Meet The Residents: Artistic Residencies Reconnection 2.0

Milica Denković will be part of the residency in Prishtina, hosted by Qendra Multimedia.

Finished Master in New Media Arts at Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, Serbia. Member of the Artist Association of Vojvodina and has Status of Independent Artist in the Republic of Serbia. As a multimedia artist exhibited in Serbia and abroad, was part of non-formal professional workshops and residencies. As a slam poet was active in 2009-2011 on various open mic nights and reactivated in that field again in 2018. From 2014. collaborates with the cultural organization Mračna komora as a scenographer and videographer on short youtube literature presentation videos. From 2017. are a member of the editorial board of the web platform and magazine for literature, philosophy, and social theory Rizom.rs In 2018. After the artist residency in Tranas started to collaborate with the Swedish cultural organization Kultivera on the international art project Letters, supported by the Swedish Art Council. As an independent artist from 2020. collaborates on the Tranas at the fringe festival organized by the same cultural organization as a multimedia professional and slam poetess. Active in the field of multimedia, the extended area of photography, installation, video and slam poetry as some of the main fields. Currently works on her first manuscript for the multimedia slam poetry book Manual for (Un)learning.

Irena Popovic Dragović will be part of the residency in Prishtina, hosted by Qendra Multimedia.

Irena Popović Dragović, was born in Ćuprija in 1974. She graduated in composition and orchestration from the Faculty of Music in Belgrade, under Srđan Hofman and Zoran Erić. She continued her education in Salzburg, where she got her master’s degree at the Mozarteum University, under Reinhard Febel. Her compositions have been performed in concerts and festivals all over the world. She’s active as a vocalist and pianist, performing with multiple music ensembles. For a long period of time, she was working as a music theory teacher in music schools, and later started working as a docent at the New Academy of Arts, teaching the subject Music and Theatre. Her most notable work is in film and theatre music. So far she has done more than a hundred plays all over Europe. Her work was awarded multiple times at prestigious festivals around the world, and she often works with prominent regional directors such as Andraš Urban, Kokan Mladenović, Blerta Neziraj, Slobodan Unkovski, Oliver Frljić, Snežana Trišić, Tanja Mandić Rigonat and many more.

Dardan Zhegrova will be part of the residency in Belgrade, hosted by Heartefact Fund.

Dardan Zhegrova is an artist, journalist and human right activist based in Prishtina, Kosovo. As an artist, his physical works/installations are most often based on poems / text that deal with partially fictional and actually experienced events, which have been shown in numerous galleries and art spaces locally and internationally. As a freelance journalist he has worked for various local and regional media and organizations, mostly covering culture and its socio-political effect on society. As a board member of YiHR Kosova, and as a human rights activist for over fifteen years, his whole practice tends to challenge conservative views that impose any kind of discrimination towards marginalized groups, with focus on LGBTQ+ issues.

Agon Rexhepi will be part of the residency in Belgrade, hosted by Heartefact Fund

Agon Rexhepi will be part of the residency in Belgrade, hosted by Heartefact Fund Agon Rexhepi, born November 25th, 2000, is a queer activist from Pristina, Kosovo. He’s currently studying Sociology at the University of Pristina. Agon is the co-founder of the queer cultural collective “Hyjneshat (eng: Goddesses). He has recently published his very first book named “Pasqyrë (eng: Mirror)”. Currently, he’s working on various projects related to human rights and writing. He prefers he/him pronouns.

Artistic Residencies Reconnection 2.0 are part of Reconnection 2.0 project financed by the European Union Office in Kosovo and implemented by Qendra Multimedia [Prishtina] and Heartefact Fund [Belgrade].

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The premiere of the new theater production “Climax” was held at the Heartefact House

On December 14th, the premiere of the new theater production “Climax,” directed by Patrick Lazić and dramaturged by Dunja Matić, took place at the Heartefact House. The inspiration for this project came from the controversial film of the same name by globally acclaimed director Gaspar Noé.

Artistic residencies in Belgrade: Yllka Brada and Tadi

As a result of the open call for artistic residencies of the Reconnection 2.0 project funded by the European Union Office in Kosovo, and implemented by Qendra Multimedia [Prishtina] and Heartefact Fund [Belgrade], two artists have been selected, Tadi and Yllka Brada, who will reside in artistic residencies during November and December 2023 in Belgrade.

