Project description: This theatre project brought together a community of young artists who use different artistic media to address issues relevant to the Roma community, while creating opportunities for their own artistic development and cultural engagement.
The premiere of the play Who Is Aisha, Really? took place on 29 June in the open-air venue of State of Art in Mali Iđoš. Performances staged in Roma neighbourhoods introduced a completely new dynamic, encouraging communication, interaction, and spontaneous audience participation. The cast included Aisha Alić, a Roma woman from Niš after whom the play is named; Dragana Jovanović, an actress from the National Theatre in Niš; Karis from Mali Iđoš, an autistic performer and member of the State of Art ensemble; a local violist; a Roma woman from the local community; and a young Roma girl from the community, supported by assistants and production staff. The play was based on the life story of Aisha Alić and the stories of the women in her family, reflecting both the hardships and the joys experienced by Roma women living in Roma neighbourhoods.
The premiere offered an opportunity to see how the performance resonated with audiences. It concluded with an enthusiastic response and a strong desire among audience members to stay and take part in a discussion with the organisers about the play. Numerous performances were subsequently scheduled for the following year, including at the Studentski Grad Cultural Centre, the Bojčin Cultural Summer festival in Surčin, Novi Pazar, and Ptuj. The project also received support from the Social Centre in Niš (Indigo) and the Social Centre in Prokuplje. Each performance was followed by a discussion with the audience. During a study visit to the civil society organisation Georgian Youth for Europe, Bestseller laid the groundwork for the development of an Erasmus+ Capacity Building in the Field of Youth project, which will continue to build on the ideas developed through Democratic Perspective, particularly the play Who Is Aisha, Really?
These activities contributed to strengthening critical awareness within the Roma community and encouraged its members to advocate more actively for their own interests by using theatre as a tool for education and public awareness.
Grant amount: 1,300,000.00 RSD
