No Apologies! in Skopje: a gathering of the queer communityaround performance, visibility and alternative archives

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This June, Heartefact brings No Apologies! to Skopje, presenting the internationally acclaimed performance by Emma Frankland as part of the No Apologies! Balkan tour. The performance will take place on 6 June at the Drama Theatre Skopje (Dramski Teatar Skopje), in collaboration with Skopje Pride Weekend and Coalition Margins

Created and performed by Emma Frankland, No Apologies! brings together theatre, live music and autobiographical performance in a work rooted in queer memory and lived trans experience. Inspired by Nirvana’s iconic MTV Unplugged concert, the performance begins from the speculative question: What if Kurt Cobain had been a trans woman? From this starting point, it reimagines cultural memory through questions of identity, visibility and belonging, reflecting on the absence of references, archives and figures through which queer and trans people might recognise themselves.

The work moves between concert, storytelling and performance, creating a shifting space where memory is unstable and identity is continuously reworked. Rather than offering fixed interpretations, No Apologies! opens a field of reflection on how cultural narratives are formed, and how they can be reshaped through lived experience and imagination.

Alongside the performance, the Skopje programme includes a community event dedicated to queer and trans audiences and allies, developed in collaboration with Butchkuruzh and the Q Forum. The gathering combines conversation and participatory exercises, bringing together artists, performers, drag artists and community organisers working across queer and experimental practices. It opens space for exchange around visibility and representation in local cultural production, performance as a form of survival and expression, and the creation of alternative queer archives and references where they have been absent.

Entrance for the play and participation in the community event are free, with mandatory registration for participation.

To register for the play No Apologies: please send an email to [email protected] with the subject line: No Apologies – Registration.
On the arrival at the theatre, go to the box office and take the tickets reserved on your name. Deadline for registration for the play in June 5 at 20h.

To register for the community event: please fill out the Google form.
Deadline for registration for the community event is June 4 at 20h.

A Heartefact guest performance by Emma Frankland, produced by Marlborough Productions, supported by the British Council, in collaboration with partners in collaboration with Skopje Pride Weekend, Coalition Margins, Butchkuruzh, Transforma, HERA Youth.

No Apologies! is directed by Harry Clayton Wright, with original music by Keir Cooper, and produced by Marlborough Productions.

No Apologies! is commissioned by Marlborough Productions and supported by Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts, The Old Electric, Northumbria University and Arts Council England. No Apologies – The Balkans Tour is supported by the Art in Action programme of the British Council, which aims to build connections between the Western Balkans and the UK through creative and cultural cooperation.

Photo: The Schmidt Photography

Foto: Giulia Ferrando (Performing Arts Photography)

Foto: The Schmidt Photography

Foto: Matt Crockett

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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.

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.