect for the artists’ work and the experience of all audience members.
We often hear that young people do not go to the theatre, but my experience suggests otherwise. When you offer them high-quality content and communicate in a language they understand, they come, ask questions and return. Young audiences should not be underestimated, nor should we assume that they need simplified art. On the contrary, I believe young people recognise sincerity, courage and quality, perhaps even more quickly than older generations.
What would you do if you were not in this profession?
I have always been drawn to communications, culture and socially beneficial projects, so I believe I would have remained in one of those fields. What matters to me is the feeling that the work has meaning and contributes to the community in some way. That is precisely why I love working in theatre. Theatre has the power to inspire us, to make us question, to encourage us to reconsider our own views… And when we question ourselves, the possibility arises that we will recognise something that needs to change. I believe that change in the individual is the only possible path towards change in society as a whole, and that art, when connected to universal human values, can help us achieve it.
