The first issue of the magazine for the contemporary literature, culture and social questions Ars was published in 1986 in the edition of the Literature Municipality Cetinje. The members of the first editorial board were Mladen Lompar (editor in chief), Krsto Mijanovic, Slavko Perovic, Milorad Popovic and Branislav Cimesa. With its concept, design, network of associates, Ars was from the very beginning, even though it appeared in a very gloomy Montenegrin social reality, announced a new, modern sensibility together with significant openness towards alternative and dissident cultural and political concepts. Soon after that, Ars became the only magazine from Montenegro to receive recognition of a serious literature publication in the broader ex-Yugoslav context. Also, the group of people gathered together in this magazine anticipated numerous social and political issues that would escalate in the worst forms of clergy-nationalism and Balkan-like crypt-fascism in the beginning of 90s of 20th century. Ars and its editor the Literature Municipality Cetinje because of the non-orthodox opinions and attitudes had to bear the brunt of the communistic oligarchy ruling at the time. Thus, the magazine forcedly stopped publishing by the decision of the Executive Council of the Central Committee Communist League of Montenegro.

Ars restarted publishing in 1999 when for the president of the Montenegrin Society of Independent Writers was elected Milorad Popovic. New Ars editorial board has Milorad Popovic and Mladen Lompar out of previous team together with Ljubomir Djurkovic and Bozo Koprivica but the new strength of the new serial is the group of young writers that appeared on literature scene in the beginning of 90s of the century gone. They are Pavle Goranovic, Balsa Brkovic, Aleksandar Becanovic, Andrej Nikolaidis. The new Ars serial just with them broadened its original thematic and genre range of interest. That's why the new serial besides domestic and foreign literature, theatre and social issues gives rock culture and film creation in amount more than significant. However, Ars as genuinely literature magazine has its primary conceptual duty besides critical presentation of contemporary Montenegrin literature and translations of foreign literature to reestablish cooperation with writers, publications and publishers of ex Yu literature.

For that reason over few last years Ars published thematic presentations of contemporary Slovene, Croatian, Bosniak and Macedonian literature, and issue 5/6 01 is prepared by members of EX YU PEN Center from Amsterdam. Cultural Forum is co-publisher of the most prestigious Montenegrin magazine for literature, culture and social questions called ARS.