International co-production by Hartefakt and Swedish theatre company Sweets, directed by Andrej Nosov, premieres in Stockholm

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Hartefakt’s new production, “Kostya: A Ballad of Pigs and Seagulls,” created in international co-production with Swedish theatre company Sweets/KONTRAR, premieres in Stockholm on 17 October. Following the premiere, audiences in the Swedish capital will have three more opportunities to see the production, on 19, 20 and 21 October.

Inspired by Chekhov’s “The Seagull”, director Andrej Nosov’s new original work begins with a question: what remains of a work of art in a world that erases its own traces every morning?

“A dead writer no longer writes, which is why it is important to stay alive,” says a French writer. Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, meanwhile, has never been more alive or more cantankerous. “Kostya: A Ballad of Pigs and Seagulls” explores the artist’s irresistible need to leave a mark. Deconstructing the story of Konstantin Gavrilovich Treplev, Kostya, a more sensitive version of the character, seeks to understand a loveless world and emerge victorious. Lonely and angry, terrified of being forgotten, Kostya tries to make sense of heroes and those who will never become them.

The production creates a space for play between creation and disappearance, artistic ambition and a reality that constantly questions it. “Kostya” takes shape in the very space where it is performed, through the performers’ bodies and their encounter with the audience. Here, theatre is not merely a place where a story unfolds, but an act that is continually brought into being before us, aware of its own impermanence.

The production was developed through a collaborative artistic process between director Andrej Nosov and young Swedish actor Nils Wetterholm, during the summer at Hartefakt House. Wetterholm received the Rising Star Award at the Stockholm Film Festival in 2025 and also performs at Stockholm’s Royal Dramatic Theatre, Dramaten. He is known to international audiences for his role in the Netflix series “Young Royals”.

The creative team also includes dramaturg Sofija Dimitrijević, composer Vladimir Pejković, scenography and costume designer Nađa Vukorep, light designer Nemanja Calić and movement consultant Marija Milenković.

This co-production continues the collaboration between Hartefakt and Swedish theatre company Sweets/KONTRAR within the framework of “Political Loneliness”, a project that creates space for encounters between different artistic practices, shared exploration and the development of new theatrical forms. The project previously gave rise to Art and Money, a production by Freja Halberg that premiered in November 2025 and was subsequently presented to audiences in Belgrade and Stockholm. Supported by the Swedish Institute, “Art and Money” is also part of the regular program at Hartefakt House.

“Kostya: A Ballad of Pigs and Seagulls” is performed in English, with sections in Swedish and Serbian. The Belgrade premiere is planned for November 2026.

Photos: Marijana Janković

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International co-production by Hartefakt and Swedish theatre company Sweets, directed by Andrej Nosov, premieres in Stockholm

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The exhibition “There’s Room for Everyone”, part of the campaign of the same name, was officially opened on Thursday, September 4, in the lobby of Heartefact House and will be available to visitors until the end of September. Photographs of various marginalized communities in Serbia, staged inside an elevator, are accompanied by personal testimonies of participants, highlighting that diversity should not be a reason for exclusion, but rather an opportunity for solidarity.

Students from Serbia visited the Short Theatre Festival in Rome within the European project Fabulamundi – New Voices

As part of the final phase of the European project Fabulamundi – New Voices, in which Heartefact and partners from about ten countries have been participating over the past two and a half years, we organized a visit of students from Serbia to the partner festival Short Theatre in Rome. The visit took place from September 5 to 7, during the 20th anniversary edition of this renowned festival.

The project “Culture for Development” announces to the public the names of the projects that received support within the first call!

The grants for cultural and artistic projects are awarded for the development and implementation of socially relevant contemporary art projects that contribute to the enrichment of culture and promote diversity in artistic practices and expressions, address critical social issues, and encourage community development.

Young Artists and Activists from Serbia Visited Festivals in Pristina and Prizren as Part of Heartefact’s Visiting Program

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.