Participants Selected for the Residency Programme in Kutná Hora, Czechia

News

We are pleased to announce the results of the open call for the 2026 Residency Programme in Kutná Hora, Czechia. Dedicated this year to authors from the Baltic States, the programme received 20 applications. Following a two-round selection process, three playwrights were selected to take part in the residency: Gabrielė Česevičiūtė (Lithuania), Oliver Issak (Estonia), and Linda Šterna (Latvia).

This year’s edition has also been expanded to include three Serbian theatre makers: Simo Đukić, Maša Pavlović, and Nina Plavanjac. The residency offers emerging playwrights from Central and Eastern Europe dedicated time and support to develop new dramatic works, while fostering artistic exchange and regional collaboration. The programme will take place in September in Kutná Hora, with newly developed texts presented during the Kutná Hora Performing Arts Festival.

The Residency Programme is curated by Ewa Zembok from the Rekultur platform and is organized in cooperation with the Kutná Hora Performing Arts Festival. The Serbian component of the programme is implemented by Heartefact and Kulturanova, in partnership with Rekultur, as part of their ongoing efforts to strengthen regional collaboration and support emerging playwrights.

The selection was made by an international committee consisting of Ewa Zembok (Rekultur, Czech Republic), Kirsten Simmo (Estonian Theatre Agency, Estonia), Anna Sīle (Dirty Deal Teatro, Latvia), Maija Pavlova (Gertrudes ielas teatris, Latvia), Rusnė Kregždaitė (MMLab, Lithuania), Andrej Nosov (Heartefact, Serbia), and Milan Vračar (Kulturanova, Serbia).

Congratulations to all selected participants – we wish them every success and look forward to following their future work.

The project is being realized in cooperation with the Kutná Hora Performing Arts Festival and with the support of the State Fund for Culture of the Czech Republic and the city of Kutná Hora. We give a thanks to the Nadace Kutná Hora Památka Unesco and Tylovo Divadlo.

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As part of Heartefact’s Kosovo–Serbia Visiting Program, we organized a visit in early August to festivals in Pristina and Prizren for a group of young artists and activists from Serbia. During the visit, the participants had the opportunity to attend three major cultural events in Kosovo – the 24th edition of the DokuFest International Documentary Film Festival in Prizren, the 6th edition of the Sunny Hill music festival in Pristina, and the 5th edition of the Autostrada Biennale, an international contemporary art festival.

OPEN CALL: GRANTS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ON-THE-JOB TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING (REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA)

Public presentation of the play Doughnuts held as part of the New Voices workshop

On Sunday, July 6, a public presentation of the play Doughnuts (Buhtle) was held at Heartefact House, marking the conclusion of the four-day Playground for New Voices workshop. The workshop took place within the European project Fabulamundi: New Voices, which Heartefact implements with partners from nine European countries. It was led by director and playwright Patrik Lazić, in collaboration with emerging playwright Jelena Krdžavac, the acting ensemble, and translator Olja Petronić.

Exploring and developing contemporary drama through process: Doughnuts by Jelena Krdžavac in the spotlight of the Playground workshop

As part of the Fabulamundi project, implemented by Heartefact in collaboration with partners from nine European countries, the Playground workshop is taking place in Belgrade from July 3 to 6. Led by director and playwright Patrik Lazić, the workshop brings together a cast of actors and emerging playwright Jelena Krdžavac to explore and further develop her play Doughnuts (Buhtle), which was shortlisted in last year’s Heartefact Competition for Best Contemporary Socially Engaged Drama.

Culture for Democracy: Supported Projects within the Call for Cultural and Artistic Project Implementation in Serbia

An exceptional response—totaling 273 applications—reflects the critical position of the cultural sector in Serbia in the context of the current political and social climate. Based on the Commission’s evaluation, 22 projects have been selected for support, with a total budget of 21,500,000.00 RSD. Although this amount exceeds the originally planned budget for this call, we believe that, amid the ongoing crisis and with public calls for cultural funding either canceled or indefinitely postponed, such support is more necessary than ever.

Artistic Residency and Public Presentation of Gaelle Axelbrun’s Play Held as Part of the Playground Project

From June 22 to 28, 2025, an artistic residency of French playwright Gaelle Axelbrun took place at Heartefact House in Belgrade, as part of the European project Playground. During this intensive seven-day working period, Gaelle, together with director Tara Manić, translator Olja Petronić, and the acting ensemble—Nevena Kočović, Jana Bjelica, and Andrej Nježić—explored the dramaturgical and performative potential of her play Far from the Mud in Which We Sink into Sleep.

Residency of French Author Gaelle Axelbrun in Belgrade as Part of the Playground Project

From June 22 to 28, 2025, the Heartefact House in Belgrade will host a residency for French playwright Gaelle Axelbrun as part of the European project Playground. This intensive seven-day residency, organized by Heartefact, is part of an international collaboration focused on the development of contemporary dramatic texts by emerging European authors.

First Seminar for Youth from Serbia Held as Part of the Regional VIBE Program

From June 20 to 22, 2025, Heartefact organized a three-day seminar for young people from Serbia in Belgrade as part of the regional program VIBE – Connecting Young People. The program brings together youth from Serbia, Montenegro, and Albania with the aim of strengthening regional cooperation and exchange. Designed as a space for learning, dialogue, and connection, it focuses on human rights, regional cooperation, the shared history of the region, and reflections on the future that young people wish to shape through activism and civic engagement.