Heartefact’s Play “A Brief History of Burgers and Other Stories” Performed at the Kosovo Theatre Showcase Festival

The play “A Brief History of Burgers and Other Stories,” an original project by Andrej Nosov and performed by Dutch actor Simon Versnel, was performed on October 27 and 28, 2023, at the Dodona Theatre in Prishtina as part of the Kosovo Theatre Showcase Festival.

Civil Society Check-In: Advancing Kosovo-Serbia Cooperation

Given the current sensitive political climate and recent tensions between Belgrade and Prishtina, there is an urgent need for regional cooperation and the potential for transformative impact. With this conference, we aim to bring together all stakeholders from various organizations working on topics such as reconciliation, transitional justice, economic cooperation, cultural exchange, youth exchange, education, human rights, security and more.

Heartefact has begun preparations for a new theater production inspired by the film “Climax.”

Heartefact is starting work on a new theater production, an authorial project by director Patrick Lazić and playwright Dunja Matić, inspired by the controversial film “Climax” by acclaimed director Gaspar Noé. The premiere of the play is planned for early December at the Heartefact House.

“The Sworn Virgin” performed on the second day of Pride Week

The audience at DorćolPlatz had the opportunity to enjoy the performance of three brilliant actors who visually portrayed all aspects of the social phenomenon of women who, out of necessity for emancipation, choose to take on a male identity.

DEADLINE IS EXTENDED: ARTISTIC RESIDENCIES RECONNECTION 2.0

Qendra Multimedia [Prishtina] and Heartefact Fund [Belgrade] are happy to open the second call for applications for artistic residencies implemented within the joint platform Reconnection 2.0, financed by the European Union and managed by the European Union Office in Kosovo.

Podcast: a conversation between Biljana Srbljanović and Doruntina Basha

As part of the Reconnection 2.0 program, which was created in collaboration between Heartefact and Qendra Multimedia and supported by the European Union Office in Kosovo, translations of plays by author Doruntina Basha, “Stifler” and “Parallel/Normal,” have been published. In this podcast with Biljana Srbljanović, Doruntina talked about growing up in Kosovo, the wall that was built in her elementary school to separate Serbian and Albanian students, the first film she saw and the importance of cinemas for her generation, mass poisoning in schools in the 1990s, femicide, and other topics that inspired her new plays.

Opening of Fidan Bejtullahu’s exhibition – We are connecting and telling some other story

On Thursday, 23rd of February 2023, at the “Endžio Hab” Gallery opened Fidan Bejtullahu’s solo exhibition, a visual artist from Kosovo, which was created during Fidan’s one month long artistic residency at the Heartefact House last year.

OPENING OF THE “EMBRACE” EXHIBITION

On Thursday, February 23rd, 2023 at 7 PM, the exhibition “Embrace” by visual artist Fidan Bejtullahu from Pristina will open at the “Endžio HAB” gallery located at 4 Dobračina Street in Belgrade. The exhibition will feature works that Fidan created during his residency in Belgrade held by the Heartefact Fund.

The play “Visiting Mr Green” preformed at the Heartefact House

“Visiting Mr Green” is the first guest play at the Heartefact House that marked the start of a new program line where we will regularly bring plays from the region in front of the Belgrade audience.

Stage reading of a short story “Hunger” at the Heartefact House

On Tuesday, December 13th, as part of the Reconnection 2.0 project, a stage reading of a short story “Hunger” by Dhurata Hoti was held at the Heartefact House. The text was performed by actress Nina Perišić.

Our Son at the Theater of Gjilan after 23 years

Last weekend, the crew from “Our Son”, directed and written by Patrik Lazić, participated at the 5th Kosovo Theater Showcase. This showcase is an annual event that gathers festival selectors, critics and theater experts from all around Europe. Multiple plays, performances, panels and public readings and introduction to the art of Kosovo artists, institutions and organization took place from October 25th to October 29th in many locations in Pristina, Gjilan and Uroševac.

Artistic Residencies in Belgrade: Fidan Bejtullahu and Dhurata Hoti

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.