Artistic Residencies in Belgrade: Fidan Bejtullahu and Dhurata Hoti

Reconnection 2.0 News

Through the open call for Artistic Residencies Reconnection 2.0 within the Reconnection 2.0 project funded by the European Union, managed by the European Union Office in Kosovo and implemented by Qendra Multimedia (Prishtina) and Heartefact Fund (Belgrade), two artists, Fidan Bejtullahu and Dhurata Hoti have each benefited a one-month artistic residency in Belgrade which they will be implementing during November and December 2022.

Fidan Bejtullahu, born in Suharekë, Kosovo. He completed his bachelor’s (2009) and master degree (2012) at the Academy of Science and Arts in Prishtina, at the Department of Painting.

Works in various media: painting, video and video-installation, photography, scene-design and graphic design. His work is based on quick ideas, a game we all play, but less in the political context and more in the general context. He plays with words based on what’s happening around him, by using typographic slogans and often attaching live drawings or printed ones, which are interconnected. The lack of art in a so-called artistic work or his lack of ownership of something drives him to create a story or triggers his imagination that completes this absence which in some ways could be considered present. He participated in many group exhibitions and numerous workshops, site-specific projects and festivals in Kosovo and around.

Dhurata Hoti studied dramaturgy at the Faculty of Arts in Prishtina. She is an author of various theater plays, short stories, culture journalism, and film scripts. She also is a Board member of Theater of Gjakova.

Her writings are a way of exploring personal and social issues, collective unconscious, universal myths, sexuality, search for identity and contemporary relationships. Her first long feature script “War, Games and Videotapes” was selected to be made into a movie from Kosovo Cinematography Center. Her play “Sodom Sadomazo” was awarded as the best play at the National Competition for play “Katerina Josipi”. The same play was staged at the National Theater of Kosovo. Her first short story book “Mjegulla” (The fog) was published in January 2021. She is currently working on her second book.

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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.